Why did I want to visit Cuba?  For most of my life, it has been a forbidden tropical island trapped in a time warp.

I wanted to see the Spanish colonial architecture and experience the Cuban culture and way of life before it all crumbles away.  I wanted to ride along the Malecon in a classic 1950 American car with the top down as the waves crashed onto the highway.

It was important for me to view socialism with my own eyes, the good and the bad.  In Cuba, giant ads for consumer products are nowhere to be seen but symbols of national and political pride are everywhere. 

I wanted to smell tobacco drying inside a barn and savor the taste of Cuban rum on my tongue.  I longed to hear the music and feel the dance of Cuba before it all changes.

I desired to capture the hearts and souls of the wonderful people of Cuba in my images. The people of Cuba were kind, open, and amazing. This is a collection of their portraits and a look at their lives, with a story behind every photo.  These photographs were spontaneously taken while I walked down the streets.

I find street photography very challenging.  Photographing puppies and toddlers is easier.  When you walk out the door of your hotel you need a hefty dose of confidence and your camera settings need to be just right for whatever may happen.   You are looking for something interesting while dodging huge potholes, open utility covers, dog poop, street hustlers, pedestrians, cars, and silent electric mopeds.  You then have just seconds to think about the shot before you raise your camera. "Puedo tomar tu foto?"