Kraig Lieb, a photographer for Lonely Planet Publications, first travelled to Guatemala in 1990 and was captivated by its vibrant people, Mayan culture, monumental history, and architecture from the pyramids of Tikal to the colonial treasures of the highlands. His Guatemala photos have appeared in numerous Lonely Planet books, including the cover of Lonely Planet's Central America on a Shoestring. Lieb's photos appear in more than 50 Lonely Planet travel guides, and his images have been featured on Lonely Planet covers including Southeast Asia on a Shoestring,Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and Bangkok. His photographs have been published by the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, TIME Magazine, Amnesty International, Oxford University, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Brisbane Times, Amazon.com, Art.com, and Yahoo, and used in advertising by Marriott, Hilton, Kodak, and Vietnam Airlines. Since graduating from Penn State University in 1984, Lieb has worked, lived and travelled extensively throughout Southeast Asia, North America, and Central America. For 4 years in the mid-1990s, Lieb was based in Vietnam, working with Image Design / Visionary Vietnam, a leading postcard and book publishing company. From 2002 - 2006 he was based in Antigua, Guatemala. Lieb's work can be found on art prints, postcards, greeting cards, calendars, magazines and books throughout Asia, North America, Central America and Europe. Lieb runs Purple Moon Publications which publishes postcards, books and art prints in Guatemala, Cambodia, and Northern California. You can visit his web site: www.kraiglieb.com. Michael Shapiro, a writer whose work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, first visited Guatemala in 1989. During six journeys to Guatemala over the past two decades, Shapiro has developed a deep affection for the land and its effervescent Mayan people. Shapiro's 2004 book, A Sense of Place: Great Travel Writers Talk About Their Craft, lives, and Inspiration includes interviews with Bill Bryson, Frances Mayes, Paul Theroux, and Pico lyer. His essay,,The Longest Day, was selected for The Best Travel Writing 2005. Shapiro has bicycled through Cuba for the Washington Post, celebrated Holy Week in Guatemala for the Dallas Morning News, and floated down the Mekong River on a Laotian cargo barge for an online travel magazine. His stories and photographs also appear in the San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times and New York Times. In 2006, Shapiro won the Bedford Pace award for his National Geographic Traveler cover story on author Jan Morris's corner of Wales. The Society of American Travel Writers recognized Shapiro with a 1998 Lowell Thomas award. Shapiro has appeared on U.S. national television networks including CNN and PBS. You can visit his web site: www.michaelshapiro.net
