Linda is only 18 years old (legal age in Cuba) but had the camera maturity of someone much older.
I photographed here twice, for around 2 hours each, on the streets in Old Havana, on my last trip through town.
She was studying to be a dancer. And you could surely tell by the way she naturally posed her body.
Graceful. Fashionable. Beautiful.
She couldn’t speak English that well so we communicated, mostly, through an interpreter and sign language. We still managed to have a blast and connect.
For someone who hadn’t been professionally photographed that much, I was surprised by the body of work we managed to get, in such a short period of time.
Another thing I really liked about photographing Linda was that she was full of her own ideas about shot angles and locations.
And she wasn’t timid about working with me to explore her ideas and vibes.
Having two beautiful daughters of my own, I go way out of the way, through the process, not only to be professional but an old-school gentleman too.
Photographing, in the old part of Havana, is just so much fun.
There are hundreds of places to shoot and hundreds of backgrounds and backdrops to shoot against.
We weren’t hassled no matter where we went. It was so easy and effortless.
We even snuck in, quickly, a few retail shops, so we could use their merch as contextual “backgrounds”
The weather was ideal in the low 70’s, on both days, with lots of sun.
The majority of our staged shots were done in both “closed” and “open” shadow areas-which, of course, is way more flattering than harsh, direct light.
Linda brought a small bag of clothes with her and changed outfits in public restrooms.
I never met her parents but I could tell, immediately, photographing Linda, she was very loved and admired.
She exuded so much confidence and conviction to the camera.
Self-assured. Poised. Bold. Mindful.
Thanks, Linda. You were great!
Click
Jack
