The Cuban people are known for their vibrant spirit, resilience, and deep sense of community. Rooted in a rich cultural heritage, they embrace a fusion of African, Spanish, and indigenous influences that are evident in their music, dance, and art. The sound of salsa, son, and rumba often fills the streets, reflecting the lively and passionate nature of the locals.

During our first stop in Cuba, we met the wonderful people of Havana. Some of these meetings were unplanned and some planned by our fabulous guide Tristan. Here are some of my new friends.

Freddy

We met Freddy at the start of our first morning in Havana. As I passed her, something stood out. She had a spunkiness and verve that needed to be photographed.  Tristan noticed my curiosity.  “Would you like to photograph her?” I nodded and he went to work, speaking with her, cajoling her, finally convincing her. I took a photo, then another and another. We were invited into her place which was fascinating, old and worn, perfect for a photographer.  The photo of her sitting on the stairs depicts my perceived mood of hers, poor but happy. Photography is life.

Freddy, at the base of the stairs that leads to her apartment.

Contemplating her life, she gives me a little smirk.

Milton

Milton was our driver for an old American car tour around Havana (there are American cars from the 40s and 50s everywhere you turn). Owner of a beautiful 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster, he sported the look of a younger Fidel Castro. Great for photos! He drove us in and around the city telling us story after story, none of which I can now remember. This matters not as he was great company and a willing model. Photography is life.

Milton is very proud of his Fleetmaster.

Not all portraits have to include a face. Milton still looks cool with his fedora with the Cuban capital in the distance. You can’t tell that the street was teeming with people, Cubans and tourists.

Orlando

Boxing was on the agenda for our third morning. Our goal was to photograph both kids and young adults training and sparring. We got to the arena on time, but the boxers were missing. They are training in the park, we are told. We get to the park a few minutes later, and they are gone, off for a long run.  Disappointed we start to walk back when we run into Orlando, a bit sad after a disagreement with his wife early in the morning. He takes out his guitar and sings us a sad song that is his original composition. His mood lifts as we enjoy his music. Before long, Orlando is belting out song after song and we are taking picture after picture. Perfect harmony! Photography is Life!

Orlando was a little pensive but soon warmed up to us. I even sang part of a song with him (lip-synched is more like it).

Orlando is into full performance mode, belting out his favorite hits.

Fidel

You never know who you will meet on the streets of Havana. Still during our first morning, we bump into a Fidel doppelganger. For a few pesos he agrees to model for us.

I didn’t have to ask him to salute, he thought of it himself.

The Woman in the Yellow Dress

We met a woman in a yellow dress on a not-so-busy street. Her look was stunning. I asked her if I can take a picture. “I’ll see you this afternoon” she says. After a delicious lunch of lobster tails, we met the woman in a yellow dress just outside the restaurant. Very well planned, Tristan! We photographed her sitting on stairs, against a blue railing, in front of a blue door, and behind a brown door. I took hundreds of photos during the 23-minute photo shoot. When we were done, I was exhausted, with the lyrics from David Gilmour’s “The Girl in the Yellow Dress” ringing in my mind:

She mesmerizes with a smile 
Dark eyes as compelling as the bourbon 
That girl in the canary yellow dress 
Says yes.

Photography is Life!

I don’t even know her name. Even so, she was a stunning model.

She warmed to us quite a bit. Here she was being playful.

Wiki

At the end of a busy day of shooting, we had a 3:00 appointment with Wiki. Earlier in the day Tristan showed me some images of people he has photographed in Cuba. I stopped him at a man with an interesting persona and an amazing white beard. “I’d love to photograph him”, I said. “Already set up for 3:00 today,” Tristan replied, beaming from ear to ear. The sun was high and intense which meant the photo shoot had to be inside. We found a small alcove inside an old building coming apart at the seams. It’s a perfect place for a portrait shoot. Wiki’s charisma shines through as we get great picture after great picture.  Photography is Life!

This is perhaps my favorite photo of the trip. I took hundreds of images to get the smoke just right.

A classic pose for a final shot.

There were many more portraits taken during the remainder of our trip. The ones above were all taken in the first three days! The more I photographed the Cuban people, the more I liked them. They are incredibly friendly and a willing subjects. Indeed, photography is life!

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Tristan Quevilly held a private tour for us throughout Cuba. We highly recommend him. You can contact him through his website: https://tristanphotos.com/