Forbidden Streets (1 of series)

anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
edited September 25, 2010 in Street and Documentary
A couple from Havana, Cuba. More to come but trying to follow advice given that too many photos is overwhelming. Also reduced the size of my water mark. Hopefully, these are a bit more interesting and "Street" worthy.

#1
1019998455_Xe3xX-X2.jpg

#2
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"I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

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Comments

  • michswissmichswiss Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 2,235 Major grins
    edited September 24, 2010
    Both shots are interesting to me, the second in particular as I don't think I've ever before seen a scene like this of Havana. The first is missing a kid to go with the balls. The processing somehow feels too heavy as if the black point is slightly too high. It also looks like you reduced the green channel to get the trees that dark.

    Is there a link to more of your Havana shots?
  • NyarthlopicNyarthlopic Registered Users Posts: 274 Major grins
    edited September 24, 2010
    I love the second shot! It takes in a lot without being overwhelming.
  • misterbmisterb Banned Posts: 601 Major grins
    edited September 24, 2010
    Very cool place...

    On your next trip down, get me a nice, mint 55 Chevy 2-door..
  • damonffdamonff Registered Users Posts: 1,894 Major grins
    edited September 24, 2010
    love the foreground subjects in #1
  • StueveShotsStueveShots Registered Users Posts: 544 Major grins
    edited September 24, 2010
    I love the attitude and personality of the young man in the second shot...jaw and hip jutting forward, the tension in his neck. Seems close to strutting, as if he's hearing music in his head. The front woman, too, looks strong and determined. I get the feeling that I would like the people of this city!

    If I were still teaching acting, I'd use this shot to talk about walk and rhythm and muscle tonus.

    Very intriguing shot! To me, it begins to tell a story...
    StueveShots
    stueveshots.smugmug.com
  • JuanoJuano Registered Users Posts: 4,890 Major grins
    edited September 24, 2010
    Havana is a great place, full of nostalgia...
    Cristóbal


    www.mind-driftphoto.com
  • misterbmisterb Banned Posts: 601 Major grins
    edited September 24, 2010
    Alex- how do you process you B&W's.. LR3? CS5?
  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2010
    Thanks all. Yes, Cuba was quite a fascinating place. My parents are exiles. I was born in America and this was my first trip there. It was quite emotional for me. The first few days I was there alone with my wife. I was quite depressed. Almost to the verge that I was thinking of cutting the trip short. Cuba is falling to pieces for the most part. Many buildings that looked to be uninhabited at first glance, I later found to be filled with people living in them. No electricity, windows and in some cases, even missing walls. Very sad to see people living like this, especially since Cuba was once the most wealthy and developed country in the Caribbean and actaully, most of Latin America.

    This changed when I left Havana to see my family; family that I had never met. I felt such a connection to them. I saw the homes of my parents. I saw the home they lived in after marriage and where my brother and sister lived for a part of their childhood. Saw the church where my parents married. Even visited the cemetery where my grandparents rest. I also learned that my family, although in need of so much, are generally happy. I plan on returning next year. Can't wait.

    Stueve... All Cubans have attitude. We also have music running through our blood. However, we are a very friendly people... very informal too. Down to Earth. Don't let the movie Scarface full you. BTW, I hate that movie ;-)

    Misterb... I did the conversions for these in CS5, although I use LR3 for pretty much everything else.
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

    Moderator of the People and Go Figure forums

    My Smug Site
  • misterbmisterb Banned Posts: 601 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2010
    If Castro never came into the picture, I bet it would be an awesome Caribbean playground.. tourism, massive Hotels, Casino's, and prosperity.

    Hell.. I would even venture that they would have thier own Major League Baseball Team and the Heavyweight Boxing Champ would be someone like Teofilo Stevenson
  • StueveShotsStueveShots Registered Users Posts: 544 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2010
    anonymouscuban wrote: »
    Stueve... All Cubans have attitude. We also have music running through our blood. However, we are a very friendly people... very informal too. Down to Earth. Don't let the movie Scarface full you. BTW, I hate that movie ;-)

    I've never seen Scarface and have no intention...not my kind of movie!

    Actually, we have a very close family friend who is Cuban (his family fled after Castro) and a very successful artist. He is wonderful and full of attitude, music and life--and that's exactly the wonderful energy I see in the people in your shot. (He has been back to Cuba as well, and had much the same kind of response you did.)

    I'm glad that your trip there ended well. Thanks for sharing the pictures...I look forward to seeing more.
    StueveShots
    stueveshots.smugmug.com
  • rainbowrainbow Registered Users Posts: 2,765 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2010
    So you go from too many photos to "too large" to view without scrolling...rolleyes1.gif

    I like these -- great feel for Cuba. That first is wonderfully strange with the balls sitting there. I like the two disconnected pedestrians in the second.

    The challenge for you as you get into "street" is to get up close and personal with your subjects. The "in your face" photos tend to also be the more interesting and challenging shots.
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