Antigua coffee, textiles, photography

August 2, 1:58 PMAustin Travel Photography ExaminerLynn Herrmann

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Antigua, Guatemala, ©1998 Lynn Herrmann

For the photographer/traveler and coffee purist, there’s nothing quite like Antigua, Guatemala. Located an hour’s drive from Guatemala City, in the highlands district, Antigua’s strong colonial influence is evidenced around every street corner.

The glorious smell of fresh roasted coffee fills the cobblestone streets. It’s easy to find a secluded courtyard, sit down to a great cup of coffee, and forget your purpose for being here: photography. Rich in history, the area is a photographer’s dreamland.

A strong Mayan influence will overwhelm you. Textiles, beautifully woven in the surrounding villages, are abundant. Some of the finest textiles in all of Latin America are found in the highlands district of Guatemala, and from Chiapas, Mexico, just across the border. The psychology of color is evident everywhere.

As with all photography involving people, be respectful with your camera by asking first. Most of the time you will receive cooperation but on occasion the polite refusal will come your way. Pay attention to this. Shoving your camera in someone’s face is likely to land you in hot water at the blink of an eye. Before planning this trip, do your homework regarding travel information to Guatemala.

Volcanoes dot the landscape. Part of the Pacific Ring of Fire , these make for wonderful subject matter. Towering over intimate courtyards and filling the stunning landscape, you will find them to be an easy part of your composition. Be sure to include these in some of your photographs.

If you enjoy photographing or being around water, a visit to Lago de Atitlan is a must. The town of Panajachel is your base for this area. Much smaller than Antigua and a bit more touristy, you’ll enjoy the lakeside location and its primary departure point for the villages surrounding the lake.

No trip to the Guatemalan highlands is complete without a couple of days spent in Chichicastenango. Thursdays and Sundays are the town’s famous market days. If possible, plan your trip there around those days. Pottery, wood carvings, fruits and vegetables, flowers, and the ever present textiles fill the markets. The rich smell of foods, incense and smoke will overload your sense of smell. If not the most famous, then certainly it is one of the most colorful markets in Latin America.

Another bonus provided by Chichi, as it’s locally called, is its cemetery, situated at the edge of town. Leaving the hustle and bustle behind, you enter into a breathtaking sight: colors found only in Latin America are everywhere. From the simple gravesite to the massive mausoleum, subject matter abounds. Again, be respectful with your camera. This is obviously sacred ground and having a camera in hand does not automatically grant one total creative freedom.

Because you are in the highlands, cool nights and fresh mornings are the norm here. Light quality can range from subdued to sweet, and your camera will stay hot from it’s continuous use. By planning your schedule accordingly, researching your trip, and being respectful of the regions’ customs once you arrive, you will return home with a rich collection of photographic images.