Share WhatsApp Email 258 Shares

Trinidad (Cuba) is a 320km, 5 hour journey by road from Havana. We took the route via Santa Clara and returned via Cienfuegos. The journey took us past rice paddy fields and grazing land before taking the mountain roads south of Santa Clara to Trinidad. I expected to see tobacco fields but those are further to the east.

Part 2: Trinidad

(part 1: Havana is here).

Photography and words: Damien Lovegrove

Camera: Fujifilm GFX50s

Lenses: Fujifilm GF32-64mm, GF110mm

Lighting: Natural light

Tripod: Novo T20, Benro G2 ball head and RRS lever lock plate

Monopod: Gitzo GM3551 with RRS ball head

The cleanliness of the streets hit home to me on this trip. There were no discarded fast food cartons or items of random plastic packaging littering the place. I do hope they maintain the freedom from corporate commercialism that has blighted so many countries. Only time will tell.

The tourist coaches arrive in droves when the cruise liners are in. The tourists bring in much needed money and they are welcomed with open arms.

The idyllic simple lifestyle led by many won’t last but at least the nation is rapidly rising from being poverty stricken. The use of colour paint and natural materials in the fabric of the buildings is wonderful. There’s a distinct lack of uPVC too.

The single story dwellings and cobbled streets let the sun in and kept cars out in equal measure.

So much of the world around me is bland right now with neutrals dominating clothing and house paint. The cars in mainland Europe seem to only be available in white, grey, silver or black too and this has been going on for nearly 10 years. I do hope the trend will switch back to vibrant colour again soon.

I was charmed by the friendliness of the locals and the beauty of Trinidad.

I used my monopod for all the candid street shooting above and a tripod for all the directed shoots like the dancers below.

I love working with crisp afternoon sunlight. It’s a dream to create shadows with and I nearly always shoot into the light until about ten minutes before sunset.

A girl in a red dress and a guy in dark attire was my request to Javier when he booked our dancers and he delivered.

If you would like to join me in Cuba in 2019 let my team know here. Feel free to comment on these pictures below.