Entering the Maya World

The mythical Mayan World with its monumental sculpture, magnificent temples and metropolis, such as legendary Tikal, once extended throughout Guatemala up into the northern Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and as far south as El Salvador.

While traveling through this region, Michael (Michal in Czech) Veznik captured with his camera the beautiful yet perilous landscape surrounded by majestic volcanoes, picturesque crater lakes and primeval forest wilderness hiding the enigmatic Maya ruins. Michael also focused his attention to the native people, many of whom are direct descendants of the once mighty Mayan civilization and have retained their language culture and traditions despite the onslought from the outside modern world.  

Born in Brno, Czech Republic, Michael Veznik came to New York in 1993 to study photography. Since graduating from School of Visual Arts in 1997, he's been shooting portrait and glamour photography as well as editorial assignments for magazines such as Leaders, Instinkt, Woman Magazine, Xantypa, Harmonie, Lide a Zeme, and others.

 

Click on the images below to see the larger views.

 

"Big Eyes"   A Maya girl in folk costume during a Maya "fiesta."  Izamal, Yucatan, Mexico.
"The Great Plaza" — Temple I, aka Temple of the Great Jaguar, 144 feet tall. Tikal, Guatemala
"Inquisitive" — Santa Catarina, Guatemala
"Rainbow Colours" — Lago de Atitlan, Guatemala
"Peeking out" — "La fiesta" in Izamal, Yucatan, Mexico
"Descendant" — Chichen Itzá, Yucatan, Mexico
"Sunday" — San Juan, San Salvador, El Salvador
"Headless" — small village in San Salvador, El Salvador
"La Generosa" — a village market in Sonsonate (San Salvador, El Salvador)
"Resting" — resting on the slopes of Volcano Izalco (San Salvador, El Salvador)
"Chimney" — Volcano Izalco, San Salvador, El Salvador
"Reaching the Sky" — a crest of the Volcano Izalco (San Salvador, El Salvador)
"Lago de Atitlan" — Three towering volcanoes overlook the lake: San Pedro at 2,995m, Toliman at 3,134m, and Atitlan at 3,537m
"Heading home" — an old fisherman returns home. Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala
"Calendar Pyramid" — El Castillo temple, the Pyramid of Kukulkan in Chichen Itzá, Yucatan, Mexico
"Nice Piece" — Antigua, Guatemala
"Good Neighbours" — Antigua, Guatemala
"Old Vendor" — Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala
"Umbrella" — Izamal, Yucatan, Mexico
"Long Way" — Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala
"Red Hills" — sunset over San Juan.  San Salvador, El Salvador
"Loner" — Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
"Gate to Hell" — Arco de Santa Catalina, with Volcan de Agua in the background. Antigua, Guatemala
"Fishermen" — Yucatan, Mexico

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