The Atlantic's InFocus blog features a set of extraordinary portraits of Native Americans. Many of images remind me of the faces, hairstyles, and ceremonial costumes of people I encountered in the far corners of Tibet in the late 90s.

I have loved ex-votos ever since I spotted a small cluster of them in the back of my abuelita's church. I was immediately fascinated with their strangeness and power. As soon as I had a paycheck I started collecting them and have studied the Mexican forms of this art in detail. That said, I've only been vaguely aware of the European ex-voto traditions that inspired the Mexican tradition. A blog called Chaudron has collected a fantastic set of Italian ex-votos of people falling (who were presumably miraculously saved).

I'm a big fan of Ferit Kuyas's work. His new book on Guatemala City will be out soon. I'm excited.