Off to Cuba, Cha, Cha, Cha!

[paul_holland1]

I'm going to be in Cuba from the 27th Dec to the 8th Jan, i love

just walking about, chatting with who ever and taking snaps with my

Leica M & 35mm. Does anyone have any advice/suggestions of people or

places to check out?

Cheers,

Paul.

[bruno]

It depends of where in Cuba you're going. People are very friendly there and like to be taken in picture, so you will have fun.

 

About your Leica M & 35: it's worth many years of income of an average Cuban, so don't show it off as you did here in the forum.

 

I was last year in Cuba, you can have a look at my pictures there http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=426072

 

or try photo.net members Frederic Pascual and Antonio Baiano. The latter has done a very good reportage over Santeria, an Afro-Cuban religion.

 

I would also check out David Alan Harvey's work, in the magnum website. It's color and absolutely fantastic.

 

I've also seen an interesting book done by someone-whose-name-I-don-t-rememember. It was all interior shots, color, of people living in their homes with their stories written next to the pictures.

 

Then there is a German photographer who lives in Havana and publishes for Geo, I guess. But I forgot his name as well, he also does a very good work.

 

Learn as much spanish as you can before going because few people speak english. Learn also how to defend yourself from people constantly requesting money.

 

The only thing you should really take care of is petty thefth. For the rest Cuba is a very safe place.

[bruno]

By the way. I just had a look at your "snaps" folder (some are quite good). I noticed you like high contrast and you use HP5+ as film.

 

My suggestion would be to use a lower contrast film, as TriX. The light is quite strong in Cuba, (or at least it was quite strong in August, when I went) and you might want to find a way to control the contrast a little bit.

 

I did only TriX and developed the stuff in Xtol stock or 1+1. All the "stock" developed photos have been quite hard to print, where the 1+1 gave a good compensation losing a very tiny bit of shadow detail.

 

A few rolls I developed in ID11 (D76-like) 1+1, but I wasn't happy with the results.

 

And I was kidding about the Leica showing-off :) It's just envy.

[over exposure]

Try to have a look at cabophoto.com, Carsten Bockerman, tha author, probably will be glad to give you some tips, he's a friendly guy, here and then on these forums..and his photography is really good.

 

Good luck.

[over exposure]

Bruno, of course, too...But he explained it well yet. i went to the answer section before reading on...

 

Thanks...

[m_.]

I second Bruno's suggestion to look at DAH work in Cuba. You should be able to find his book "Cuba" with some great color works. I found my copy for $10 or something like that in a local used bookstore.

 

My last year's Peru/Bolivia trip could have been much more productive if I knew Spanish as much as I do now.

 

Most importantly, have fun...

[bruno]

<center><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/2831756-md.jpg"></center><br>

This guy works as taxi driver in La Habana. He comes from Santiago. He told me that next time I go to Cuba I should rather go to Santiago de Cuba, without my girlfriend, because <i>a Santiago la vida e la chica son mas barata</i>

[jake_cole]

If you didn't see the PBS NATURE show <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/cuba/">Cuba: Wild Island of the Caribbean</a> then you better catch it on the TV or buy the Video before you go.

[gaius1]

How about some documentary shots of journalists and other political prisoners languishing in Castro's gulags?

 

Enjoy spending your tourist dollars propping up what Reporters Without Borders calls "the world's worst prison for journalists".

[bruno]

"How about some documentary shots of journalists and other political prisoners languishing in Castro's gulags?"

 

Actually that would be very interesting. Bad that with a tourist visa you cannot access those sites. Just as you cannot make a report from jails in UK or US. Maybe you can try knocking uncle sam's door at Guantanamo, they will let you in and take aaaalll the shots you want of people being tortured with current on their testicles.

 

"Enjoy spending your tourist dollars propping up what Reporters Without Borders calls "the world's worst prison for journalists"."

 

Reporters Without Borders is an US government funded organization. It's far different from "Medicines sans Frontieres". When you go to Cuba and you are careful, i.e. you sleep at people's private places, you will give tourist dollars to people and not to Castro's government.

 

There are several ways to be a "responsible tourist". It's far more helpful pointing them out than shouting.

 

Plus: reporting Cubans' everyday life is not a glorification of Castro's regime but a glorification of Cuban's carachter... they are happy nevertheless... europeans and americans are always unhappy even though they're rich and have freedom of bullshitting.

[doris_chan]

"Reporters Without Borders is an US government funded organization"

 

Care to elaborate?

 

"It's far different from "Medicines sans Frontieres""

 

Yes, one organisation campaigns against the intimidation and murder of journalists and

one provides frontline medical care. To say that MSF is "far different" to RSF is about as

relevant as pointing out that a camel is far different from a carrot.

 

RSF play a really positive role in fighting censorship, including that implementeded by the

USA in Iraq, and I'd encourage people to have a look at their website (www.rsf.org) and

make up their own minds. Even countries with beautiful people and great music can be

guilty of appalling state sponsored crimes.

[bruno]

You can search yourself with Google about RSF and make yourself an idea about it. That the two things (MSF and RSF) are different is clear, but I'm not talking about their objectives, rather about who is funding them.

 

I think RSF makes an excellent job, but several times their critiques on Cuba were a little bit biased.

 

I know that in Cuba the press is not free. I know that there are several people in jail because of their opinions and so on. I think this is very bad.

 

Said this: I don't see why I cannot travel along the country and take the pictures of the people living there. If these people smile, it's because they're happy about their lives (no political statement here) and happy about themselves and their friends and so on. Anyhow, next time I go to Cuba, I'll ask people to cry and if they want to smile I can beat them and then take a picture of Castro's government atrocities.

 

Let's do like this: next time somebody travels to NY I will start asking about human rights violations committed by the US gov.

 

The other way is understanding that liking a country and/or it's people has nothing to do with backing or not the country's government.

[cenelsonfoto]

Well put, Bruno.

[roger_smith4]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reporters_Without_Borders

 

Some links to articles investigating RWB's financing. It's hard to be critical of governments that fund you so many political non-profits shun government funds if there's any question of conflict of interest.

[doris_chan]

Just to make my position clear, I'd prefer that RSF didn't take government funding from the

USA or France. Having said that, it makes them far from unique - even MSF took US

funding until very recently. What matters most is whether an organization like RSF

achieves it's stated aims of highlighting abuses against free speech and protecting

victimized journalists. I think, by and large, that it succeeds. It hasn't backed off from

highlighting the appalling behaviour of the USA in Iraq, it provides body armor loan to

freelance journalists, and (in the absence of adequate coverage from media organizations)

it acts as a broker to provide affordable insurance in conflict zones (again in the absence

of adequate coverage from employers). One of Roger's links from Wikipedia suggests that

the CPJ (Committee to Protect Journalists) is a more credible and independent body, but, in

reality, they're little more than a front for the big American media players to posture about

press freedom and ethics.

[john falkenstine]

BTW Mexican TV channel this week ran an interview with Castro done by some independent group. While my Spanish is weak, it didn't make much difference. Castro appears to have suffered a stroke and appears to have Parkinson's disease as well, judging from the irregular body movements. While his lips were finishing words he consistently could not vocalize. The EGO is a big as ever, the body is failing rapidly. I sincerely hope that we he goes a better fate (and not the waiting Batista family in Miami)is in store for the Cuban People.

[bruno]

Thanks Peter

[socke]

Ok, lets get away from politics and have some photos :-)<br>

<img src="http://www.hett.org/web/files/0001/cuba_ballett_97.jpg"><br>

The Ballet of Valenica at the Theatro Saudo in Matanzas.<br>

<br>

<img src="http://www.hett.org/web/files/0001/cuba_001920400.jpg"><br>

Farmers Market in Matanzas<br>

<br>

<img src="http://www.hett.org/web/files/0001/IMG_57560400.jpg"><br>

Blue Marlin delivered to your home, illegal, but who cares :-)<br>

<img src="http://www.hett.org/web/files/0001/IMG_62600400.jpg"><br>

Poweroutage, quite common.<br>

<br>

<img src="http://www.hett.org/web/files/0001/IMG_62820400.jpg"><br>

Rossio from Mexico and Thomas from Germany, both students at the University in Matanzas<br>

<br>

<br>

<a href="http://www.hett.org/web" target="_blank">More crappy shots on film and digital under Cuba 04</a>

<br>

I had Contax TVS, Contax G2 and Canon D60 with me, shot mostly TVS and G2 in Matanzas and the D60 at the beach and the day in Havana. For Film I had Kodak BW400cn, Fujipress800 and Fuji Sensia 100.

[socke]

Ah, one thing more. There are disturbing reports about muggings en la Habana, seems too be less safe than it was last year.<br>

<a href="http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/messagepost.cfm?postaction=reply&catid=14&threadid=897027&messid=7649569&STARTPAGE=1&parentid=0&from=1" target="_blank">read the discussion at the lonley planet</a>

[yours truly]

You lucky dog! I can't think of a better place to walk, talk and photograph than Havana. The people are the greatest- open, honest, friendly and generous. They have a very easy going attitude about cameras too. With the vintage American cars belching old fashioned pollution, it looked and smelled like Los Angeles during the fifties. Hate to say it, but it has been many years since I have felt as safe here as I felt in Havana. I never worried I might get rolled for my cameras- rollfilm or 8x10 view. We rarely got hit up for money. Mostly we were offered deals on cigars and they were likely counterfit. I would watch photographing any industrial or military sites you wouldn't think twice about here.. We hired a guide to help us find specific things and translate and it was clear we were seeing the same things through very different eyes. Simple things I take for granted here would cause him to cringe and warn me of the danger. As refreshing as it was not to see a single McDonalds or a Starbucks on every corner, I was frequently reminded of the most wonderful things about our society that are just as common but intangable and priceless. You'll have an incredible experience visiting Cuba as a free man. Have a great trip, Paul and let us know how it goes!

[andrea_ingram1]

I'm off there in 3 days and really looking forward to it. Not wanting to stir things up but there are lots of aspects of Cuba that are prefereable to what there is else where - and vice versa - it's ones personal outlook and priorities that influence as to what you think is important.

Hoping to spend some time in Havana then off into the country a bit to chill, meet some people and relax. No McDonalds etc - which is a real bonus!

The big problem has been deciding what photo kit to take !

[yours truly]

You're right, Andrea. The frozen in time aspect of Cuba isn't as intentional as it is evidence of the freedom and opportunity that got turned off some four and a half decades ago. However, the isolation has allowed the culture to be spared most of the homoginization that has taken place around the world. But I know my wonderful experience there had as much to do with what I didn't have to surrender at the port of entry as it did with what I found there. It is a real challenge to photograph the subtle something that makes Cuba different especially when the elegant decay of Havana and the old cars are pretty much irresistable. If you can, try and take some extra film (pack of developer and fixer too) and find a Cuban photographer that might not be able to get these things so easily.

[andrea_ingram]

Nice thought. I shall do that!

[johan_greenhorn]

To the OP -- take all your film with you. You'll only find very basic color negative film there and even that is expensive. I was told there is a shop in Havana where you can buy slide film but I was not able to visit it.

 

About politics, lets not forget the fact that about half of Cuban people really like Fidel.