A Little Color With Anyel, Havana, Cuba, 2018

Esta misma noche, Anyel publicó un recuerdo de años atrás, mostrándome cuánto recordaba nuestro pasado. A ella realmente le encanta crear imágenes memorables, y tiene un talento increíble delante de la lente.

Justo antes de irme al Líbano, mi querido amigo David me envió tres rollos, tres rollos de mi tiempo en Cuba el verano pasado. Uno de los rollos era un rollo de color de mi último día, e incluía mi tiempo con Anyel y Anays. Aquí está para tus ojos Anyel, un escaneo inicial solo para tu revisión ... disfrute y sepa que crearemos más arte el próximo verano. ¡En unas pocas semanas el resto de la película estará listo para compartir con ustedes!

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This same night, Anyel published a memory from years ago, showing me how much she remembered our past. She really loves creating memorable images, and she has incredible talent in front of the lens.

Just before I went to Lebanon, my dear friend David sent me three rolls, three rolls of my time in Cuba last summer. One of the rolls was a color roll from my last day, and it included my time with Anyel and Anays. Here it is for your eyes Anyel, an initial scan only for your review ... enjoy and know that we will create more art next summer. In a few weeks the rest of the film will be ready to share with you!

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Note: This frame was exposed with a Hasselblad 503 CW/100 mm C lens.

Two Students + Forest, Kisumu, Kenya, 2007

A dozen years ago I was privileged to have access to a beautiful community in western Kenya, thanks to a foundation named MACODEF. We went from village to village, from school to school, in search of incredible people and stories. This school was on the outskirts of Kisumu, and we walked just to the side to make portraits of the entire student body. Some children had shoes and some lacked, while almost all of the children were wearing the only uniform that they possessed. The foundation is doing remarkable work given the conditions, and I applaud their efforts sincerely.

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Note: This frame was exposed with a Nikon F100/105 mm lens combination.

Young Student, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2015

This young girl lives in a small village inside of Uttar Pradesh, India. She attends a religious school for four hours a day. Her parents have little faith in the government school, and such is reflected in its attendance daily. The community however believes in the Madrasa and we will soon establish a wonderful school within her own village. Presently we are supporting a sewing center and we hope to connect the students with the marketplace soon!

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad V system, mounted with a 180 mm lens.

Syrian Girl + Tent, Bekaa Valley, Zahle, Lebanon, 2018

This young girl lives in the spot where my photography was born over two decades ago. This past month was my chance to photograph them again, following the documentation from last year. Her parents were the ones photographed by me so many years ago, now it was her turn. She is a young Syrian girl living in a camp just outside of Zahle, Lebanon. Her community has lived there for over three decades, prior to the current influx of Syrians from the hostilities in their homeland.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M3.

Bailarina y Luz, La Habana, Cuba, 2018

Aquí hay otro ejemplo de mi colaboración con una compañía de baile el mes pasado en este edificio de apartamentos. Hoy han salido algunas rollos de David y se veían hermosas, lo que me da más confianza de que el resto de la película saldrá bien.

Esa mañana mi querido amigo Luis Miguel me dijo que tenía algunos amigos que estarían interesados, y organizó que recogiéramos a todos antes del amanecer. Todos eran más que profesionales y listos en frente de sus casas. Llegamos al edificio de apartamentos al mismo tiempo que los primeros rayos del sol.

Fotografiamos a cada bailarina por su cuenta, luego decidimos hacer un video a la voz de Nina Simone. La música fue elegida y todo lo que se compartió con los bailarines fue el tema. Su increíble imaginación llenó el resto. Sabían exactamente dónde caminar, en qué dirección pararse y cómo relacionarse entre sí cuando el segundo bailarín entró en escena.

Este marco fue expuesto justo antes de que la segunda bailarina entrara, a las palabras de "Negro es el Color del Pelo de Mi Verdadero Amor". ¡Era mágico, y pone el pelo en mis brazos mientras estas palabras se escriben!

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Dancer + Light, La Habana, Cuba, 2018

Here is another sample from my collaboration with a dance company this past month in this apartment building. A few rolls came back today from David and they looked beautiful, giving me further confidence that the rest of the film will turn out well hopefully.

On this morning my dear friend Luis Miguel told me that he had a few friends who would be interested, and arranged for us to pick everyone up well before sunrise. All were more than professional and ready in front of their houses. We arrived at the apartment building at the same time as the first rays of sunlight.

We photographed each dancer on their own, then decided to make a video to the voice of Nina Simone. The music was chosen and all that was shared with the dancers was the theme. Their incredible imaginations filled in the rest. They knew exactly where to walk to, in which direction to stand and how to relate to each other when the second dancer entered the picture.

This frame was exposed right before the second dancer entered, to the words of "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair." It was magical, and makes the hair on my arms stand as these words are being typed!

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Note: This image was made with a Fuji XT-2, thanks to the guidance of Jef Janis at Dodd!

Young Girl + Tree, Granada, Nicaragua, 2017

This beautiful city was also a place my father had traveled to in order to find customers for his textiles. When we arrived I immediately fell in love with it, and the people living on the outskirts of the small city. 

From the small burrito store in the center of town to the grand square, the food was beyond tasty. My mind kept thinking if my father had walked these same streets, if he sat in the same square for lunch.

When we arrived we drove around the rim of the lake looking for communities to document. We found a young family earlier, and photographed them in front of the home which they tend for the owners. The family told us that there were many families a kilometer or so up the road, and so we pushed onward to the local school in search.

That is when we noticed a girl with the most incredible hair, the older sister to the one in this frame. Immediately we stopped and walked over to say hello. The family was so receptive, a preview of how we were to be treated in our travels throughout Nicaragua. They were so warm and spoke with us in such an honest, kind manner.

We spoke at length about their lives, how they work well before sunrise and do so in the muddy waters nearby. They do so just to be able to feed their children, and live a most humble life. They live without running water, proper electricity, medical care, bathrooms... while their meals come on a day to day basis.

This was in extreme contrast to the town square which was less than a fifteen minute drive, and of course to communities where all of the above is commonplace. Such is this young girl's life, such is the reality she faces daily.

Yet they treated us as equals, invited us back the very next day and embraced as as family. The people of Nicaragua are beyond comparison, and I for one am proud to call myself a Nica.

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 503 CW/100 mm combination.

Tres, Centro Habana, Cuba, 2018

Estas son las imágenes para mostrar cuando alguien me hace esta pregunta: ¿por qué sigues volviendo a Cuba?

Aquí hay tres personas que estaban más que ocupadas con sus vidas, pero se pusieron a disposición para una colaboración espontánea. Se reunieron mucho antes del amanecer para que pudiéramos tener la oportunidad de fotografiar con la luz del sol.

Intercambiamos mensajes el día anterior y recogimos a todos mientras todavía estaba oscuro por la mañana. Condujimos a este hermoso edificio y montamos las cámaras mientras los bailarines estiraban sus músculos. La belleza de fotografiar bailarines es que se necesita hablar poco y casi todo se hace en silencio.

La humildad que me demostraron debe ser compartida. Todos ellos tienen una posición increíble en la comunidad de baile, pero se acercaron a la sesión con tanta inocencia. Compartieron su admiración por los fotografiados en mi trabajo, y les encantó la idea de que fueran hermanos y hermanas para ellos. ¡Realmente lo son!

El próximo verano en Cuba promete ser una revelación, desde el tema hasta la forma de fotografía. Estas hermosas personas serán las primeras en ser contactadas, así como también todos sus amigos del mundo de la danza. ¡Todos son bienvenidos!

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These are the images to show when someone asks me this question: why do you keep going back to Cuba?

Here are three people who were more than busy with their lives, yet made themselves available for a spontaneous collaboration. They came together well before sunrise so that we would have the chance to photograph with the rising sunlight.

We exchanged messages the day before, and picked everyone up while it was still dark in the morning. We drove out to this beautiful building and set the cameras up while the dancers stretched their muscles. The beauty of photographing dancers is that little needs to be spoken, and everything is done in silence almost.

The humility that they demonstrated to me needs to be shared. All of them have incredible standing in the dance community, yet approached the session with such innocence. They shared their admiration for those photographed in my work, and loved the idea that they were brothers and sisters to them. They truly are!

Next summer in Cuba promises to be a revelation, from the subject matter to the manner of photography. These beautiful people will be the first to be approached, as well as all of their friends from the dance world. All are welcome!

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Note: This image was made with a Fuji X-T2.

Tres, Centro Habana, Cuba, 2018

Estas son las imágenes para mostrar cuando alguien me hace esta pregunta: ¿por qué sigues volviendo a Cuba?

Aquí hay tres personas que estaban más que ocupadas con sus vidas, pero se pusieron a disposición para una colaboración espontánea. Se reunieron mucho antes del amanecer para que pudiéramos tener la oportunidad de fotografiar con la luz del sol.

Intercambiamos mensajes el día anterior y recogimos a todos mientras todavía estaba oscuro por la mañana. Condujimos a este hermoso edificio y montamos las cámaras mientras los bailarines estiraban sus músculos. La belleza de fotografiar bailarines es que se necesita hablar poco y casi todo se hace en silencio.

La humildad que me demostraron debe ser compartida. Todos ellos tienen una posición increíble en la comunidad de baile, pero se acercaron a la sesión con tanta inocencia. Compartieron su admiración por los fotografiados en mi trabajo, y les encantó la idea de que fueran hermanos y hermanas para ellos. ¡Realmente lo son!

El próximo verano en Cuba promete ser una revelación, desde el tema hasta la forma de fotografía. Estas hermosas personas serán las primeras en ser contactadas, así como también todos sus amigos del mundo de la danza. ¡Todos son bienvenidos!

-----------------------------------------------------

These are the images to show when someone asks me this question: why do you keep going back to Cuba?

Here are three people who were more than busy with their lives, yet made themselves available for a spontaneous collaboration. They came together well before sunrise so that we would have the chance to photograph with the rising sunlight.

We exchanged messages the day before, and picked everyone up while it was still dark in the morning. We drove out to this beautiful building and set the cameras up while the dancers stretched their muscles. The beauty of photographing dancers is that little needs to be spoken, and everything is done in silence almost.

The humility that they demonstrated to me needs to be shared. All of them have incredible standing in the dance community, yet approached the session with such innocence. They shared their admiration for those photographed in my work, and loved the idea that they were brothers and sisters to them. They truly are!

Next summer in Cuba promises to be a revelation, from the subject matter to the manner of photography. These beautiful people will be the first to be approached, as well as all of their friends from the dance world. All are welcome!

Website

Tumblr

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Note: This image was made with a Fuji X-T2.

Tres, Centro Habana, Cuba, 2018

Estas son las imágenes para mostrar cuando alguien me hace esta pregunta: ¿por qué sigues volviendo a Cuba?

Aquí hay tres personas que estaban más que ocupadas con sus vidas, pero se pusieron a disposición para una colaboración espontánea. Se reunieron mucho antes del amanecer para que pudiéramos tener la oportunidad de fotografiar con la luz del sol.

Intercambiamos mensajes el día anterior y recogimos a todos mientras todavía estaba oscuro por la mañana. Condujimos a este hermoso edificio y montamos las cámaras mientras los bailarines estiraban sus músculos. La belleza de fotografiar bailarines es que se necesita hablar poco y casi todo se hace en silencio.

La humildad que me demostraron debe ser compartida. Todos ellos tienen una posición increíble en la comunidad de baile, pero se acercaron a la sesión con tanta inocencia. Compartieron su admiración por los fotografiados en mi trabajo, y les encantó la idea de que fueran hermanos y hermanas para ellos. ¡Realmente lo son!

El próximo verano en Cuba promete ser una revelación, desde el tema hasta la forma de fotografía. Estas hermosas personas serán las primeras en ser contactadas, así como también todos sus amigos del mundo de la danza. ¡Todos son bienvenidos!

-----------------------------------------------------

These are the images to show when someone asks me this question: why do you keep going back to Cuba?

Here are three people who were more than busy with their lives, yet made themselves available for a spontaneous collaboration. They came together well before sunrise so that we would have the chance to photograph with the rising sunlight.

We exchanged messages the day before, and picked everyone up while it was still dark in the morning. We drove out to this beautiful building and set the cameras up while the dancers stretched their muscles. The beauty of photographing dancers is that little needs to be spoken, and everything is done in silence almost.

The humility that they demonstrated to me needs to be shared. All of them have incredible standing in the dance community, yet approached the session with such innocence. They shared their admiration for those photographed in my work, and loved the idea that they were brothers and sisters to them. They truly are!

Next summer in Cuba promises to be a revelation, from the subject matter to the manner of photography. These beautiful people will be the first to be approached, as well as all of their friends from the dance world. All are welcome!

Website

Tumblr

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Note: This image was made with a Fuji X-T2.

Young Student + Window, Koranic Madrasa, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2018

This past year in India witnessed the opening of the realization of something quite special, the opening of a new school for girls in Uttar Pradesh under the guidance of Nirvanavan Foundation. Five years after my first visit to the region we have come together in an interfaith manner to promote the education of girls in a region where such is oftentimes missing.

This young girl attends a madrasa in her village as well. The headmaster is a cousin to our leader in the region, and we were invited to see the school for ourselves. For the moment the madrasa concentrates on Koranic training, as well as Arabic lessons. We hope in the near future that we can gain enough support to also begin a school within this madrasa... a school where this young student may have access to a fuller curriculum which includes Hindi, Urdu, Science, Mathematics, Art and so on.

Her school stands on its own in the middle of wheat fields, and this windows faces one of those fields. It faces south with the sun setting to our right in viewing her portrait. We walked into the four classrooms and asked the girls of each classroom to follow us into this unused space. The windows let in the most beautiful light. The camera was set against the wall and the tripod had to be tilted between each exposure to advance the film.

She sat down so patiently for a roll of film. The entire time her bright eyes remained focused intently on the lens, never wavering for one second. This is even more incredible in light of the scene, two complete strangers there to make her portrait perhaps for the first time in her life.

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 503 CW/100 mm lens combination and scanned roughly through the clear sleeve for preview only.

Film from Cuba, Dodge Chrome Imaging, Silver Springs, Maryland, 2018

The film from the summer in Cuba was dropped off at Dodge Chrome Imaging last month, and I am so looking forward to picking up half of it processed later this week!

The Magnificent Tamy, La Habana, Cuba, 2018

Four images are being shared because one would fail to represent her power in front of the lens. A few years ago I was honored with our first collaboration, and this past summer Tamy elevated that honor to a new level by graciously allowing me once again to document her incomparable spirit.

We photographed in the countryside for our first session, and decided to photograph in the city for our second. On both occasions of course she was ready in advance and needed nothing in order to be prepared. Her selection of clothing was perfect as well as her presentation.

On this morning we drove out to the Spanish Embassy to begin our work, and the security guard was more than impressed with the elegance of our subject. It was noticeable on his face as I thanked him for his permission to use the space. We exposed four rolls and then moved onto an apartment building perhaps three blocks away.

The columns, while more recent than the embassy, are just as majestic. It so happened that a young woman was washing the floor, and allowed us to photograph while she was working. It made for the most beautiful reflection, while at least two dozen onlookers enjoyed Tamy's performance in public.

At this time the sun was getting a bit warm, but Tamy allowed us to continue onward to the National Museum of Fine Art. She used the beautiful columns there once again, as well as the shadows in between. It was a proper ending to a most incredible session... and made my last week on the island a true blessing.

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Note: These images were made with a Fuji XT-2 with the 56 mm XF lens.

The Magnificent Tamy, La Habana, Cuba, 2018

Four images are being shared because one would fail to represent her power in front of the lens. A few years ago I was honored with our first collaboration, and this past summer Tamy elevated that honor to a new level by graciously allowing me once again to document her incomparable spirit.

We photographed in the countryside for our first session, and decided to photograph in the city for our second. On both occasions of course she was ready in advance and needed nothing in order to be prepared. Her selection of clothing was perfect as well as her presentation.

On this morning we drove out to the Spanish Embassy to begin our work, and the security guard was more than impressed with the elegance of our subject. It was noticeable on his face as I thanked him for his permission to use the space. We exposed four rolls and then moved onto an apartment building perhaps three blocks away.

The columns, while more recent than the embassy, are just as majestic. It so happened that a young woman was washing the floor, and allowed us to photograph while she was working. It made for the most beautiful reflection, while at least two dozen onlookers enjoyed Tamy's performance in public.

At this time the sun was getting a bit warm, but Tamy allowed us to continue onward to the National Museum of Fine Art. She used the beautiful columns there once again, as well as the shadows in between. It was a proper ending to a most incredible session... and made my last week on the island a true blessing.

 

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Twitter

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Note: These images were made with a Fuji XT-2 with the 56 mm XF lens.

The Magnificent Tamy, La Habana, Cuba, 2018

Four images are being shared because one would fail to represent her power in front of the lens. A few years ago I was honored with our first collaboration, and this past summer Tamy elevated that honor to a new level by graciously allowing me once again to document her incomparable spirit.

We photographed in the countryside for our first session, and decided to photograph in the city for our second. On both occasions of course she was ready in advance and needed nothing in order to be prepared. Her selection of clothing was perfect as well as her presentation.

On this morning we drove out to the Spanish Embassy to begin our work, and the security guard was more than impressed with the elegance of our subject. It was noticeable on his face as I thanked him for his permission to use the space. We exposed four rolls and then moved onto an apartment building perhaps three blocks away.

The columns, while more recent than the embassy, are just as majestic. It so happened that a young woman was washing the floor, and allowed us to photograph while she was working. It made for the most beautiful reflection, while at least two dozen onlookers enjoyed Tamy's performance in public.

At this time the sun was getting a bit warm, but Tamy allowed us to continue onward to the National Museum of Fine Art. She used the beautiful columns there once again, as well as the shadows in between. It was a proper ending to a most incredible session... and made my last week on the island a true blessing.

Website

Tumblr

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Note: These images were made with a Fuji XT-2 with the 56 mm XF lens.

Selections for the Darkroom Tomorrow, October 18, 2018

After months on the road it's finally time to get back in the darkroom. For the next six weeks prints will be made from the last year's worth of photography. This weekend is dedicated to my friends in Nicaragua, may their worthy voices be heard and may the beautiful people of Nicaragua achieve the peace they so deserve!

Note: The above images were made with a Hasselblad V system.

Anays + Yudel, La Habana, Cuba, 2018

La última sesión este verano fue con Anays Diz Pe y Anyel Ch Martinez Manzanet, gracias a la imaginación magnífica de Yudel R. Contreras Garcia. Yudel nos dejaron usar sus creaciones, y hicimos la sesión en un edificio en Centro Habana. La luz fue suave, y perfecta. ¡Gracias a todos este verano pasado para ayudarme hacer imágenes sin época! 

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Note: This image was made with a Fuji XT-2.

Sisters + Shawls, In School, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2018

Thanks to the hard work of her community leaders in cooperation with Nirvanvan Foundation, these two sisters now attend classes in their own village. Our brothers Imdadullah and Shokeen are working hard to establish the school under the guidance of Nirvana Bodhisattva and his team, and have informed me that the number of girls attending has at least doubled.

Parents are coming forward wondering of their girls can attend school. This happened during my last week in the village. After a function a father of one young girl stopped by to ask about the sewing classes, and also wanted his daughter to attend the school. It was a moment of happiness for us all, for the father of a young girl made the decision after seeing what was happening in his village.

These two sisters helped me move towards making portraits of more than one at a time. Their smiles are contagious, especially when they are together. Their beauty is timeless, and their combined strength is undeniable. They are now attending classes taught by a group of female teachers from their very village. The level of comfort is as clear as day, in contrast to the time when they were only attending religious classes taught solely by men.

It is with a sense of pride that their portrait is being shared, as the film from India is finally being scanned. It has been over four months since this exposure was made, and today is the first time it has been seen thanks to the scanner!

Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad V system.

Cesia y el Museo, La Habana, Cuba, 2018

There's never a dull moment in the streets of Havana, here with Cesia González Pérez in front of El Museo de Bellas Artes. Every time we put a camera down in the city with models around everyone stops and takes the time to look. Even those working, strolling by with their taxis, cannot help themselves and look to their left, to their right. It's a fantastic study into the human mind, in the middle of the day and out in the open.

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Note: Image made with a Fuji TX-2 and 56 mm lens combination.