Lake Atitlan was the last stop of our mini tour of Latin America, giving my wife and I a few days’ rest following a somewhat hectic couple of weeks. And what a beautiful spot it is! It’s the deepest lake in Central America, formed by a volcanic eruption and bordered by a delightful array of rainforests, coffee plantations, fields, beaches and volcanoes, as well as Mayan villages. We visited three of the villages, each with their own distinct and fascinating culture and vibe. It was on one of them, San Juan, that I took my favourite photo of the whole trip. It’s of a weary-looking lady taking a moment to sit against a bright green building, and it brought together so much of what I love about Guatemala – the colour, the traditional attire, the hustle and heat of everyday life. But what I treasure most about it is that, immediately after taking this shot, the lady saw me and we exchanged a wave and a smile. So whenever I see that photo, I always see her smile. It epitomises one of the reasons I love street photography — its ability to provide serendipitous moments from the ordinariness of everyday life. You’ll see the photo below, together with a few more…

You can check out my photos from Antigua, Guatemala, here.