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| Alex and Lucien in Havana after a long six hour drive |
I went to Cuba my very first time in 2004 and immediately fell in love with the Island and its people. So much so that I went back every year until 2012. Aware that things were changing I wanted to document the life and surroundings I saw, to freeze in time these last moments as the Island slowly inched forward, redefining itself political, economically and socially.
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| A man enjoys a fresh juice served in a cut Corona bottle. |
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| An old baseball stadium that has seen better days, Baracoa, Cuba |
Most Cubans in Cuba that I show my pictures too don't really like them. They tell me what they see in my photos is what they have been living with everyday, it's what they see when they step out of their door. "This is the old Cuba" one man said to me. They would rather see pictures of Cuba that embodied their vision for the future; young, vibrant, savvy, the growing art and music scene, the new clothes and signs of success, an economy rebuilding itself..
I understand, but in a way that has been the best compliment I've ever gotten for my work, it's what I wanted from my photographs. 10 or 20 years from now maybe my pictures will mean something else to Cubans living in Cuba. To me this is the Cuba I saw, raw and unfiltered, it's the Cuba I felt and experienced.
Island in the Stream was my first successful photo project in that I was able to tell my story through the camera they way I felt it.
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| Young cadets sharing a bicycle in Camagüey, Cuba |
Going through an old hard drive I realized how many photographs I've collected over the years and that I've really only shown a handful of curated shots. Those of you familiar with my work have probably seen the same 30 photographs over and over. I wanted to show you some pictures that you probably haven't seen. They aren't the best or the most profound, but maybe they are a bit more personal. Moments from my time on the Island. To see the series you can visit
Island in the Stream, in the meantime I hope you enjoy these.
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| Sitting poolside in Holguin, after a long day on the streets I walked by this fancy hotel and decided to try my luck. Took a dip and a snooze in my underwear and went back to the street to work. |
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| A man stops to chat with me on the streets of Baracoa |
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| A gas station in Havana with one of th many propaganda billboards |
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Bill "Multi-talent", as he liked to be called, wasn't humble, but he was a cool dude to hang with. We met in Baracoa, and he showed me around. He did have talents.
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| A young Cuban women gets her palm read in Camagüey, Cuba |
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| A market, offerings were meager at best with many stalls empty. |
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| A domino game |
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| Playa Ancon, Trinidad, Cuba |
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| We met on the beach and spent the rest of the evening in his home sharing his food and his drink. He asked me to take some letters with me and mail them to friends in France, he wouldn't be able to. |
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| A young boy on his way to school |
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| Walking with a limp |
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| In the shadows |
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| A long exposure with friends |
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| Flying kit's is practically the national pastime next to baseball, kids make them out of plastic bags and sticks. Trinidad, Cuba |
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| We spend the evening with this family talking about politics and family. |
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| Three girls, whistles from the car |
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| Trinidad, Cuba |
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