We are officially below the 100 hours left in Cuba mark!!! Scary and exciting. I have my final meeting with my photo professor later today, then Thursday is class/shoot/prep for final, then Friday is our final critique! I can't believe how fast that went.
I went to Havana Viejo yesterday for a full day of shooting, and learned just how exhausting that can be. I got 4 or 5 new pictures for my final, so that was a success. I also did lots of shopping and now have tons of stuff to bring home. I'm still working on one very specific item for someone, but it's proving to be much more difficult that I expected... I did purchase a beautiful piece of artwork for myself as well as a fantastic piece for Marcy!
I spent some time yesterday reflecting on my time here. It's interesting that I feel practically immune to the old cars, city smog, cigarette smoke and cat calls. I think when I get home it will be another bout of culture shock, but I'm still excited for fresh air and good food.
See you all soon!!!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Monday, June 4, 2012
Day 24
I finally came down with the cold everyone else has been passing around this whole trip. I stayed at the hotel today instead of going to critique, and just woke up around 1. I'm going to be taking it easy and trying to focus through the sore throat. See you all soon! (count down has begun: 139 hours)
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Day 23
We are back from our weekend in Pinar del Rio. It was startlingly beautiful there. The mountains were weird. I don't have a very good way to explain them other than they look physically impossible. I will have to show pictures to really show what I mean, but it's bizarre. We also got to visit the world's second largest mural which was painted onto one of the rock faces.
This week is crunch time! We have critique Monday, Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday are all shoot/edit days, then Friday is our final critique! I've got plenty of sunblock, my iPod and fully charged camera batteries. Last push is under way!
This week is crunch time! We have critique Monday, Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday are all shoot/edit days, then Friday is our final critique! I've got plenty of sunblock, my iPod and fully charged camera batteries. Last push is under way!
Friday, June 1, 2012
Day 21
Packing up again tonight! We are headed out to Pinar del Rio tomorrow morning. We had a critique today in class, and it went very well. My project is really coming together!
We also went on a field trip to see this artist today. It was insane! He does lots of mosaics, and he has covered his entire neighborhood in art. He also constructed this crazy wonderland-like thing in his front yard. It's huge and multi-leveled. You could definitely get lost up there. I took lots of pictures (the touristy kind, not the artistic ones :) ).
I'll post again on Monday, but my internet card is almost gone!!! (Just so you can get some perspective on my internet usage: 1hr of internet = 10 CUC =$13... super expensive!)
We also went on a field trip to see this artist today. It was insane! He does lots of mosaics, and he has covered his entire neighborhood in art. He also constructed this crazy wonderland-like thing in his front yard. It's huge and multi-leveled. You could definitely get lost up there. I took lots of pictures (the touristy kind, not the artistic ones :) ).
I'll post again on Monday, but my internet card is almost gone!!! (Just so you can get some perspective on my internet usage: 1hr of internet = 10 CUC =$13... super expensive!)
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Day 20
Only 9 more days in Cuba if you count the way Abby (my little sister) does. More like 10 if you are a normal person. It's shocking how fast time goes.
Today was fantastic. It was our last day with Hector, and we were able to see a lot of his photography and then we went on a field trip. We headed about 20 minutes out of the city to a town called Guanabacoa (which is now my new favorite word). It was bizarre and fantastic. There were lots of people hanging around, and it had just rained so the photos all came out great. The lighting was perfect, it wasn't too hot out, and it was a nice change of pace from Havana. The only problem was a large group of us got a little lost and it started raining. It's always an adventure in Cuba!
I have really started to develop a photographic style now. I am really interested in portraits, especially of quiet moments--of which there is no shortage in Cuba as everyone just sits on their front steps all day long. I am really getting into my project and it consumes a majority of the time these days. Good news for Lorna as I will be completely ready to take pictures of her family when I get back!
Today was fantastic. It was our last day with Hector, and we were able to see a lot of his photography and then we went on a field trip. We headed about 20 minutes out of the city to a town called Guanabacoa (which is now my new favorite word). It was bizarre and fantastic. There were lots of people hanging around, and it had just rained so the photos all came out great. The lighting was perfect, it wasn't too hot out, and it was a nice change of pace from Havana. The only problem was a large group of us got a little lost and it started raining. It's always an adventure in Cuba!
I have really started to develop a photographic style now. I am really interested in portraits, especially of quiet moments--of which there is no shortage in Cuba as everyone just sits on their front steps all day long. I am really getting into my project and it consumes a majority of the time these days. Good news for Lorna as I will be completely ready to take pictures of her family when I get back!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Day 19
A side note before the better part of this post: I found a delicious restaurant near our school this week. It is not terrible expensive, a little sketchy at first, but as you get upstairs, it is American quality setup and food! I had lasagna for lunch yesterday that made me SOO happy. I will definitely be gaining back all the weight I lost so far. Although I guess I will fit back into all my clothes... I am very glad I brought a couple belts with me!
Today, our entire group went to the large section of the Havana Biennal. For those who don't know, this is a bi-annual contemporary art show in Havana which brings artists from all over the world together. The entire city is taken over by art! There are studios, exhibits, interactive events, artists everywhere... It's beautiful and overwhelming. The main event is held in the old fort. The fort is built like a small city of stone and each artist has their own bay for the entire month to set up as they wish.
We saw everything from a dark room full of human skeletons, to a deconstructed car, to african-inspired paintings, etc. It was overwhelming and I will try to get back there before the end of the trip since I only saw around half of the galleries.
I have also developed a new technique for shooting undisturbed! I plug in my headphones with my current favorite therapy song (Lover, Lover), crank up the volume and just ignore all the noises and distractions around me to hunt down the perfect moment to capture. I've head some pretty significant success the past couple days, so I hope this means I will get in a groove for the rest of the trip.
Tonight is all about Cuban Jazz, which happens to be my favorite type of Cuban music! I am very excited and can't wait to get lots of music to bring back and share with everyone.
Today, our entire group went to the large section of the Havana Biennal. For those who don't know, this is a bi-annual contemporary art show in Havana which brings artists from all over the world together. The entire city is taken over by art! There are studios, exhibits, interactive events, artists everywhere... It's beautiful and overwhelming. The main event is held in the old fort. The fort is built like a small city of stone and each artist has their own bay for the entire month to set up as they wish.
We saw everything from a dark room full of human skeletons, to a deconstructed car, to african-inspired paintings, etc. It was overwhelming and I will try to get back there before the end of the trip since I only saw around half of the galleries.
I have also developed a new technique for shooting undisturbed! I plug in my headphones with my current favorite therapy song (Lover, Lover), crank up the volume and just ignore all the noises and distractions around me to hunt down the perfect moment to capture. I've head some pretty significant success the past couple days, so I hope this means I will get in a groove for the rest of the trip.
Tonight is all about Cuban Jazz, which happens to be my favorite type of Cuban music! I am very excited and can't wait to get lots of music to bring back and share with everyone.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Day 17
Well. It's shocking to think that over half our trip is already over. But time is always a funny thing. Sometimes it goes to fast, and other times you are sitting in a critique in an overly air-conditioned room praying for the professor to flip through the pictures faster...
Anyways!
This weekend was surreal. After spending two weeks in Havana, I had a pretty clear view on what Cuba was. This weekend completely changed my view. To start, it was a 5 hour bus ride to Trinidad (again, the city in Cuba not the country). It was breath taking. Even though I was tired and the bus wasn't terribly comfortable, it is officially my favorite part of the trip so far. The landscapes were beautiful with rolling farmland, strange looking animals and distant mountains. I could have stayed on that bus for days.
Trinidad was another extreme experience. It is a very colonial-feeling town with streets paved with stones that have been there since the mid 16th century, horses and carts outnumbered cars, buildings made of anything people could get their hands on. It was beautiful.
We only had a few hours to actually spend in the city (we left promptly the next morning), but it was such a relief from Havana that I feel completly relaxed and rejuvinated. I hope that I can focus this week on my project and really capture the emotions I see and feel in Cuba (minus my irritation at the ever present catcalling).
I hope to have a few pictures up as we recently aquired a wireless router at the center, but it will likely not happen till later this week. Keep your eyes open for more updates!
Anyways!
This weekend was surreal. After spending two weeks in Havana, I had a pretty clear view on what Cuba was. This weekend completely changed my view. To start, it was a 5 hour bus ride to Trinidad (again, the city in Cuba not the country). It was breath taking. Even though I was tired and the bus wasn't terribly comfortable, it is officially my favorite part of the trip so far. The landscapes were beautiful with rolling farmland, strange looking animals and distant mountains. I could have stayed on that bus for days.
Trinidad was another extreme experience. It is a very colonial-feeling town with streets paved with stones that have been there since the mid 16th century, horses and carts outnumbered cars, buildings made of anything people could get their hands on. It was beautiful.
We only had a few hours to actually spend in the city (we left promptly the next morning), but it was such a relief from Havana that I feel completly relaxed and rejuvinated. I hope that I can focus this week on my project and really capture the emotions I see and feel in Cuba (minus my irritation at the ever present catcalling).
I hope to have a few pictures up as we recently aquired a wireless router at the center, but it will likely not happen till later this week. Keep your eyes open for more updates!
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