Dog Meets World » Guatemala

Foto’s Blog: The gift of giving – a note from a new traveler

Carolyn — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 05:47:13 +0000

Phodographer to be Marielle Briant in Guatemala: Punto de Palma '11 (left) and Zunil '09 (right)

I had never been to a developing country on my own before I traveled to Guatemala with friends over spring break. We had the opportunity to see most of Guatemala’s East coast, from Antigua all the way up north to the Mayan Ruins in Tikal, Petén.

We observed the poverty up close, although we always had a nice place to come back to at the end of the day, whether it was a family home or a decent hotel. Around the Lake Izabal we discovered what was left of the Indigenous Mayan civilization in a village called Aktenamith, which means “pueblo nuevo” in an ancient Mayan language. I left this town with the feeling that I was one step closer to understanding how these people lived.

In Punto de Palma, my friend Verena led us to the village behind her summer beach home where we interacted with schoolchildren, teachers and residents of the area. We approached the home of Verena’s household handyman and caregiver and saw a mother of 16 years of age holding her child in her arms (see photo on left). My friends and I started taking pictures of her and her family. Both my girlfriends posed with the baby while I took a picture or two, and that’s when I started to feel a little upset.

The family did not see the harm in our picture taking, and this intrigued me. Why was I feeling unsettled but not them? How could they not be bothered by my intrusive behavior in taking pictures of their family and leaving without sharing the photographs? I felt like I had violated their privacy and stolen a part of them that I did not deserve.

I started thinking about everything that I had learned up until then, mostly in school, about cultural relativism: about how everything is relative within a context and to the people concerned. The conclusion for me at the time was that these people were poor but most likely happy because they did not know anything different, or had not experienced it. What I hadn’t realized then but understand fully now was that my perspective was ethnocentric and that I was unknowingly judging them. What had originally intrigued me and left me perplexed when I took the picture of the mother with her child was the fact that she was not judging me.

I started to wonder what they would have thought if they had judged me? I was so quick to judge their lives that I hadn’t realized that by the simple, oblivious act of photographing their family, I was giving them plenty of good reasons for them to look down on how I lived my own life. This is why when I got back to New York and found out about Dog Meets World the whole concept of photo diplomacy clicked for me.

I realize today that photo diplomacy is not only about giving people a photo of themselves, it’s about creating awareness of each other and realizing how much our judgment gets in the way of getting to know other people that are different from us. I intend to practice Take & Give photography and no longer just TAKE someone’s photo for my own amusement and benefit but print it up on the spot and share. Photo diplomacy is a two way street and it’s all about sharing the experience captured in the photograph. The picture on the right was taken by phoDOGrapher Patti Hughes also in Guatemala and show the delighted mothers looking at the new photos of their children.

- Marielle Briant, DMW Outreach & Communications Intern

Get Shareaholic

Foto’s Blog: Sharing is the Universal Language…scenes from Guatemala

Carolyn — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 13:47:07 +0000

NEW Phodographer Hester Bury in Antigua, Guatemala May 2011

I’m Hester Bury and I arrived in Antigua from Chicago early on a Sunday morning in May. I spent the morning walking around the town, getting my bearings and enjoying the beautiful old buildings and cobbled streets. I sat down on a bench in the Parc Central and within minutes was approached by a young girl selling woven bracelets and bags. I bought a couple and then asked her how long she was going to be in the park and if she would like her photo taken. It was mostly sign language as I don’t speak Spanish. I went to fetch Foto and my printer. I returned started to take photos, mostly of the people selling their wares. Before long a crowd gathered and I took and printed photos for more than an hour. The recipients certainly appreciated the gift and one provided small plastic bags so they could be taken home clean and safely. Several tended not to smile at the camera, so different from the US.

For me it was a great experience to be able to recognize individuals through Dog Meet World. Because of my lack of Spanish I was not really able to explain the significance of Foto, but I hope they understood that holding the dog connected them to others all over the world. The printer worked well and provided great quality photos. Thank you for the experience – I hope to inspire others to participate!

Get Shareaholic

Foto’s Blog: Moms love memories!

Carolyn — Mon, 09 May 2011 11:51:41 +0000

Phodographer Allison Hillis in Zunil, Guatemala August 2009

In honor of Mother’s Day….Dog Meets World shares this favorite photo of Moms admiring their children’s first pictures in Guatemala. Moms worldwide understand the significance of capturing a child’s image permanently in a photo. It becomes a family artifact to remember the moment and beauty of youth. A photo is tangible joy! Happy Mother’s Day to ALL MOMs!

Get Shareaholic

Daily Foto: One Gorgeous Little Girl in Guatemala

Carolyn — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 05:45:54 +0000

Phodographer Patti Hughes along Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, March 2009

Photographs are truly priceless. They capture and record our lives.

DMW believes that each single shared photograph creates a cultural connection and an indelible affirmation that is left behind as a personal artifact and a tiny seed of peace.

Email this via Gmail

Share this on Facebook

Tweet This!

Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon

Digg this!

Share this on del.icio.us

Share this on Tumblr

Share this on LinkedIn

Get Shareaholic

Daily Foto: To smile or not to smile in Guatemala

Carolyn — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:55:41 +0000

Phodographer Allison Hillis in Zunil, Guatemala, Aug 2009

Smiling for a camera is a learned reflex….we are constantly told from childhood to “smile” or “say cheese”. Those in the world unaccustomed to photography often merely look at the camera. However, once the prints are made….smiles abound especially from this girl’s mom receiving her daughter’s first picture.

Get Shareaholic

Daily Foto: Tenderness in Guatemala

Carolyn — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:57:30 +0000

Phodographer Patti Hughes in Zunil, Guatemala, July 2009

Audrey Hepburn once said “For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.” Dog Meets World aims to preserve the good in others, as all the wonder in the eyes of this little one tenderly holding Foto was captured.

On her second trip to Guatemala in 2009 seeking inspiration for her company, Natural Life, Patti and coworkers again took time to practice Dog Meets World.

Get Shareaholic

Daily Foto: To honor all Mothers in the World

Carolyn — Fri, 07 May 2010 14:11:29 +0000

Phodographers in South Africa and Guatemala!

Dog Meets World was founded to share personal photography with those in need in the world. Children are thrilled to see their first photos, but the most poignant moments come when moms behold their children’s pictures. It’s a priceless gift and honors the eternal mother-child bond. Happy Mother’s Day to all moms in the world!

Get Shareaholic

Daily Foto: He’s not Heavy, He’s my Brother

Carolyn — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:39:34 +0000

Phodographer Patti Hughes in Santiago, Guatemala March 2009

With a grin as wide as her face this little girl laughed with glee, saying the baby was not heavy he was her brother. What a pleasure to Take & Give her this photograph. Some moments are so sweet! Take Dog Meets World and feel the joy yourself. See all the pictures from Santiago here.

Get Shareaholic

Young Phodographer wins Speech Contest

Carolyn — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 10:55:33 +0000

Young Phodographer Halle Hughes with the favorite picture she took in Santiago, Guatemala, March 2009

Then ten year old Halle Hughes accompanied her family to Guatemala over spring break. Halle herself took many of the pictures including this one shown. Halle recently won the 5th Grade speech contest at her school talking about DMW.
In her words ” Dog Meets World is when your family or friends go to a 3rd world country with a small portable printer that you can fit into your backpack. You take a picture of a child holding the dog meets world dog. Then you print the picture on the spot and give it to them. Lots of smiles appear on their faces. It was very heartwarming watching little kids stare at their first picture of themselves. While we were waiting for the pictures to be printed my sisters and I played soccer with the Guatemalan kids. We all had so much fun together. It was sad having to leave them, but felt good being able to give them something to cherish. This was one of the best trips I have ever been on.”
Dog Meets World is a great activity for families to do together to connect cultures. In fact the Hughes family is going to Mexico this week and will again Take & Give Photos for DMW!

Get Shareaholic

Daily Foto: Mirrored Delight

Carolyn — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:55:39 +0000

Phodographer Jane Kosut is pictured with some of her grateful subjects and Foto in Nuevo Chuatuj, Guatemala in July 2009

Jane was working as part of a medical mission group in Guatemala and took time to take and give photos for Dog Meets World. She said the experience was heartwarming and that her delight mirrored the reactions of these children and their mothers when she handed them their pictures. She strongly endorses taking Foto the dog and a printer whenever you travel in places of need.

Get Shareaholic