National Geographic

As you will notice I have not taken many photographs of Mexicans or Guatemaltecos. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, I do not want to invade their privacy by being like a typical annoying tourist, constantly snapping at anything that catches my eye.

Secondly, I find that while travelling, if I become obsessed with taking pictures, I lose out on many experiences. If my camera is always in front of my eyes I can´t truly see and therefore, I forfeit those moments forever.

I have fallen in love with these beautiful, vibrant countries and the wonderful people I meet. Guatemala and Mexico are rich and diverse countries, full of opportunities for photographers. The age old question becomes, ¨to shoot or not to shoot¨?

A camera can take on a different role for different people. Some people simply want to have a visual record of where they´ve been for future viewing or to share with friends and family. Others see photography as an art form. They try to capture their surroundings and see the people and places around them more clearly.

I´ve also met people who use a camera as a shield. They hide behind this small piece of equipment so that they never have to get close to anything or anyone. They just click away, obsessively, thinking it´s the ¨right thing¨ to do while on vacation.

Even though I can barely speak the language here I don´t want to view locals as merely objects on the other side of my lens. They are fellow members of the planet. I think if you approach them with respect, people will pick up on that, and they will treat you the same.

The last two months I have been travelling around heavily populated Mayan areas. There are many Mayans who feel that the camera can take their soul and have a general distrust of cameras. There is also a persistent rumor that foreigners come to Guatemala to steal children...

A couple of you are reading this last paragraph and giggling a bit because you know I quite often joke about kidnapping all the little, gorgeous kids I see. I can understand this maternal stress and fear as hundreds of foreigners ´oh and ah´ over their precious babies.

And yes I agree that ¨a picture can say a thousand words¨. Don´t get me wrong, I am quite fond of taking and viewing pictures and by no means am I retiring my little Canon. Photography has always been a highlight of my travels. I believe there might be a fine line, but I haven´t quite figured out where that is for me, yet.