Dream Tomorrow, Live Today, Cherish Yesterday

Wordless Wednesday

On Wordless Wednesday, you tell the story...

Wordless Wednesday

On Wordless Wednesday, you tell the story...

Big, Blue, Beautiful

Leica M9

What more can you say about this classic?

Personas de Cuba Series, Dia Neuve

Leica M9

I saved this one for last because I really like it. It's such a timeless story... Little boy and pull toy. Holding hands with Dad. Could be anywhere in the world. Just happened to be on a street in Trinidad, Cuba. I hope you enjoyed this series. Feedback welcomed! Tomorrow we shift gears entirely!

Personas de Cuba Series, Dia Ocho

Leica M9

Six of us were sitting in a restaurant minding our own business one day. A guy comes through the door, with a delivery, and this is his helper. Take your daughter to work day? I don't know.

Seeing her dressed like this, not to mention "her moves," makes it easy to understand why women in Cuba are (how should I say this?) so "well put together" as adults. They start young!

Personas de Cuba Series, Dia Siete (fun Friday)

Leica M9

Cuba is a fascinating place. It is a highly sexualized culture, but not how we Americans would imagine it. Displays like this were very rare, in fact one of the few I saw. But hey, I can't resist a "colorful guy" in a colorful place, can I?

Personas de Cuba Series, Dia Seis

Leica M9

I have done several presentations of my Cuba images for photography groups. This one is the one people tend to remember the most. I really don't know why, this one doesn't strike me as significantly more interesting than my other images.

Help me out, what do you think of it and why?

Personas de Cuba Series, Dia Cinco

Leica M9

In a post in my first Cuba series, I introduced you to Le Luche, which translates to "the daily struggle." It's how most Cubans see life. This is another image that I feel embodies this sentiment. This is their life. They wear it on their faces.

From the angle you can tell I shot this "from the neckstrap." Doesn't always work out this well, but when it does, mmmmm, I like!

Personas de Cuba Series, Dia Quatro - Topaz Tuesday

Leica M9

As I mentioned yesterday, today we take a look at the other end of a lifetime in Cuba. With the older people we saw (and in some cases talked to), you really get the feeling that life in Cuba does wear a person out.

The older people seemed tired and wrung out. Not unhappy though. They were not grumpy. Just kinda used up. At least that is how I interpret it.

It's mind boggling to think that this senor was probably born right in that building, around the time of the revolution. And he has lived his entire life right there. With nearly all the older people, if they caught us taking their picture, they didn't ask for money the way the younger ones did. Not a concept they can relate too. I wish this old gentleman well.

From a Topaz POV, today's image was run through Topaz B&W Effects. I chose a new preset I have never used before - Hand Tinted Chiffon! I rather like how it emphasized our friend, and given that I'm short on time, happy that a single preset can do such a nice job.

As always, the original is on the continue link below.

Personas de Cuba Series, Dia Tres

Leica M9

I selected this image to show my readers what an average Cuban woman of this age looks like. Some of you might be wondering if this is a "lady of the evening?" In some countries, that could be so, but in this case no. What you find is that people of this age are colorfully dressed, and well dressed. Despite the conditions of their surroundings (this is her home), they are impeccably clean.

While like in any other country you see bodies of all shapes and sizes, this is the most common. There aren't a lot of overweight people, as food is not that plentiful unless you make money directly from tourists and buy it.

Both men and women are strong looking... "well muscled" you might say. Very striking and beautiful people, in my opinion. Of course, youth helps, as anywhere, right?

Tomorrow we shall visit the flip side of this peso.