I Liked Their Faces

I'm often asked why I chose this person or that person as a subject for my images.  Almost all of my fine art work is street photography.  That means that I walk around looking for the perfect subject, or that the subject comes to me.  I never ask anyone to pose.  Seldom are those I photography aware that their image is being captured.  For me, it ensures spontaneity, a slice of life that is lost once someone becomes aware enough to start posing.

"I liked their faces," is often the answer as to why I chose certain subjects.  That is certainly true of the men in the image below.  A father and son, possibly, sitting on the sidewalk in Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala on a busy market Sunday this January.

Click on the photo for a larger image.

I'll have more images of faces I liked in coming posts.

You can view my website at:  tombellart.com.

The Pepsi Man

Several days ago, I posted a photo of a man enjoying a soda in the market of Santiago Atitlan.  Here's another of the same man.  I like it even better.

Click on the photo for a larger view.

You can view my website at:  tombellart.com.

Antigua Traditions

Some things are so traditional of Antigua, Guatemala, that you recognize them instantly as belonging to Antigua, despite possibly never having seen them before.  One of those things is the Antigua stairwell, found on roofs of old colonial buildings.  The stairwell is enclosed, and despite being out of sight of the casual observer, it's ornate enough to please anyone looking for colonial detail in the old buildings.

This colonial stairwell is atop the Meson Panza Verde restaurant in Antigua.

The fountains in Antigua are also spectacular.  The one below at the Hotel Antigua is one of the best kept in Antigua.

You can view my photography website at: tombellart.com

Men in Traditional Clothing of Santiago Atitlán

In my last post, I mentioned that men still dress in traditional clothing in the lakeside village of Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala.  I'll have more photos like these coming in the upcoming days and weeks.

Two men quietly watch market activities in Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala.

I think this one also works well in color.

You can view my photography website at www.tombellart.com.

New Photographs from Santiago Atitlán

In the coming weeks, I'll be sharing some of my new photographs from Guatemala, with several people shots coming from the lakeside village of Santiago Atitlán, home to a thriving Sunday market and the mysterious idol, Maximon (pronounced mash - ee - moan).  More on the Maxion in an upcoming post.

In many of the villages of Guatemala, it is unusual to see men dressed in native clothing. While women more often maintain traditional dress, men have discovered that western clothing is cheaper and easier. Not so, in Santiago.  Most men proudly wear cowboy hats, brightly colored shirts of native cloth, and short pants of traditional design.

The man below was enjoying a Pepsi in the busy market.

The man has lots of character in his face which works well in a cropped version in color.

Be watching for more photographs from Guatemala in the next few days.

You can view my website at:  www.tombellart.com.