Blog Archives
several things at once
A lot was going on – kids were tossing around a volleyball (or not shown: a baseball), they were standing around (or not shown: running), there was a ballerina (or not shown: photographers), and some nice murals on the backdrop.
All in all, a good place to have been for a while.
Havana, Cuba
photographed 11.6.2022
trolling for dreams
Yeah, so I couldn’t really have posed or art-directed a scene that’s more reflective of daily life in Havana than this.
Calle Teniente Rey
Havana, Cuba
photographed 11.7.2022
in the garden
A kind gentleman saw us photographing through the fence and invited us inside to look around.
If I am correct about our location, we’d found the Seminario de San Carlos y San Ambriosio*. But I could be mistaken. When I’m traveling, I like to keep up with my location on my phone: I am A Person Who Reads Maps. I like to know where I am, and I like to be able to see where I am compared to other landmarks. Cell service (through my provider) was non-existent in Cuba, which meant I was unaware of where I was. Sometimes, I can use my memory about landmarks that were nearby to roughly gauge where I was, and that’s how I *think* I know where this photo was made.
And here’s something maybe you don’t know: online maps do show Cuba, but street views are not available. In case you were wondering about that.
Havana, Cuba
photographed 11.7.2022
*The actual seminary is now located outside of Havana. This building currently houses (among other things, probably) a Catholic primary school.
#7: blockade and foreign policy
My attention wandered, after a while. I became much less interested in joining the group who were photographing the boxers at the gym and instead turned my attention to the details of the place. You know, the way I tend to do: details reveal a lot, but only if you take some time to step away from yourself and let them reveal themselves to you.
And so that’s how I got this shot of a saggy table and a bunch of notices, just inside the doorway off Calle Cuba.
After I got home, I spent some time translating (Google Translate, if I am being honest: I am not a translator) what all that stuff on the walls said. Item number 7, on the list titled “Directrices” (Guidelines) says “bloqueo y polítca exterior,” or “blockade and foreign policy.” Without context (Who is supposed to follow those guidelines? Why are they on the wall at a boxing gym?), it seems confusing.
But on the other hand, blockades and foreign policies did impact our visit, our visa requirements, and probably other things I don’t even know about. So there’s that.
Gimnasia de Boxeo Rafael Trejo
Havana, Cuba
photographed 11.11.2022
dancers, 3
A row of dancers, moving in time to Cuban music, at a rate that blurred feet, blurred reality, blurred photos.
Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba
Havana, Cuba
photographed 11.11.2022
One Day | One Image 