Leandro + Playa, Santa Maria Del Mar, Cuba, 2014

Back in 2014 Leandro Carrazana was a young dancer who was gracious enough to join us on the beach early one morning. It was a pleasure to witness his talents in this beautiful setting, and I’m so happy to have these images as a reminder of better times.

Etsy 

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Yaniuska + Beach, Santa Maria Del Mar, La Habana, Cuba, 2015

Going back to 2015 with the creative Yaniuska at the beach, here is a darkroom print from this week. Behind the image is the dedication of this young girl and her family, ready to go at 5:30 in the morning without question. It’s such an honor to have these images, and the experiences are beyond priceless!

Etsy 

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Hermanas + 1951 Oldsmobile, La Habana, Cuba, 2017

Dos de las mas importantes para mi, aqui están dos hermanas después de una sesión de fotografía por la mañana. La mas grande es estudiante en la Escuela de Ballet Nacional, y la pequeña siempre quiere venir con nosotros para hacer fotos!

Conocí a esta familia cuando caminaba por la calle un día, ya que su madre estaba vendiendo vegetables de su casa. Desde ese día, nos hemos conectado en innumerables sesiones e hicimos algunas imágenes eternas. Lo que es aún más impresionante es que su hermano es uno de los bailarines más prometedores en la escuela, todo un logro en realidad.

En un mes, con suerte, visitaremos la playa y tendremos otra sesión ... ¡con un helado en el camino a casa!

Nota: Esta fotografía fue hecha por las chicas, con la Sony RX100M3.

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Sisters + 1951 Oldsmobile, Havana, Cuba, 2017

Two of the most important ones for me, here are two sisters after a morning photography session. The older one is a student at the National Ballet School, and the little one always wants to come with us to take pictures!

I met this family when I was walking down the street one day, as her mother was selling vegetables from her house. Since that day, we have connected in countless sessions and made some eternal images. What is even more impressive is that her brother is one of the most promising dancers in the school, quite an achievement in reality.

In a month, hopefully, we will visit the beach and have another session ... with ice cream on the way home!

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Note: This photograph was made by the girls, with the Sony RX100M3.

Xtina + Lake, Beach, Cleveland, Ohio, 2017

This past weekend was my second weekend in as many weeks with Xtina, and we have continued to build on what had come before photographically. Being a film photographer as well, she comes to the table with an incredible vision, and many beautiful questions as well. 

She understands my work fully, and knows that she has been a sister to those in my work since we first collaborated years ago. The girls in India, Lebanon and Cuba have seen her portrait... and she has seen theirs as well. It is a sincere honor for me to be her photographer.

On this afternoon we decided to drive to the beach and find a spot. We tried a private beach at first, only to be turned around by the security guard. We then drove to the public beach, and were glad to be there. It was a bit cold, but Xtina was more than brave enough to enter.

We first made photographs of her hands with various objects, from a crystal to stones to a camera. So many people looked, and more than a few connected with us as this was unfolding. Xtina then stepped right into the water, and we photographed first from a distance and then together in the water. The sun was kind to us for some time, then it was blocked by the clouds which rolled in.

Nonetheless we exposed more than a few medium-format rolls, and I for one cannot wait to have them processed in a few weeks. A few weeks because the trip to DC will be made to pick up my Cuban film from the summer, and this is the only lab trusted enough to process my collaboration with Xtina. I cannot wait!

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Note: These images were made with a Sony RX100M3, mounted adjacent to a Hasselblad V system.

Anays + Tree, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, 2016

Many adjectives have been used to describe her, and all of them have fallen short in the end. The power with which she presents to the lens is undeniable, and she gives every frame her all. She loves dance, and loves photography as much. As my friend Alejandro likes to say, 'she was born for photography.'

While many with much more experience have stepped in front of my lens, few have ever produced such results over and over again. She loves to be photographed, and asks to come along even when we have a session with someone else.

Just looking at this series may help us to understand the talent needed to make some images. These twelve frames were made in less than two minutes, yet in each one she presents differently. It seems as if she has the next two frames in mind while the present one is being exposed, always ahead of the shutter.

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Note: This series was made with a Hasselblad V system onto Ilford Delta 100 film.

The Release, Santa Maria del Mar, La Habana, Cuba, 2015

In less than four weeks I will be in her presence once again, planning another session in those beautiful waters. She and her brother are exquisite dancers, and are remarkable in front of the lens. The excitement is almost too much to endure!

We met one afternoon when I walked in front of their home on a busy Havana street. Their mother was sitting just inside the landing, and to the side of some vegetables for sale. I asked permission to photograph her, and she allowed me to do so.

Just after we finished it was mentioned that two of her children were ballerinas. She called for the children to come, and after a minute the two most beautiful dancers were standing in front of me.

They were out of breath after running to us, but had smiles ear to ear. The family was incredible, and even put a dance show for me a few minutes later right inside the home. I knew right there and then that we had yet another beautiful family with which to collaborate.

I look forward to seeing them again, and to documenting their considerable talents on film. In this image, she is photographed just as she was about to release a symbol of love for the viewers of her photograph. It stands out from the rest on that day, and I will hand her this image as soon as we meet in a few weeks.

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Note: This image was made with a Fuji GA645i onto Kodak TMX film.

Young Model + Beach, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, 2015

Last summer we had the honor of working with some of the best models in Cuba, and were humbled with their willingness to do more than expected. All were willing to get into the water with their outfits, to get down into the sand and get completely wet.

That was the case with this young model. She struggled at first with the sunlight, but used that to her advantage by taking on more abstract positions, more unusual stances. Here she closed her eyes and thought peaceful thoughts as the shutter was released.

While working with professionals can be different than working with our ballet students, the difference in Cuba is minimal for all take the photography so seriously. I for one look forward to returning in two weeks and bringing these photographs to the people.

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Note: This image was made with a Fuji GA645 camera onto Kodak TMX film.

2 Models + Sea, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, 2015

The young man in these images has taken part in our work for the past three years, and this was his friend. They both attended classes at our friend's school for models in Havana, the best school of its kind on the island.

They were a wonderful duo, each taking their turns as well as working together for the lens. Once we finished a few rolls on land, we entered the water and had a wonderful time. They had a genuine chemistry between them, and I for one hope that they are available this summer for a second session. This time around, we will be in the water the entire time!

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Note: These images were made with a Fuji GA645i onto Kodak TMX film.

Ballerina + Shore, Santa Maria del Mar, La Habana, Cuba, 2015

This week and the next two weeks will be spent scanning the negatives from last year's visit to the island. This frame is from tonight's scans, and is being seen for the first time since it was exposed last summer.

At the tender age of 12, she is a veteran of our work. While she had developed beautifully over the past three years, last year she took our collective breath with her performances. It was as if we were watching someone else, and the smile on her father's face said it all. He kept telling me, 'you see, you see!'

This image was made at one of our favorite spots, which we will certainly visit many, many times in two months's time. What is so special is that, after the photography, we immerse ourselves in the water and enjoy the rest of the morning under the sun. Then, on our way back home, we stop for ice cream and yum!

'Looking forward' to this summer is an understatement for sure, but what else can one say and remain calm at the same time?

I am certainly looking forward to seeing the dancers from my work on the island, and just hope that I can do justice to their incredible talents this summer. They are like sisters to me by now of course, and it gives me an immense sense of pride in seeing them develop through the years.

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Note; This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/100 mm combination.

Ballerina + Racquetball Court, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, 2015

Then we have this incredible setting, and the most perfect light. Just as we can depend on clouds forming in the afternoon on the island, we can almost depend on having the most exquisite light in the morning. While it is frustrating at times depending on the weather, it does make the photographs the much more meaningful.

So when we arrive at this racquetball court and see clear skies, we pinch ourselves. This young dancer has blossomed during our time with her family, and has now become one of our 'veterans' barely out of her single digits. She goes from one position to another without reservation, and almost always says 'yes' to our collaborations.

Her family lives in the city, and we pick them up thanks to Alejandro an hour before sunrise. She is always perfectly ready, and a professional in every way. She is still of course a young girl, and treats this racquetball court as important as any stage in the world. The sunlight hits each surface differently, giving us three beautiful tones in monochrome to compliment her multiple facets.

Her attitude in this image specifically left me speechless!

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M2.

Models + Friends, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, Summer of 2015

They work as models together, and are the best of friends. He has a quality about him which makes all working alongside feel beyond comfortable. She is able to produce expressions of innocence and seduction almost at the same time. We worked only once with them this past summer, but next summer I plan to do much more… and all of it in the ocean.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100II.

Ballerina + Sugar Cane, Guanabacoa, Cuba, Summer of 2014

On my way home tonight I received a call from her apartment. To see her name on my phone a few weeks after staying at her home for the summer brought a smile to my face. Her mother and I spoke for a little bit, then her brother took the phone to say hello and let me know that he'll be in the States for the next two weeks. He happens to be the captain of Cuba's National Soccer Team, and a handsome one at that!

I remember when this image was made, as we were walking between the sugar cane fields on our way to the next stop. I turned to her and asked if she'd get behind a few stalks, and she did so with her own flamboyant way. Everything she touches turns into gold so effortlessly.

She was at her dance school this evening, always trying to improve her technique… a perfectionist on every level. It's been less than three weeks since we were together and I am already counting the weeks until we are on the beach once again.

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination onto Fuji Neopan Acros 100 ISO film.

Young Model + Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, Summer of 2015

These sessions are what make this island so incredible. We could photograph models in the morning on the beach, return to the city for a few hours of urban journalism then head to the countryside to photograph laborers in the fields. Even more incredible is that almost all make the time to learn about our project, and with enthusiasm give time from their days to produce such images. 

Earlier this summer we photographed this young model along with her friend, and were actually pointed her way by her companion. At first we were a little concerned even though her friend advised us of her experience in front of the lens. Our worries were laid to rest once we exposed the first roll of film, as we realized how calm and creative she truly was.

In addition, she had the most wonderful set of clothes picked out and changed between the various pieces with ease. We look forward to her presence once again next year, and will bring these images to her of course.

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Note: This image was made with a Sony RX100M2.

La Profesora + La Playa, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, El Verano de 2014

After six years of working with her students on the island, the professor from the highly acclaimed dance company asked to be photographed like her students. She was as kind and open to being photographed as her students, allowing us two sessions with her and accompanying us as a photographer thirsty for photographic knowledge.

In three weeks a suitcase of ballet outfits will be heading to Cuba with me, to this young woman's students at a prestigious dance school within Havana. Last year she allowed me the privilege of documenting her incredible talent, and left me in awe on that beach. When she moved to a position, she did so with great care and deliberation… demonstrating to me the immense vision she had for our session.

She was as gentle as she was skilled, treating the girls in our company with sincerity and kindness. The girls were after all her students, even though they were involved in my project well before her appearance. She knew that they would be more than excited to see her, and that they would be all over her since this was their first time around her outside of the school. Yet she accepted this role gracefully and spoke with them the entire time, never looked away nor looked uncomfortable for a split second.

Last summer I was unprepared for someone like her, someone at her level. I do however hope that my skills at anticipation have improved since that time, and that this summer she will once again allow me the chance to document her spirit more precisely.

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination onto Fuji Neopan Acros 100 ISO film.

Ballerina + Model, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, Summer of 2014

Melting together the genres of fashion and dance, we were fortunate enough on this morning to have a wonderful model and an exquisite dancer along for the ride. Of course this happened spontaneously as our veteran dancer asked about our plans for the morning (photography of two models), and then made sure to tag along to our pleasant surprise!

As they say in Cuba, 'she was born' for photography… and so we always answer with 'yes' when she wants to come along. On this morning we photographed this young man and his girlfriend, who also happened to be the premiere female model on the island last summer. All three had their turn in front of the lens, and then we played with combinations of two.

Towards the end the female model wanted to rest a bit and so the young man took it upon himself to create with our ballerina. I was deeply impressed with his kindness, his courtesy and his gentle demeanor. When asked to treat her like a brother, to listen to her concerns, he did so in such a natural way. Although they had never met before, they took to each other like they had known each other for life. Their performance enchanted me deeply, and made me appreciate even more so our recording of it onto film.

This image will forever remind me of that moment, and makes me want to repeat this combination once again in four weeks' time!

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Note: This photograph was made with a Fuji GA645Wi onto Fuji Neopan Acros 100 ISO film.

Ballerina + Sea, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, Summer of 2014

This was her first year with us, and certainly anything but her last. We were looking for two younger ballerinas because our veteran dancer desired to be photographed as a mentor. It was a glorious idea and we decided to begin the search the next day at her school of dance.

We arrived at a time when all of the dancers and their parents were waiting for classes to begin. We were standing in the open space and looking at the students practicing their lessons. She stood out in my mind, both in her exquisite features and in her relationship with the other dancers. A group of six or so girls were practicing a certain maneuver and she was the one leading in the instruction. It was quite beautiful to see, the young dancer in her natural environment and with her friends.

When our dancer's mother arrived, she asked us if we had found anyone. We pointed to the girl behind her and she immediately took it upon herself to speak with her mother. Once again this is what amazes me about the island, the willingness of people to collaborate photographically and to speak with others on our behalf as well. In doing so they display an unparalleled level of pride, trust and confidence in our work.

The image below is of the young ballerina during our second session. This was exactly the expression on her face as we were speaking with her mother at the dance school… an incredible combination of confidence and joy.

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination onto Kodak TMY 400 ISO film.

Ballerina + Beach, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, Summer of 2014

The scans for Cuba began today, immediately going to the new format negatives with excitement. The young girl in this image was the reason for this new approach, photography while in the water along with her. A 'new' analog camera was purchased using the same medium format film as the more formal system, along with shorts and sandals for my first swim in the waters of the island.

Aside from my decision to visit Cuba, this seemingly innocuous change to my work made such a difference. Rather than photographing for an hour and then heading back to the city, the mornings now included playing alongside these beautiful spirits for hours after the camera was put down.

Standing in the water next to them, a hundred feet from the shore, with nothing but warm water around us, made my time with them that much more precious. The images made represent a new excitement in the work, and even now take me back immediately to those incredible waters.

Note: This image was made with a Fuji GA645Zi onto Fuji Neopan Acros 100 ISO film.

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Dancer + Wind, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, Summer of 2013

A few minutes ago my phone rang with an 'unknown' number, and a message was left for me to hear. One would be hard pressed to conceive of a sweeter gift on this Christmas Eve!

The voice was that of her mother, wishing me and my family 'Feliz Navidad' all the way from Cuba. Almost four months have passed since my time with them this summer, and the feelings came rushing back immediately upon hearing the message.

I hurried and dialed their number, and guess who answered?

Yes, the exquisite spirit in this image!

We spoke for around 15 minutes, the entire time with me imagining her standing at the table with the phone next to her ear.

She told me about the other girls from the ballet school, classmates as well as instructors… how all of them sent their greetings and love my way through her, and how they were also waiting for next summer to arrive as well.

She then told me that when we see each other next summer, she will be speaking English with me, that she was well on her way with her lessons. I then asked her, which lesson are you studying right now? She paused and, with a chuckle, told me that she was on lesson 10.

We talked for a few minutes as I expressed my admiration and love for her. As she listened, I once again imagined her next to that table with the same smile my eyes witnessed as the same words were expressed to her the very night we bid each other farewell four months ago.

Who would have ever imagined that a spontaneous portrait over six years ago would have led to such a moment tonight? This is what happens when we put ourselves out there with honest intent, and such is the reward.

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180mm combination onto Fuji Neopan Acros 100 ISO film.

Aspiring Dancer + Beach, Santa Maria del Mar, Cuba, Summer of 2014

While walking on my own the day before I met a young vendor selling vegetables and fruits out of her apartment. First I asked to photograph the products, then I asked to photograph her next to them. As we talked a neighbor joined us and asked about my work. I showed an album to them and she was fascinated by the images of ballerinas, telling me that two of the vendor's children were dancers… producing a look of comic displeasure on the vendor's face.

Nevertheless the children were called for along with one of the neighbors as well. They were shocked to see a tourist in their home, yet at a moment's notice performed a dance routine right in front of my eyes, all to music selected by their mother. It was so spontaneous that I barely had a chance to record the dancing on my small phone!

They were fabulous, just incredible! We talked right there and then about a session, and all agreed on the very next morning. I warned them that we'd be in front of their apartment by 6:20 in the morning, yet they were all in with smiles. When we arrived the very next day early at 6:00, they were already standing in the street waiting for us. It was a sign of great things to come!

While her older sister and neighbor were photographed in their ballet outfits, the youngest of the bunch put on a ballet outfit and did her best to fit in. We dedicated perhaps one or two rolls of film to her, and I only hope that the film images are half as beautiful as the digital ones.

An hour after this portrait was made, we enjoyed two hours of play in the water behind her. This happened to be her first time in the ocean, and her mother sat and watched with a smile as the tourist took her by the hand and gave her the first lessons in the water. She went from a girl barely able to walk toward the waves to one jumping in without having to hold my hand. At first she had a hard time with the water, then she dipped her hair fully in the waves, laughing the entire time.

This is the magic of photography, and what it can help accomplish in less than 24 hours.

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Frances + Sky, Mentor Headlands, Ohio, September 19, 2014

Every once in a while film is exposed on this side of the pond, and such was the case this past weekend with my dear friend Frances. Over the past few weeks we threw some ideas around, from themes to wardrobe, and settled on a few of each for this session. We met at my home and drove out to Mentor Headlands on a beautiful, sunny afternoon.

When we arrived we were surprised to find so many people on the beach, and even a few photographers. Quickly we set up and started with the ideas. First we played with the lighter pieces, and made use of sunglasses with the harsh light. As the sun set her eyes took center stage, as she was able to look into the lens without hesitation.

The five images below are but a handful from over 120 film images, each with its own combination of composition and expression. I am grateful to have had this chance, and look forward to this weekend's repeat session!

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Note: These images were exposed onto Fuji Neopan Acros 100 ISO film with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180mm combination.