A Road Less Traveled

It is truly amazing how much we can learn, both about the world and ourselves, when we are traveling throughout the developing world. As a professional photographer I have learned to appreciate and thrive on the idea of contrast. By definition, contrast is the “the difference or degree of difference between things having similar or comparable natures”. For a piece of photography, this would entail the difference between the lightest and darkest areas of an image. What most people fail to realize is that the idea of contrast is just as relevant when it comes to life. I think we sometimes forget or ignore the fact that life outside of our borders does not consist of Starbucks and Safeways. That most of the people on this planet struggle every day just to survive. Having just returned from a month long photography trip through Guatemala and Honduras, it is difficult not to look back in reflection on the levels of contrast that exist between their world and mine.

Throughout the next three weeks I will publish not only some of my professional photography work that came out of this trip, but stories from some of the people, organizations and experiences my fiance and I came across while shooting photography throughout these beautiful countries. You will hear about how a single organic macadamia nut farm outside of Antigua, Guatemala plans to change the world through agriculture as well as Mayan Connection, a Washington D.C. based women’s initiative that is trying to demonstrate financial sustainable business practices with a small group of indigenous Mayan women around the stunning Lago de Atitlan. I will also be sharing a few articles that I am writing for “The Esperanza Project“, a new organization bent on finding and documenting creative and resourceful sustainability projects through the Americas. When all is said and done, I hope that all of you will have a better understanding the real world that exists beyond our borders.

In the meantime, here is a collection of personal photos that were taken throughout the trip (Guatemala and Honduras). I hope you enjoy the images and I look forward to sharing my experiences.