Sergio Leyva Seiglie

On November my friend Lorenzo arrived from Italy. Being a very talented photographer on dA's analogue photography scene and also as a tribute to Corda's work, he brought is Leica M2 along, giving me the pleasure of shooting a fresh roll of Fujifilm Superia with it. If you are a rangefinder fan but have never used a Leica M camera you will be surprised of the huge difference it has against its less expensive peers. It fits right in your hands, feeling very comfortable and solid. The first time you wind its advance lever and press the shutter it's like a dream come true. It's has THE MOST silent shutter ever, even compared with my Nikon S2. After using it I felt my S2's shutter noise cacophony like. The comfortable ergonomics, almost non existence shutter noise, combined with one of the cleanest and brightest finders I have ever seen makes the venerable M2 one of the most enjoyable cameras I ever used. I always read or hear stories about M rangefinders, and every time I said to myself: "What's the big fuss about them?!", "A camera is just a camera!"... Ah! I was sooo mistaken, juts because I still haven't use one. I have to thank Lorenzo for allowing me to use such a jewel. Combined with the collapsible Elmar 50mm and the Elmarit 90mm, was a nice experience doing street and portraiture with it.
 
On the second day of his stay in Havana I took Lorenzo and his friend Andrea for a small stroll on Centro Habana. It was afternoon, the light was wonderful, and I had his M2 loaded with a brand new Superia 200 film ready for some street action! On Galeano street we found ourselves surrounded with the habitual flow of people returning from work, kids playing and running around, tourists with amazed faces, street merchants selling their remaining goods, the usual scene.

Afterward we head to the Old Havana, visiting the usual places there is to see, and stop for a the occasional smoke, coffee, and beer. And speaking about smoking, you gotta love the way they smoked. The enjoy every cigarette to the last puff. That's why I love people from Europe. They smoke because they love it, and they don't give a damn about what the rest of the world thinks. No wonder Johnny Deep moved to Europe because he wanted to smoke in peace. I remember when I used to smoke, every time I light a cigarette people around me gave me harsh stares, even my friends. Of course I always went outside or to a smoking area, and then the non-smokers invaded it only for the mere pleasure of scolding me! Fuck off! I'm on the designated place to peacefully enjoy a cigarette, why you have to come and spoil the moment?! 

Lorenzo couldn't scape from Captain's Hemingway's charms and gigantic tobaccos. :)  

This one is dedicated to the Bodeguita del Mendio fans. Things have change a lot since the last time you were there. Mojitos are awful, the food is mediocre, the only magic left is the place itself.

One of the places Lorenzo and Andrea really liked was "La Muralla" tavern. Notorious for its beer brewed on the spot. It attracts not only tourists, but everyone that has some cash to spend on freshly brewed mug of beer.

  Looks like the waitress at the bar was having one of those days...

A shoe cleaner stared at the tavern's crowd.
Duchy pop up from a comic workshop to meet with us and even had a cold one. She looked worried although. Too many things going on his cute head.

The tavern's ambient got livelier by the minute due the traditional Cuban music quartet playing there. Old tourist guy even dared to dance to their tunes.
Lorenzo and I decided to leave Andrea enjoying his second order of Kebabs, and took a small stroll around the "Plaza Vieja". I was already using the 90mm Elmarit for Duchy's spontaneous portrait, and then for some street shots. I have never used anything bigger than 50mm on a rangefinder, plus I'm not an advocate of street photography using a telephoto lens. But the Elmarit feel incredibly balanced on the M2 body and I couldn't miss the opportunity of using it.

Slow afternoon at the barber shop... I guess.

On the Havana Club Museum or Ron, enjoying the first decent Mojitos.

A day after we were driving to Viñales, Pinar del Rio, on a very peculiar compact Korean rental car. After driving for almost three hours, picking up a hitchhiker, accidentally hitting a flying bird at 120Km/h (Lorenzo felt so guilty afterward), we arrived to Pinar del Rio city, and twenty minutes more to Viñales!

Finally we made it to Viñales, and to "El Mural de la Prehistoria". I didn't took any photos of the valley because you can find plenty of them online, and I forgot to pack more film. :P

As you may guess it, their job is to paint the Mural's stripy color patterns... Talking about dangerous and rough jobs!

Yeah, even I manage to appear from time to time on film.

The owner charged only a buck per ride, and the ox seemed very docile. I even manage to pet it, but I passed on riding it...

Well, that's it for now.

  Stay tuned for the second part!

  Cheers!

Camera: Leica M2
Lens: Elmar 50mm f2.8 and Tele-Elmarit 90mm f2.8
Film: Fujifilm Superia 200
Negative scans. Post-processed on Lightroom, some turned to bw, tonal curve and contrast adjustment. 
 

My last frames with my Zenit 12. Afterward it began to scratch the film and the shutter started to get stuck, especially on crucial shots. It was time to get my Nikon S2 to CLA (clean, lube and adjust) and start using it as my main camera for street work. It's quiet, compact and unnoticeable, making it a delightful camera for street photography. Back to my old soviet tank, I was using Fujifilm Press 400 at that time, a pretty decent film for general purposes. I started to grow fond of fast film, always versatile and ideal for street. Too bad I still was very noticeable (and noisy) with my Zenit SLR; every time I took it out was like a beacon. Candid photography was almost impossible that way. With a rangefinder is a whole different deal, you'll believe me when you use one. ;)

Walking around with some friends at the Old Havana I came across with this painter. He always works on the street, probably increasing his selling chances with tourists. He does really nice ink drawings. I approach him and ask if I could take him a picture, he agreed! I have to give him a print and almost a year and a half now I'm felling like a cheap bastard because I haven't got the chance to do it.

It was a nice cold and cloudy day, I remember we had a nice time hanging around.

Checking out the day’s pics. It's good to have pictures of oneself for a change, even if they are digital. :P

A week later I had to meet with a new friend from Australia. On my way to our rendezvous point I manage to take a nice shot of this old man on the bus I was.

That day, a Sunday I remember, I was showing around the city to a new friend, Pei. We walk across this guy. He was seated outside a recycle center in the end of the Avenida del Puerto, having a drink and enjoying the sun (it was a cold day). I was talking to Pei when I notice him, and told her that he would make a wonderful street portrait.

He neither pose or pretend, he just looked at the other way and let me do the job. Love when that happens.

Then, a few steps later, these two guys almost demanded that I took them a photo. Funny how street photography works, sometimes people loves to have their photo taken by complete strangers.

Crossing the street I rushed to get a quick shot of a passing diesel train. The machinist was kind enough to slow down and ask me if I manage to took the shot.

Still walking with Pei later that day, a kid came running towards us when he saw my Zenit. Just about two meters from us, he stood and gave me an OK sign. Spontaneous as only kids could be!

That day we walked a LOT, from the Capitolio de la Habana to the Colon Necropolis, and then back; a really long walk! I have to credit Pei and me, we didn't got tired from the long walk.

Pei was very impressed by the whole Colon Necropolis in general, specially with the inscription carved on the Cespedes Mausoleum's brass gate. I showed her the place the best I could, but I'm pretty sure we miss some good spots. Anyways, it was the longest time I have been in a cemetery with someone.

I know it’s blurry, and had some bad processing marks; but it only makes the feeling of remembrance of that day much stronger. I really enjoy been there in her company, showing her the city. I hope we can hang out another time.

Days later I continue my constant city roaming. I was on a bus stop when I noticed two kids fixing their bike. This scene remembers me when I used to help fix our family's bikes with my step dad when I was a kid. During the 90s, due the Special Period and the lack of public transport, the government sold and gave Chinese bikes to almost every working person in this country. In my house at that time we had three bikes, and it was my step dad's responsibility to keep all three in good shape. I remember I used to help him almost every Saturday morning.

Good times indeed.

Pointing a big ass Russian SLR to people in a crowded bus in the middle of the day is asking for trouble, especially here in Cuba. But I manage to pull two shots with my Zenith and get away unharmed. Mere luck? Being stealthy enough? Act like the camera broke and you are checking it? Well, all of these and more can be helpful.

The bus where this photo was taken (P4) is the one I normally take when I'm of to photograph on weekends. Its itinerary goes through many busies and crowded parts of the city; and while travelling through the metropolis's main veins, it picks up many different kinds of people. The rough majority of us Cubans depend on the public transportation system, so we live and die everyday in routes like this one. Students, workers, house wives, unemployed, kids... at least once a day they take buses. Thanks God public transportation got slightly better with the arrival of new articulated buses from China and Russia, because before it was a plain nightmare to get home or work, or wherever you needed to go.

That day (a Saturday I guess) I was of to Old Havana to do some shooting. I was seated on the back part of the bus, looking through the window. I was preparing to get off, and suddenly there she was, with that face that I can't really decide if its expression was of sorrow, worry, disdain, or just plain disgust. I seated again (missing my stop), and took out the camera hoping she didn't change her expression. She didn't. I press the shutter, make the photo, put the camera away, and still she had the same expression sculpted on her face. We got down on the same stop. I hope that she's doing fine, wherever she is now.

I really don't know if the photographer's name is Rolando, but you can read that in one side of his camera is written Rolando! This was my final attempt to photograph him with a film camera. He is usually with his vintage box camera in front of the Capitolio de la Habana, taking photos for tourists. You can find him there anytime, and have your vintage photo taken for only 2 bucks. Or maybe 3, you never know with the financial crisis these days. ;)

Maybe I'll give him a copy of this photo as a present... yeah, why not?

When I was little, I use to play at the same place as this kids are playing. My mom and dad use to take me here on the late afternoons. They used to seat on the Cafe at the front, and let me play in this same square. I loved that place, and still do. Seeing those kids playing make me remember the good times I spend there, playing with my dad. But right now most of those memories are blurry and hazy.

This is the place where I end almost every one of my photo walks.

I sit down, usually at this spot, to wait for the bus to take me home. I stretch my back, take a drink of water, and enjoy the view. Usually it's late in the afternoon, so almost everyone is at home. Only tourist and souvenir sellers are on the street.

The day I took this photo was a remarkable cold afternoon.

I remember clearly now, this was my last frame.

Camera: Zenit 12
Lens: HELIOS-44M-4 (f2.0/58mm)
Film: Fujifilm Press 400
Negative Scans, slight post processing using Adobe Lightroom.

Taken on first quarter 2009.