One of my favorite things to photograph in Guatemala was people making things with their hands – weaving, squeezing juice, patting tortillas, etc. The most fun I had taking pictures was at a glass blowing factory in Cantel, a small town outside of Quetzaltenango. The workers let me get close, and it was fun to use the light coming from the molten glass in my pictures.
Piles of broken bottles and glasses wait to get melted down and recycled into new glass products. Guatemala has a problem with waste management and littering, so it was great to see a factory that uses glass waste in a productive way.
After the glass is blown, it is shaped using various tools including molds and flat surfaces. Here glass is shaped using a stack of newspapers.
Gorgeous photos! I'm sure Japan will be a huge source of inspiration for you.
In response to your comment: I don't have a conrete placement or start date yet, but I've asked for a placement in Tokyo. Fingers crossed!