Guatemala is a beautiful place to visit and a better place to photograph. I’m really looking forward to leading a Nature Photography Tour there next year.
Today I’ll talk about people that I had the chance to photograph. The first thing you need to understand that the Guatemala Indians do not like to have their picture taken. Not now, not ever, never! They seem very shy around Anglos. The rest of Guatemalans are very helpful, extremely friendly, and they’ll even pose for you.
Fower Woman Hiding Face
Here is a lady in the market place at Antigua selling flowers. When she saw us walking with cameras she hid her face and kept it hidden until she thought we were no longer looking to get her picture, Wrong! While JL and Jason (see previous article) were talking to another flower vender, I played James Bond and got this shot of her.
I learned the technique from JL. Let the camera hang low on the strap and take a hip shot using your thumb to press the shutter. I took it one step further and put my remote release on the camera and only touched the camera to get it pointing in the right direction. Note, use a wide angle lens so you capture the entire shot.
We went to three different Market Places on the trip spending most of the mornings in each one. I used the James Bond method of photography to capture the photographs.
Well Dressed Man About Town
Sad EyesCarrots Into Shopping Basket
Here is a photograph I took in Antigua of a man living on the street. He said we could take his photograph for a few quetzales. I called it Hard Living.
Hard Living
Copan's-Tony-the-Tigre-(jaguar) 700 AD
What a November. I spent sixteen days in Guatemala on a Photo Safari photographing Mayan Ruins, open air markets, Mayan descendents in their colorful tribal dress, and of course, wildlife. The day before Thanksgiving I flew to Guatemala City where I was picked up by my photography partner J.L. Christman and our driver/interpreter Jason Garby. Jason is a college student on a short break, who learned English from watching TV. His English is excellent and I would recommend him to anyone planning on going to Guatemala. If fact I’m planning on leading a Photography Tour to Guatemala next year and plan to use him.
Jason in front of a Ceiba tree
We spent 95% of our time in the remote areas and staying away from the large cities. When you arrive in Guate. as they call Guatemala City you think you are in any large city through out the world with sky scrapers and traffic congestion. However, less than an hour out of Guate. you realize that you are in a third world country. The average wage is between 200 and 300 Quetzals a day when
- Tikal’s Temple # One
they can find work. The exchange rate was 7.58 Quetzals to $1, making the average daily wage between $27 and $40 a day. With prices for gas, McDonald’s (any fast food), and groceries being about the same as in the US it has got to be tough.
Without exception I found the people very friendly, courteous and wanting to help. With the exception of the Mayan Indians I was allowed to take photographs anywhere of anyone doing whatever. The indigenous folks just plan didn’t want their photos taken.
I’ll write more later and attach more photos
I learned the technique from JL. Let the camera hang low on the strap and take a hip shot using your thumb to press the shutter. I took it one step further and put my remote release on the camera and only touched the camera to get it pointing in the right direction. Note, use a wide angle lens so you capture the entire shot.
