Cuba, digital.
Cuba on 35mm film
ON MY VERY FIRST TRIP TO CUBA, I CHECKED INTO THE AMBOS MUNDOS HOTEL ON CALLE OBISPO IN HAVANA. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALBERTO KORDA GRACED THE WALLS OF THE LOBBY IN CROOKEDLY HUNG FRAMES. THERE WAS A PHOTO OF ERNEST HEMINGWAY SHAKING HANDS WITH FIDEL CASTRO AND ANOTHER OF COMMANDANTE CHE GUEVARA AS WELL AS OTHER CLASSIC PHOTOS FROM THE PAST. IN THE HALLWAYS OF THE FOURTH FLOOR WERE PHOTOS OF AMERICAN MAFIA LORDS WHO ABUSED CUBA FOR DECADES AS A BROTHEL AND GAMBLING ISLAND. THE BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOS BLENDED WITH THE MOLDY ODOR OF THE MASONRY AND CREATED A STRONG SENSE OF MELANCHOLY. IT SEEMED THAT THE PHOTOS EXCLAIMED, “LOOK, THIS IS HOW IT ONCE WAS, BUT WILL NEVER BE AGAIN”. THE FOLLOWING PICTURES WERE TAKEN ON ANALOG FILM.
