Why Havana is One of the Best Cities for Street Photography

It was early March and the weather in Havana was lovely: warm, but not too humid, breezy in the mornings and with occasional rain showers in the early afternoon. The city was exactly as I had remembered it from a few years ago: noisy, colorful, full of light and life that seemed to have frozen in time. As I stepped onto the streets on the first day of my fourth visit, I was hit with a faintly perceptible nostalgia. The scenes so familiar from the past unfolded before me. Classic cars wheezed by, occupied by happy tourists and their stylish chaufeurs, the smell of cigar smoke permeated different corners of Havana Vieja and the on the Malecon locals and visitors alike strolled lazily along the boardwalk’s impermeable sea wall.  

Perhaps that is precisely why Havana appears so charming to those who visit it: it doesn’t change all that much through the years. While I don’t doubt that living in Cuba is a challenging endeavor on many levels I cannot help but feel love and nostalgia for the people and the country. I am also grateful for the plethora of photographic opportunities present on every corner. Having visited Cuba, and specifically Havana, a few times at this point, I can confidently say that the city is one of my favorite places for street photography overall. The combination of beautiful light, colors and shadows along with the contrast of grand yet dilapidated buildings makes for some of the best opportunities to capture emotionally evoking photographs. I consider it an especially fantastic place to start in street photography. If you are a novice who still feels shy and unsure about capturing street photos, Cuba is the place for you.

Let me prephase the next part of this post that I do not necessarily consider myself a “pure” street photographer. While I photograph on the streets a lot, and even though my has work been featured in street photography exhibits around the world, I don’t consider myself an elitist of the genre by any means. Over the past several years street photography, in my opinion, has come to symbolize specific type of images where quirkiness, mystery and perfectly organized chaos prevail. My photos tend to be much more simple than that. Nonetheless, just like in any genre of art, there will be a variety of artistic expression represented. So let me share some street photography thoughts in general and how photographing in Havana can help you make the best images possible.

1. Havana is full of LIFE. At any point in time, there will be lots of people strolling around, children playing games on tiny street corners and couples embracing on the wall of the Malecon. This gives you plenty of opportunity to capture life as it unfolds in front of your eyes. You can simply walk around, camera in hand and document the scenes that capture your heart.
2. The light of Havana is something that will elevate your photographs immensely. It has a very warm, fiery quality to it, especially around sunset and sunrise (the best times to create images in my opinion, especially as you start out and you want the light to be in your favor). This light transforms the streets into something more magical than initially considered. When you have good light, half of the job is done for you. All you have to do now is fill the frame with something interesting 🙂
3. The people in Cuba are generally warm and welcoming and don’t mind being photographed. At least this has been my personal experience through the years. If you are looking to create some less “caught in the action” but more deliberately captured street portraits, Havana should not disappoint. Now, as with everything that involves other human beings, please be respectful at all times. Striking up a conversation with a local you meet on the street and then politely asking for a portrait is one of the best ways to create this type of images (again, not candids). I know that “street purists” may frown upon a street portrait that was created as a result of interaction and collaboration, but personally I love this type of photography and have created many street portraits during my travels that have been emotionally evoking and of which I am immensely proud of. The subject of street portraiture can be widely debated and will not be discussed here at this time. I just wanted to point out that the kindness and open heart of the Cuban people can help tremendously if you are looking to create some street portraits.
4. Street photography in Havana is more than just…streets. It is the windy wall of the Malecon and its roamers, the crashing waves of the sea juxtaposed against the tall buildings of the city’s skyline, the fishermen silhouetted against the setting sky and groups of dancers practicing their moves on small plazas. Havana has so much to offer to beginner and advanced photographers alike. I doubt you will be disappointed 🙂

Of note, this most recent visit to Cuba was one of my last travels for a while…As soon as we returned back home at the end of that first week in March, the Covid pandemic hit the world at full force and became a harsh new reality. It didn’t feel right for me to talk about the visit or post photographs from the trip as everyone struggled with illness and anxieties of the unknown. But now I find myself reliving the memories and finally going through the photographs I had taken then. It was the very first time I photographed solely with a wide angle prime lens and doing so was quite an adjustment from my usual shooting style. Nonetheless, I am happy to share some favorite images here. 

Cuba, you will always have my heart.