Breadth vs Depth

Santiago Atitlan Guatemala 2009

My best guess is that I’ve been to Guatemala 10 times.  Maybe 11.  You might have surmised that I love to be there, but the more cynical among you might also accuse me of a lack of imagination.  You wouldn’t be wrong, I suppose.

I struggle with travel plans, especially this balance between breadth and depth.  There’s certainly an inner voice which urges me to experience new places.  There trips are exciting and fresh.  I feel as if everything I see presents an opportunity to learn.  In September my husband and I traveled to the western part of Mongolia, an area which was completely unfamiliar.  That journey broadened our world horizon.

 

North Rim Grand Canyon 2009

Readers of this blog will recognize that Guatemala is not the only familiar place that draws me back.  A depth of experience helps me produce better images and understand more profoundly. There’s also the sense of belonging and homecoming that repeat visits afford. Perhaps the best example is the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, which calls me back season after season.

 

Mosaic Canyon, Death Valley NP 2012

Though I also return often to Death Valley and the Mojave, the area is so vast that there are always new areas to explore.  Today I made a wish-list for our solstice trip this year.  I’m as excited as I was for the very first visit. This area might be the best of both worlds, with both old favorites and new discoveries.

 

Over the Artist's shoulder, Antigua Guatemala 2019

During the recent Through Each Other’s Eyes exchange in Guatemala, I had the opportunity to see parts of the country which were new for me and to look at the whole experience in a different way.  Still, bringing my previous experiences and assumptions (not all valid!) informed my photography and, I hope, will make for a richer exhibit in the spring.

 

Antigua Guatemala 2010

I’ve included some older favorite images.  Technology has moved on quite a bit in 10+ years; I hope the strength of the images can overcome their limitations.

I’m grateful that I can opt for breadth AND depth.

Stay tuned for more on the TEOE Guate Exchange exhibits, February-May 2020.