One more post to come about our recent travels in Mexico, plus posts about Cuba, and of course more posts about Guatemala, but
What I’m juiced about right now:
is this series of photographs of the women of Guatemala in their gorgeous trajes, or traditional outfits. All photos were taken in everyday situations, in the streets and markets of San Pedro la Laguna, Santa Clara, and Antigua.
All words and images by Alison Louise Armstrong unless otherwise noted
© Alison Louise Armstrong and Adventures in Wonderland – a pilgrimage of the heart, 2010-2017.
Adventures in Wonderland 
Splendid photos Alison. My living is covered with textiles from Guatemala. I know why you fell in love with these incredible artists!
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Thanks so much Cindy. Oh their textiles are so beautiful, so rich and detailed. And the embroidery! And these were just everyday outfits.
Alison
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Those are stunning images! Those women would be so proud to see this series of photos!
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Thanks so much Lisa. I did work on them in Photoshop. I wanted a way to make their gorgeous outfits stand out from the background so they could be really seen. So much beauty!
Alison
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You did a fantastic job!
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Thanks 🙂
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LOVE these
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Thank you.
Alison
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I think I just missed meeting you in India, Majuli, Assam in March 2016. I stayed in the same Me:Po Okum (Happy Home) eco camp few days earlier, would have been amazing.
Have u written a post about Majuli?
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I think you’re confusing us with someone else. We’ve not been in India since 2012, and we’ve never been to Majuli.
Alison
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oh! Maybe, its a mix up…..sorry.
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No problem 🙂
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your artwork
is a beautiful testament
& tribute 🙂
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Thank you so much David.
I was so taken with their beautiful
soul-filled clothing,
and their presence.
Alison
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Such a colourful way of life! Fabulous portraits, Alison 🙂 🙂
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Thanks Jo. I fell in love with their beautiful outfits, made with such love and detail and colour.
Alison
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They really are lovely. 🙂
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Wonderful portraits – great work and empathy!
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Thanks so much Carsten. It was a photographers paradise – all the colour!
Alison
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I look forward to reading – or just looking – every time I see a post from you. Fab!
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Thank you so much Tracey! I’m glad you’re enjoying the blog.
Alison
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Wonderful portraits Alison. The fabric on their heads has me intrigued. Is it just folded fabric? I have never used Photoshop. On average how long would each of these images take you to manipulate to the finished product? Louise
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Thanks Louise. I do think their head gear is just folded fabric. I have no idea how they keep it there. I’m guessing they use it for sun protection or for an extra layer if it gets a bit cold. The time spent on these images varied from a few minutes to an hour, but no more than that. The second to last image, which is my favourite, only took a few minutes and was the inspiration for the whole series.
Alison
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All fascinating — especially their clothes! — but it’s that second-from-last photo that really caught my eye. I wonder what she’s thinking…
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I love their clothes! That was the big draw for me – the beautiful detailed colourful construction, and just for ordinary everyday wear. That second to last is also my favourite and was the inspiration for the whole series. I like the series but I think none of them are as good as that one, with the opening shot a close second.
Alison
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Oh my goodness, Alison, these photos are incredible, as are the women and their outfits. I loved this. Thank you!
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Thank you so much. I had so much fun first photographing them and then editing the photos to create the series. Their outfits are so beautiful I was like a bee in one of those cactus flowers! I couldn’t get enough.
Alison
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Alison, these are just over the top gorgeous!
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Thanks Angeline. Such beautiful clothes! And beautiful people!
Alison
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Beautiful. I really like what you did with your photos to create a very painterly feel with the focus on the magnificent handiwork of the different village women in Guatemala. That definitely was a highlight for us as well when we were there. It is astounding the amount of work and hours that go into the intricate details of this handiwork! And with gorgeous results.
Peta
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Thanks Peta. I wanted to find a way to make the individual women and their gorgeous outfits stand out. I was like a kid in a candy store with my camera when we were there. So much beauty. And they wear it with such dignity.
Alison
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Beautiful photos Alison! I love how you’ve processed them and the vignetting is a great idea. It lends an intimacy to the photos.
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Thanks so much Debbie. I had a lot of fun working on these photos to make the women and their beautiful clothing really pop.
Alison
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These are exquisite Alison! The detail is amazing and the images make me feel like I’m right next to those women.
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Thanks so much Caroline. I was so excited to see these local markets and all the women in their beautiful traditional clothing – such gorgeous weaving and embroidery.
Alison
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I have a sudden and intense desire to go out and buy a skirt with an apron (actually, the desire is morphing into a desire for a sewing machine and embroidery needle to make one myself!) – Susan
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Oh do that! I did buy myself one of the skirts. I thought of buying an entire outfit but realised that wearing it in Vancouver I’d look like I’d dressed up for Halloween. Besides it would have been really expensive. So I got the skirt, which is just a long piece of fabric, and I’ll find a blouse and belt that works with the skirt, but that’s maybe a little less ethnic.
Alison
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pictures, please! 🙂
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I only have the skirt fabric. When I get the whole outfit I’ll post a picture but it might be a while, it’s not a high priority at the moment 🙂
A.
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Well, as long as you are just in the planning stages, let me suggest that you vignette that photo, also!
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Really beautiful costumes, they all have their stories, they keep them almost for life, according to their beliefs are stored in them experiences and are transmitted, for example a wedding dress, if the marriage was happy and someone else uses the same dress , You will surely have a good marriage. Thank you for visiting my country, my Guate! Blessings.
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Thank you for this information about the trajes. What a lovely idea that the experiences are stored and transmitted. We had a wonderful time in Guate! There will be more posts to come about our time there.
Alison
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Beautiful photos!!! You’re an awesome photographer. ❤️❤️
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Buenas noches Maggie! I hope your dream of serving in Guatemala becomes a reality. Thank you for your kind compliment. I had a wonderful time in Guate photographing the beautiful women in their beautiful clothes.
Alison
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Such a gorgeous series Alison. I feel as if I am on the street with them. Amazing colours and so much feeling oozing from the images.
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Thanks so much for your kind words Sue. I am in awe of their clothing – the time, skill, talent, creativity, and soul that goes into making them. I really wanted to do them justice.
Alison
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The traditional clothing that the girls and women of Guatemala wore is one of my stand-out memories of our time in Guatemala. (And I never could get used to the jarring surprise when one of these women would whip out their cell phones!) Many of the blouses must have had several hundred hours of time invested in them with the intricate needle and lacework and the heavy crewel belts used to adjust the fit of the wrap around skirts were just as elaborate. Your photos of the Guatemalan women are lovely and a wonderful trip down memory lane! Anita
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Thanks Anita. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. I too was blown away by their garments – the colours, the designs, the hours and hours and hours and probably months of work to create them. Such creativity! Such beauty! One of the perennial great delights of travelling for me is exotic traditional dress.
Alison
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Such beautiful images Alison!
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Thanks so much LuAnn. I’m glad you liked them. It was such a pleasure to see these women in their gorgeous outfits.
Alison
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As much as I love all the faces here, I was particularly drawn to the photo of the woman walking away from you. That reddish streak in her hair, the fit of her dress, and her strong legs striding over the cobblestones spoke of a confident woman. I like her!
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Can’t you just tell she’s a beauty! Strong and confident, and dresses with style. I never noticed the red streak, but I sure noticed the platform shoes. But in the end what I noticed most were her beautiful clothes – exquisite examples of the best of Guatemalan weaving and embroidery.
Alison
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Such a beautiful series to represent the work and lives of women Alison…I love the soft colours as well 💛smiles hedy
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Thanks so much Hedy. I just love their clothes, and the way they wear them with such naturalness and pride.
Alison
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Yes the colours often here in etown all I see is women wearing black….☀️
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Oh yeah here in Van too. I love the exuberant colour in the Hispanic world.
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I remember also falling in love with the beautiful, colorful clothing the women wore. The textiles are so amazing aren’t they. Delightful post as always Alison.
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Thanks Nicole. Yes, amazing textiles, and exquisite embroidery. I totally fell in love with them and their outfits.
Alison
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What a marvellous gallery Alison! And superb editing. Love how these beautiful women’s personalities shine through.
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Thanks Madhu. I really enjoyed putting this series together. I wanted to find a way to highlight the women and their beautiful clothing that they wear with such assurance.
Alison
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There is something so lovely about people going about their days covered with such layers of history and color, clothing that is at once practical yet also celebratory. I feel inspired about robing and decorating this body in all phases of the coming years. 🙂
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Oh you said it so well Marga – covered in layers of history and colour, celebrating their society and traditions every day. Although most children wear regular clothes for school they also have traditional clothes for special occasions so hopefully they grow up expecting to carry on the tradition. We have a friend who lives in a small town in Guatemala (several more posts to come on that) and a close friend of hers works in the bank there. We went into the bank and all the women were wearing the exact same “uniform” – but it was still the traditional outfit – woven skirt, embroidered blouse, and woven belt.
Alison
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This series of photos are amazing. You really captured the spirit of these women. I love the colours of the clothing. Warm and welcoming like the personalities.
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Thanks so much Darlene. I’m pleased that you think I captured the spirit of the women, it’s what I was trying to do, to make a statement about who they are by focusing in on them and their beautiful clothing that they wear so naturally. Thanks.
Alison
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That is exactly what you did!! ❤
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Stunning images. I love how you used photoshop. Is there a specific technigue?
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Thanks so much Ray and Alie. I actually did it in Lightroom using the vignetting feature to ring the images in soft white. Within that I overexposed everything but the subject using the “highlight” (I think that’s the name) tool.
Alison
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Beautiful portraits!
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Thanks so much Kelly. I just love their beautiful clothes.
Alison
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WOW! Amazing photos! Congrats! 🙂
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Thank you so much. I just love their outfits and wanted to find a way to really highlight them.
Alison
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Wow, all of the fabric in these photos is so beautiful and intricately designed! Amazing. Thanks for sharing the photos.
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You’re welcome! Aren’t they soooo beautiful?! And in the villages almost all the women wear these traditional outfits all the time. The weaving and embroidery is extraordinary.
Alison
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Amazing. I guess that skill must be passed down to each generation? If that’s what they wear everyday, I’d like to know what their fancy attire is like!
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