On that particular day I purchased a batch of expired film. It was only a buck a roll, and because I didn't had any experienced shooting expired film I went for it and bought four. Fujifilm Superia 800 film, pretty grainy but I don't mind as long as it's analogue grain. ;) Anyways, I was gonna scan it and turn it into grayscale later, something I usually do because of the scarce availability of bw film here in Cuba.
So, I loaded my Nikon S2 with my "new" expired film and hit the street. I had to meet some friends at the Old Havana so I had a pretty big walk ahead of me, ideal to get some street shots.
After getting off the bus I started walking by Dragones Street, Centro Habana. Pretty much one of the most centric city areas, it's filled with crowded corners, old buildings and narrow streets; a perfect combination for the street photographer.
Take this for example, walking by Zanja street, I found these guys going headfirst in the hood of an Russian SIL truck, trying to solve what keep it from starting up. And I honestly hoped they figured out fast what's wrong with that it, because sun was awful on that particular afternoon. I don't need to say neither of the three are mechanics, but anyways they manage to get the freaking thing going. SIL trucks are very common here in Cuba. Soviet made and coming from the 70s and 80s, mostly all are way passed beyond their service life. Mechanics have to perform magic to keep these old boys running. If they don't have the spare parts or can import it, the made then, or made adaptations from other parts. Yep, we Cubans are famous for performing that kind of "magic". Like the old say goes: "Necessity is the mother of all inventions".
Near China Town's Boulevard, I manage to get a quick shot of the hostesses waiting for hungry costumers to lure them in their tiny yet beautiful restaurants. Havana Chinatown's boulevard is a place I have always like, since I was a kid... Small, but lovely and cozy; with small and delicious restaurants, gifts shops and even the occasional fortune teller. When you walk through it at dawn, you can see all the small lights lighten up, the restaurant's hostess calling you in front of their business and showing you the place's specialties, tourist taking photos, locals wondering around...
Like I said, I love this place, too bad I get some bad looks from the people who work there when they find out I'm just photographing, uninterested in eating at their places.
This is another kind of subject found in Centro Habana's streets: The old guy that sells weird stuff. In this case, plastic spoons... Funny thing was he was selling not the package, but each individual spoon. When you have lived here for a while, you won't be surprised by these surreal scenes.
The street in this photo, Galleano Street, is filled with them and other merchants selling pirated music and movies CDs and DVDs, belts, clothing, plumbing stuff, sunglasses, hair accessories... That's OK, but who en earth would buy plastic spoons?! That same week a friend of mine told me that in his work there is a weirdo that everyday takes home the disposable cups!
I usually don't photograph homeless people. Not that I find it offensive, but it's becoming a cliché in street photography, and many photographers exploit the homeless person's condition selfishly. I took this one because I liked the perspective, and because of the contrast between the homeless red t-shirt and red bank on the foreground against the two guys’ blue shirts and blue bank on the background.
San Rafael's boulevard... one of the most crowded places of the city. Stores, cafes, theaters, markets, places to eat, boutiques... all piled up and filled with people. Being one of the busiest places in Havana City, it's paradise for the street photographers. But beware! While photographing there, I was confronted two times with people walking by, out of the blue and with no reason at all. One time a guy even put their whole hand over the lens of my camera, and I wasn't even looking at his direction. I ask him: -"
Man, what the hell are you doing?!"- (with the long hard stare that goes with those words), and he replied to me laughing: -"
Oh, nothing at all! I just thought it would be funny!"-. The situations you encounter on these streets, I even had to laugh at him...
That's why I knew I had to hide from the old man in the photo while taking his shot. If he or his buddy even realizes I was pointing the camera at their direction... well, you can't reason with a couple of drunken old guys at 1 o'clock, plus the awful heat of the day would made things even worst. So I had to do a side shot, and hope for the best... I didn't had time to focus, so I had to estimate, and because I was at f11 I knew I had plenty of depth of field to spare (maybe a little too much :P).
Then I saw that he was eating peanuts while smoking his cigar...
And at San Rafael Boulevard, one of busies places in Havana City. This is another recurrent character of our street: the religious beggars. Cuba is mainly a catholic country, being Saint Lazarus (San Lazaro) one of the most common figures here, with is represented by an old man filled with blisters and wounds with dogs surrounding him. I'm not sure but I think there’s a parable in the New Testament about that guy. Anyways here it’s a worshiped saint, and homeless and beggars use their figures while asking for money. And to tell you the truth, they usually get a few coins, if not bills, because of our religious superstitions. Hell! I have even drop a peso from time to time!
Btw, I know I screw up with the under exposure on this one. Finally at the rendezvous point, I was so "undercover" that my friends pass right besides me and didn't notice I was there, waiting for them.
Later that week I went with some other friends to see a theater play. I'm not very fond of theater, but I guess I can enjoy an occasional play. We got lost for a moment trying to get there, walking the endless web of colonial streets that the Old Havana is.
Thanks God and all other deities, we finally arrived on time. The play was worth the walk. "Teatro Espontaneo", or in English "Spontaneous Theater" were called these group of performers that instantly improvise a play, based on the requests of people in the public. It was a very gratifying experience.
Back home that night, tired for a week of crushing heat and tireless walks through the streets of Havana, I was felling pretty much satisfied. I could photograph like crazy, and still I got 3 rolls left. I remember that I slept like a newborn that night.
Camera: Nikon S2
Lens: Nikkor f1.4/50mm
Film: Fuji Superia 800(expired)
Negative Scans.
Digital post-processing: Turned to grayscale, plus adjustment on the tone curve, blacks, exposition and contrast.Untitled Document
