Cuba 33 - Behind the facade

[Beagletorque]

You never know what to expect behind the facade. It could range from nothing to "normal dwellings", well normal by Cuban standards. Many of the tenements are a rabbit warren of rooms accessed by very dodgy looking stairs with equally dodgy railings!

Nice facade.



Nothing there.



Still nothing.



Nice new floor.



Mind the gap, yes people do live here!



Cuban wiring.



Don't look down, I'm propped up with wood!



More on that theme tomorrow.

[Graham_of_Rainham]

Re: Cuba 33 - Behind the facade

What a great place for "Urbex" style photography.

Some would really jump out if treated with some tonemapping.

[Beagletorque]

Re: Cuba 33 - Behind the facade

I'll look into that then!

[Internaut]

Re: Cuba 33 - Behind the facade

Another great set. I recommend heading over to Luminous Landscape for a read of their very recent Cuba articles.

[Beagletorque]

Re: Cuba 33 - Behind the facade

Another great set. I recommend heading over to Luminous Landscape for a read of their very recent Cuba articles.

Just had a quick look now at the Leica Monochrome stuff there and found I had photographed the exact same guy, only in colour! Bizzare.

[Guest]

Re: Cuba 33 - Behind the facade

You never know what to expect behind the façade ....

I suspect the property is the Carribbean retreat of Hyacinth Bouquet.
Another marvellous insight into the Republic's life, Andrew - and gee, your take on it makes me want to go there, a photographer's paradise.
Indeed, now that its doors are open to western visitors, one would imagine that Cuba could turn its dereliction into big tourism biz.

On returning home, how many bottles of rum and Havana cigars did you smuggle through customs, eh? (More revenue for the old Capitolio).

[Beagletorque]

Re: Cuba 33 - Behind the facade

We did both max out our legal quotas in the rum and cigar stakes! Should keep the wife going for a couple of months ....

[Guest]

Re: Cuba 33 - Behind the facade

Woops --- duplicated in editing.

Bugga!

[brian1208]

Re: Cuba 33 - Behind the facade

this has been a cracking series, most interesting.

For some reason these remind me of the bombed out buildings of post WW2 London before the rebuilding started (although we didn't have the lovely weather or great colours, I remember it all being very drab and grey )

Fascinating subjects to shoot but isn't it amazing where people manage to make their homes

[Chevvyf1]

Re: Cuba 33 - Behind the facade

I lurve the first image, great detail of once quite beautiful architecture and the colours are stunning a great capture

astonished at the second etc., nothing there

A most informative, interesting set of images - there is no way I would go up to take the shot looking down the stairwell - two planks with two blocks to make up the length ARGGGGH :0 your a brave man

[Beagletorque]

Re: Cuba 33 - Behind the facade

this has been a cracking series, most interesting.

For some reason these remind me of the bombed out buildings of post WW2 London before the rebuilding started (although we didn't have the lovely weather or great colours, I remember it all being very drab and grey )

Fascinating subjects to shoot but isn't it amazing where people manage to make their homes

Thanks Brian. I did ask about why there were so many "bomb sites" and was told there had been no war in Havana since 1890ish (Castro walked into Havana in '59 without a fight) and it was just decay due to lack of maintenance. You can believe that when you see what don't have.

[Beagletorque]

Re: Cuba 33 - Behind the facade

I lurve the first image, great detail of once quite beautiful architecture and the colours are stunning a great capture

astonished at the second etc., nothing there

A most informative, interesting set of images - there is no way I would go up to take the shot looking down the stairwell - two planks with two blocks to make up the length ARGGGGH :0 your a brave man

Well, maybe 30 families live up there and use those stairs as the only means of access!

[al_kaholik]

Re: Cuba 33 - Behind the facade

incredible.

[Zuiko]

Re: Cuba 33 - Behind the facade

If health and safety ever gets to Cuba it will become a massive industry!

More great documentary.

[Chevvyf1]

Re: Cuba 33 - Behind the facade

If health and safety ever gets to Cuba it will become a massive industry!

More great documentary.

Yeah ! John a bit like "wearing shoes in Africa" Sales galore for international suppliers