The bucket list of every photographer I know has Cuba near the top. Last week I returned from my first trip there, and it definitely it lived up to its expectations.
Two years ago I began planning a photography workshop in Cuba. My friends at adventure travel company Pack Paddle Ski had taken several groups there and had a great guide for me to work with. But planning a trip to Cuba is unlike any other trip I’ve been involved in. I’ve taught photography in China, Russia, the Arctic and Antarctic, and they were all easier to plan. Because of the restrictions the U.S. places on trade and visits to Cuba, there are a number of hoops to jump through. Honestly, it sounded more daunting than it actually turned out to be, but still, it’s a challenge. Bottom line is that you travel there under a category called “Support for the Cuban People.” That means you stay in “casa particulars,” which are essentially small bed and breakfast operations owned by locals. Your program must avoid any contact with the government or military (and they own most hotels and fancy restaurants) and focus on doing things with private citizens. Our rooms went from nice to basic, but all were clean with their own bathrooms, and most importantly, all had air conditioning.
Once the trip was planned, I started promoting it. And it sold out in about a day. As I said, Cuba’s on most photographers’ bucket lists. Since I had a bunch of people who wanted to go but didn’t register in time, we added a second trip, which meant that when I returned early last Monday morning, I’d spent over two weeks there. How was it? Fantastic.
What’s it like? The simplest answer I can give is that it’s like traveling back in time. The economy struggles, so people make do with what they’ve got. They’ve learned to live with shortages of everything from fuel to foodstuffs to toilet paper to auto parts, so they have a real “MacGyver” attitude about fixing things. But along with the old cars, poor roads, horse carts and oxen plowing the fields, we found incredibly friendly people. This was, more than anything else, a people photography trip. So if you’re willing to walk some and have a guide who’s connected to the community, you’re guaranteed some great photo opportunities.
Because of the challenge in finding lodging for a large group, I kept each workshop to just six people, plus me, Raul and Oscar, our excellent guide/driver team. Keeping the group small also meant it was easy for me to work with people individually, and teach to what would help them most.
I’ll write a couple of more stories in the next few weeks about certain aspects of the trip, but in the meantime here are some of my favorite photos from those two workshops. And yes, I’ll return again, in 2022. If you’re interested in joining me, just let me know. You won’t regret it.
The Malecón is the seawall and road that runs along the shore in Havana, and a great place to watch people and beautifully restored old cars. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 200, 1/1000 at f/9 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor AF Zoom 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G lens at 18mm.
Baseball is the national sport in Cuba, and we saw people playing anywhere there was an open field and cardboard for bases. Nikon Z 50, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 1800, 1/500 at f/5.6 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor VR Zoom 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 lens at 185mm.
The main cemetery in Havana is a great place to wander for photos, and we visited it on both of my workshops. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 125, 1/800 at f/8 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor AF Zoom 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G lens at 18mm.
On our first sunset visit to the Malecón in Havana, we watched (and photographed), a music video being produced. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 500, 1/400 at f/6.3 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor AF Zoom 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G lens at 29mm,
Matanzas was one of the cities we visited, and my favorite because it’s not a tourist spot. That meant we had great opportunities to photograph daily life, like this Quinceañera photo shoot next to a man flattening aluminum cans for scrap. Nikon Z 50, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 400, 1/400 at f/5.6 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor VR Zoom 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 lens at 120mm.
We saw some wildlife as well, such as a crocodile endemic to the island. This was at Criadero de Cocodrilos. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Auto white balance, ISO 100, 1/2500 at f/2.8 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor VR Zoom 24-70mm f/2.8 lens at 38mm.
On the first workshop we took a very rough dirt road to get to the small village of San Pedro, where we met 88-yr-old Dios Dados and heard about his life. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Auto white balance, ISO 1250, 1/125 at f/2.8 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor VR Zoom 24-70mm f/2.8 lens at 29mm.
Street scene in San Pedro. While this is officially winter there, the sun was intense and the daytime temperatures were usually in the mid-80s. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Auto white balance, ISO 100, 1/400 at f/8 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor AF Zoom 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G lens at 18mm.
Most homes don’t have air conditioning and open directly onto the street. This was the scene through a window our group walked by in Trinidad, so I asked the girls if they’d mind if we took some photos. They nodded yes and laughed. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Auto white balance, ISO 1000, 1/160 at f/5.6 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor AF Zoom 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G lens at 18mm.
This man was planning to take his grandson for ride, but couldn’t get the car to start. Cuba’s famous for their old U.S. cars from the 50s, but keeping them running is a challenge. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Auto white balance, ISO 280, 1/500 at f/8 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor VR Zoom 24-70mm f/2.8 lens at 60mm.
I brought along a Nikon D7000 that I’d had converted to infrared, and used it to photograph this scene in Santa Clara. I’ll do a separate blog post on some of the IR photography I did while there. Nikon D7000, Aperture Priority, ISO 200, 1/320 at f/11.
On the second trip, while driving to visit the town of Vinales, we stopped to photograph some men working in the fields. That gained us an invite to meet this man and his ox and see his family’s tobacco drying operation. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 1000, 1/250 at f/5.6 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor AF Zoom 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G lens at 18mm.
Cock fighting is a tradition on the island, and sanctioned by the government. This man showed us one of the birds he’s raising for that. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 2500, 1/250 at f/5.6 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor AF Zoom 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G lens at 24mm.
The second visit to the cemetery in Havana was just as good as the first. I always stress the importance of looking for where light and shadow meet, and this is a great example of why. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 100, 1/1250 at f/5.6 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor AF Zoom 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G lens at 35mm.
The Malecón in Havana is justly famous, and most people visit it to walk and watch the old cars pass by. Just a block off it, though, is an old neighborhood that’s rich with photo opportunities, especially with good light at the end of the day. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 250, 1/800 at f/6.3 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor AF Zoom 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G lens at 18mm.
Sunset on the Malecón in Havana. Nikon Z 50, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 200, 1/1000 at f/5.6 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor VR Zoom 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 lens at 300mm.
This empty lot off the Malecón in Havana was a gathering spot for kids to play soccer and basketball (without goals for either) at the end of the day. Nikon Z 50, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 280, 1/1000 at f/7.1 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor VR Zoom 24-70mm f/2.8 lens at 24mm.
Nighttime in Havana is a great time to practice panning. This is near the Capitol (dome in the background), so nearby hotels provided enough light for our group to take pictures. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 1000, 1/25 at f/4 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor AF Zoom 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G lens at 22mm.
On both trips we spent one evening in Havana having dinner and being entertained at the Buena Vista Social Club. Our excellent guide was able to get us a table close enough to make some photos. Nikon Z 50, Aperture Priority, Auto white balance, ISO 2500, 1/200 at f/2.8 in Matrix metering, Nikkor VR Zoom 24-70mm f/2.8 lens at 44mm.
Fusterlandia is a small neighborhood in Havana with mosaics everywhere. Another good spot for photography. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 220, 1/500 at f/8 in Matrix metering, Nikkor AF Zoom 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G lens at 18mm.
Our guide and his girlfriend Claudia have a baby daughter, and we were able to visit them on both trips. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Auto white balance, ISO 2500, 1/80 at f/4.5 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor VR Zoom 24-70mm f/2.8 lens at 70mm.
While visiting our guide’s home in Matanzas, a man came by selling garlic out of the trunk of his car. He thought it was pretty funny that we wanted to take photos. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 100, 1/250 at f/11 in Matrix metering, -0.7 EV, Nikkor AF Zoom 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G lens at 22mm.
One of our guide’s classmates from college runs a beauty salon, so we got permission to visit, which was another excellent chance to make photos of the people and their daily lives. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 2500, 1/160 at f/4.5 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor AF Zoom 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G lens at 29mm.
Our driver is friends with an old man who runs an auto repair business with his son out of the backyard of their home. Needless to say, that made for another great stop. Nikon Z 50, Aperture Priority, NATURAL AUTOMatrural Auto white balance, ISO 720, 1/200 at f/5 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor VR Zoom 24-70mm f/2.8 lens at 30mm.
Our driver’s family owns a nice farm outside of Matanzas, so we visited and got a tour of their crops from his brother Joel. Joel shared fresh sugar cane with us, and joined us in eating some. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 100, 1/500 at f/5.6 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor AF Zoom 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G lens at 35mm.
The smallest bird in the world, the Zunzuncito hummingbird, is found only in Cuba. Our guide knows a man who’s created a sanctuary for them in his backyard. The largest of these birds is about 5cm in length. Nikon Z 50, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 450, 1/1000 at f/8 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor VR Zoom 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 lens at 300mm.
A man uses a net to fish from the pier at Cienfuegos. We had good weather for all of the trip, and some beautiful skies to work with. Nikon Z 7, Manual exposure, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 250, 1/1250 at f/8 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor AF Zoom 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G lens at 18mm.
Unfortunately, the Cuban government has now made it illegal for people to photograph in boxing gyms and dance studios. But we met Felix warming up along the streets in Cienfuegos early one morning, so asked if we could photograph him. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 100, 1/2000 at f/5.6 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor VR Zoom 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 lens at 100mm.
I told the group that my favorite word is “serendipity,” and we had several great instances of that. The morning we left Cienfuegos, we stopped by the pier and found a wedding shoot going on, complete with the couple’s pet. We asked them and their photographer if they’d mind if we stood back and took photos. They said no problem, and we got to work. Nikon Z 50, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 100, 1/1250 at f/5 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor VR Zoom 24-70mm f/2.8 lens at 34mm.
Songbirds are a popular pet in Cuba, and they have singing competitions with them. It’s not usual to see people taking them out in the morning and hanging the cage where the bird can have a view and fresh air. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Natural AUAutoTO white balance, ISO 100, 1/500 at f/8 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor VR Zoom 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 lens at 300mm.
One of the best stops we did on both trips was on the last day, at a small family farm in the hills outside of Santa Clara. Here, the grandfather (who’s blind), peels yucca. He does that all day every day, and never cuts himself. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Natural Auto white balance, ISO 250, 1/200 at f/4.5 in Matrix metering, Nikkor AF Zoom 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G lens at 19mm.
(If you like this story, please share it with your friends and let them know about the links on photography that I post on my business Facebook page. I’m also on Instagram and Twitter, @reedhoffmann. And if you’re curious about the workshops I teach, you can find them here.)
Wow! My favorite is tiny bird.
Thanks for the story and the photos, Reed. Very fun to read/see. Looks like you shot everything with an 18-35, 24-70 or 70-300, right?
Yes, Dan, I wanted to go light. Since I expected it to be primarily a people workshop, I thought I’d be using the two wide zooms the most, which I did. And I’ve quickly become a fan of the 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR because it’s a very good lens in a fairly small, inexpensive package. If I don’t need a wider aperture, that’s my tele travel lens.
I have had the privilege to work in tune with Pack Paddle Ski as the guide for this group. They are such a great team, the experience with Reed in Cuba was great and it was a perfect match between the historical and architectural legacy and the idiosyncrasy of a wonderful country with the best photography workshop ever. Thumbs up!
A terrific collection of images Reed! Travel photography at its best!
What an incredible collection of photos my friend. Wow
You never cease to deliver a great production of images.
I so enjoyed your visual journey as usual.
Love the photo of the girls. You described it perfectly. I was impressed how you created opportunities by asking for them, wedding shot with the dog is quite a story! Gotta tell you though, the net fishers always suck me in. Beautiful, vibrant colors throughout .
Gorgeous. Great travel story. Looks pretty real deal.
Thanks Cathy, yes, it was a pretty special trip!