Byron Maldonado Photography

Recent Publication B&W Magazine, Microphotography by See.me
Exhibitions through See.me in Miami Art takes Miami during the Art Basel, New York, London and Singapore, The Lovre in Paris.

My first camera was garbage. .... I literally found it in the trash. I was an adolescent living in my hometown of San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala. The camera was most likely thrown away. Their camera had broken, and clearly they found it unsalvageable. It was not. I took the camera home and fixed it, and in that simple act a new world was opened up to me. I began to take pictures of my hometown, the people that lived in it. And so my passion for photography was born and my career as a documentary photographer. I focus more in Portraiture.

Photographs not only capture a moment, they tell a story. They can also have a concrete impact on people's lives. In San Lucas I l discovered that through my photos people learned about our community, our way of life, and were able to connect with the people of San Lucas. My photos were taken to the States and put on websites in order to have that story reach a broader audience. This translated into more individuals connecting with, visiting, and supporting the Mission's work. Just as important, my photos of the Mayan community, whose way of life and traditional dress is slowly fading away in the face of globalization, is a living history of an ancient way of life.

When I moved to the United States in 2006 I was able to study photography more formally. I learned how to use a dark room, master digital editing, explore the subtleties of lighting. All these are important skills. However what I brought into the classroom and continue to carry is a passion for photography. I also continue to see the power of the stories that are told through the medium of a photograph. An image can capture a moment, express something about our humanity, at that moment when words are not enough. If you would like to enjoy some of the stories I tell with my photographs.

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