La Cantante, La Habana, Cuba, Morning of July 11, 2012

On the morning of July 11, 2012 we met on the rooftop of my friend's apartment and made the portrait above. She walked over with her parents as we were also photographing another young woman from my past. They were a bit late and the sun had risen. We worked for a little more but found the sunlight to be almost too strong for the girls.

We then decided to pull out the diffuser and use it for the first time on the island. It worked wonderfully and transformed the direct light into a large, translucent surface strong enough to form shadows but weak enough to allow the girls to hold their eyes open and form the expressions desired by them for their portraits. With the change of exposure, the sky disappeared as expected and provided the white background as in many of my images.

She wore the most beautiful necklace, which added a range of tones to the images. Her parents sat on chairs and under a certain amount of shade to her left, near the entrance to the rooftop. Throughout all of my time with this young girl her parents have always been there to share their support. 

Whether to lend their creativity during a photography session or to accompany her voice on a keyboard, these are the most dedicated of parents. Her father is a fine man, delicate with his manners and deeply heartfelt through his understanding of music. Her mother is a strong woman and will share her knowledge of the voice in a firm yet kind manner. She rarely sings for us but when she does one can tell that the advice she shares with her daughter has musical roots certainly within her as well.

I look forward to visiting this family once again this summer and to finding a quieter place to record her voice. We talked about a church last year, perhaps a house further away from the city. I will call her family before arriving and hope that this place can be found in time for the trip. 

In the video below she and her father perform in their own home, while the neighbors do the best that they can do in terms of noise. Perhaps the sound of the street is as essential in the recording as her voice, maybe years from now I will appreciate it more so. Her voice and her father's accompaniment have brought nothing but joy and appreciation to me since this recording was made, and have been heard around the world through their circle of friends and family as well. 

All of the recordings have been provided to them in real time and they have done their best to let her voice be heard outside of the island. I sincerely hope that this is the case and the world can come to appreciate this young woman more so.

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Halim Ina Photography

La Cantante, La Habana, Cuba, Summer, 2008

Here she stands one block away from her home, against a white wall and facing a wall drenched with sunlight. When we arrive a white truck is blocking the beautiful sunlight and a young man willingly moves the truck for us. She is dressed in her ballet outfit and has allowed her hair to fall naturally, rather than in the formal manner.

I photographed her two years or so ago on the famous walkway lining the Cuban capital as she walked with her family. She was willing then and is more than willing now. People stand to her left watching us work, but to her they are invisible. She looks straight into the lens and presents herself without limitations. When asked she raises her head, and shows me the meaning of love. In one portrait I might explain to those asking me: why do you continue to visit the island?

Then in a five minute clip as in the previous post, such questions would be laid to rest.

This young girl always puts her best foot forward, never accepts anything but her best effort. Just when I think she has sung her best version, she asks me to record yet another... and I do so beyond willingly. In temperatures that almost melt my camera along with humidity that forces me to wipe my forehead a few times during each performance, she sings effortlessly.

While people walk by on the street looking at us, she does the same. She never settles for anything but a most genuine expression, for this is her. Her mother is an incredible force, very much like the daughter. She tirelessly promotes her daughter and always provides pointers during our recordings, actually singing her pointers rather than just telling her daughter to do this and to do that. She leads by example.

In the background, and anything but the background, is her father. There are very few on the island with such character, with such humility. His words almost always bring tears to my eyes, because he always puts others before himself. His talents are clearly present, yet he plays almost inaudibly while his daughter performs, accompanying rather than leading. This man I admire very much, he is everything to his daughter and she is his purpose.

Halim Ina Photography