Photographs of J'Ouvert, the Caribbean pre-dawn festival in New York marking the beginning of Lent

Known as the West Indian American Day Carnival, the annual tradition is based on J'Ouvert, the Caribbean pre-dawn festival. Photographer David Katzenstein was there to capture the calypso atmosphere, the partying and the dancing, the costumes and the body paint.

"Gathering well before sunrise, the party begins as revellers descend upon the scene clad in a gorgeous array of interpretive garb and body paint," David says. "The sounds of steel band music fills the air, waking up the neighbourhood, calling all to join the celebration in anticipation of the day time parade that attracts over one million participants and spectators."

This project is one of the fine art projects included in thehumanexperienceproject.net, a non-profit organisation that develops and creates photographic exhibitions for public and private institutions, founded by David Katzenstein and Gay Feldman in 2018.