A Photo Journey to Guatemala: Nest Professional Fellowship Story

Photo Credits: Tai Power Seef and Annie Martin

Through Nest’s Professional Fellowship, professional photographers, Tai Power Seeff and Annie Martin, traveled to Guatemala to photograph the artisans of Meso Goods, a Guatemalan-based company and Nest Guild member, dedicated to the design and production of exclusive handmade home decor and personal accessories.

As a brand employing traditional artisan techniques while working to celebrate the cultural heritage of Guatemala through a fresh and modern lens, Meso Goods recognizes its potential to stand out in a crowded marketplace by revealing the stories of the people who make its products. Nest stepped in to help further these goals by matching up Meso Goods with Tai and Annie for a project aimed at using compelling imagery to improve Meso Goods’ marketing and communications resources.

Says Tai of the experience: “Guatemala is a more diverse and fascinating place than I ever imagined. Village to village, languages, topography, and customs change drastically. With such a diversity of culture within the country, and considering that the Guatemalan people tend to have a general hesitance to being in front of the camera, the connections we were able to make through Meso Goods and Nest were absolutely invaluable.

The Meso Goods artisans welcomed us into their homes and workshops, and we were able to collaborate with them for a purpose greater than the average travel portrait. It was a wonderful feeling, not only to be able to capture some beautiful images, but to know that these images would tell the wider story of their astonishing skill and deep cultural heritage, and through that legacy, illustrate the value of these one-of-a-kind pieces.

I’ve been a travel photographer for many years, but this is one of the first times that I’ve known for certain that the images will directly benefit the communities I’m photographing. It was a deeply fulfilled experience on all accounts.”

Gonzalo Pertile, co-founder of Meso Goods, says: “We are really excited with how the pictures turned out, and we’re totally amazed by Tai and Annie’s work! They were able to capture the essence of the artisans and the work they do in such a natural way. We use the imagery to improve our marketing materials and better tell our brand story. And they will also help support growth in our public relations efforts to raise awareness for our brand, mission, and story.”