Large Format Photography & Cuba... [Archive] - Large Format Photography Forum

View Full Version : Large Format Photography & Cuba...

Capocheny

7-Mar-2008, 20:45

Greetings all,

A good friend of mine (who shoots with a 5x7 Arca Swiss) is headed off to Cuba in the next short while.

Quick question... have any of the folks on this forum traveled to Cuba with a Large Format Camera?

How did you ship the camera, film, and tripod... and 2 or 3 lenses? How about film?

Any issues once you were over there with respects to being questioned about your gear and shooting?

If you did... what would you do the next time you were headed over? For example, would you take a Blad/Mamiya VII or would you take LF again?

Any permits required?

BTW, his wife is traveling with him and isn't into photography the way my friend is! :)

Any recommendations or advice?

TIA for any constructive advice! :)

Cheers

vinny

7-Mar-2008, 21:16

Try this guy. He's from Michigan and has been there dozens of times to photograph. Looks like medium and 35mm though but i'm sure he'd know a bit.
Jack Kenny
http://www.jkennyphoto.com/
cuba-photo@sbcglobal.net

Capocheny

7-Mar-2008, 21:50

domenico Foschi

8-Mar-2008, 00:16

Capocheny

8-Mar-2008, 01:15

Count me in!

Hi Domenico,

You're on the list... it won't be in the next week or so but probably we'll be looking at this seriously in a couple of months.

Need to do some research before we take this to the next step.

[b/]Does anybody have any first-hand experience with shooting in Cuba?[b]

One of the well-known Leica guys here in Vancouver has gone over and shot some absolutely gorgeous images. But, that was with a 35mm. I'm wondering what it would be like with a LF camera.

With the change in leaders over there... I wonder what changes are going to be.

Lastly, I know there are some resort areas over there but friends of ours also stayed right in the center of Havana at a hotel where Fidel use to stay. I'll have to get rates from these friends and we'll go from there.

Lastly, IIRC, aren't US citizens still restricted from going over there? If so... it would be easy enough to tee things up going through Canada instead.

ANY comments and suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

Cheers

G Benaim

8-Mar-2008, 02:00

Clyde Butcher did a trip to Cuba w his LF and ULF gear, might try him too.

Vaughn

8-Mar-2008, 02:28

Here is Canadian photographer who spent some time in Cuba several years ago (several trips between 2000 and 2002) with a 4x5 and Type 55 (often enlarging two at a time with an 8x10 enlarger).

http://www.elaineling.com/photo_cuba.html

She sent me a postcard of the street portrait photographers there -- some use LF. Your portrait is exposed onto photo paper, developed/fixed in the camera, using changing bag-type sleeves and trays of chemicals in the camera. With the bellows cranked out, the paper neg is then put in a holder that centers it in front of the lens and it is rephotographed, developed/fixed in camera, washed in a can of water hanging off the tripod leg, and then somehow dried and given to you, the customer. One can even have Che's image exposed onto the paper next to you! pretty cool...

Vaughn

BradS

8-Mar-2008, 08:02

Count me in!

Me too!

Donald Miller

8-Mar-2008, 08:46

Hi Vinny,

Thanks kindly for the info... I'll forward it off to my friend.

Wouldn't it be a hoot to organize a group to go to a foreign country such as Cuba to do nothing but eat, drink, and shoot LF images?

Probably wouldn't take much more than a brave soul to undertake the organization of such a trip. :)

Hmmmm... I'll have to give some thought to this! :)

Cheers

At last report the US Government still has a regulation prohibiting travel by it's citizens to Cuba. I have not heard that regulation has been changed...in fact the US has publically stated that they do not intend to change any of the embargos with the change of Castros. In fact, I believe that one would be hard put to travel directly from the US mainland to Cuba via air. I know that some are traveling from the US to Canada and arranging air transit from Canada to Cuba. However the US Government does have the perogative to arrest these selfsame citizens upon their reentry into the US and has done so. My information originated in a press release within the last year. I have heard mixed reports of the outcome of these legal procedings but this is a case for caveat emptor.

Robert Brummitt

8-Mar-2008, 09:57

Steve Anchell use to do a yearly workshop to Cuba.
You should contact him at steve@steveanchell.com
I wonder how things will improve when Castro fully retires?
Talk about a wonderful photo opportunity!

tim atherton

8-Mar-2008, 10:14

I haven't travelled widely in Cuba, but I have travelled a little outside the tourist areas (though I was based in one) - nor was I doing LF photography.

But I doubt there would be any problem at all. Lot's of Canadians I know have done their own self-directed trips, driving all over the country, staying in small places etc etc.

One friend is a fourth-generation Saskatchewan farmer and an expert in sustainable and organic farming. He takes part in an exchange programme through a farmers group where Cuban farmers come up to work with him here, and he goes down there with his family for 6 weeks at a time and works with Cuban farmers - they stay all over and get to know people.

In my own somewhat limited travels, I found all the Cubans I met incredibly friendly and helpful. Getting lost in largish towns with limited road signs, people would hop in the car to show us the way, or lead us through the streets on an old motorbike.

We once spent an afternoon with one family we met visiting their apartment, being fed Cuban food and then taken around the Che Guevara monument, museum and mausoleum in Santa Clara.

Even the military and police we came across tended to be friendly (if proud). My wife, who was heavily pregnant at the time managed to go across a railway crossing late at night on the outskirts of a small town and missed the Stop sign. We were chased down by the local policeman who obviously staked it out to catch offenders. He was most bemused to find a rather pregnant foreign woman driving the little Cuban car (filled with her husband, young son and elderly father...).

Her Spanish suddenly became very limited :-) He checked our passports, indicated the Stop sign, wagged his finger at her, smiled and shook his head and then sent us on our way with directions to the main road we were looking for.

(of, do try and avoid driving at night, many Cuban cars, and all bikes and horse carts lack lights most of the time - as do many of the streets... it's rather nerve wracking).

Just try not to hang out near military establishments - that could be a different matter for an American :-)

Another friend who is a teacher went on vacation to a resort and got to know one of the guides who was also a teacher. She now goes back every year for a few weeks, has a short vacation then rents a place and works with the kids in the school she linked up with. She's also a painter and has linked up with some Cuban artists and spends time with them and has arranged for some of their work to be shown in Canada.

I'm no expert, but I certainly know people who have gone and had a good time doing all sorts of things (the only place I have heard of people having any problems is in some parts of Havana, with the typical pickpocketing and preying on tourists and such - but plenty of other tourist destinations have a much worse rep - and outside Havana, most of what I've heard has been the opposite)

I think your biggest problems would be from the US Government. At one time they were checking up on US citizens booking trips through Canada....

(BTW, it's one of Canada's major winter vacation destinations - though obviously mainly to the resorts - which are usually filled with a strange mix of Canadians, some Brits, the Spanish and Portugese and Germans... and a smattering of USAians)

tim atherton

8-Mar-2008, 10:17

I wonder how things will improve when Castro fully retires?
Talk about a wonderful photo opportunity!

actually, I think there's probably a lot that could go really wrong - especially if people with lots of money try and turn it into some kind of free-market experiment over night - which is a real risk.

The best approach would hopefully be gradual change

Brian Ellis

8-Mar-2008, 11:16

" . . . people would hop in the car to show us the way . . . "

They do that in Miami too. Only problem is they keep the car.

David E. Rose

8-Mar-2008, 11:37

You should take a look at Norman McGrath's website- he has a great album on Cuba:

http://www.normanmcgrath.com/cuba.htm

Capocheny

8-Mar-2008, 12:23

Hi all,

Thanks for all the comments... great stuff! I'm sure Greg will find them immensely helpful.

Domenico and Brad... I certainly would not encourage any illegal or clandestine activities by anyone on this forum. Truthfully, I had forgotten that the US government had those restrictions on their citizens and didn't realize that folks were being arrested upon their return home.

Don, thanks for that piece of information. Yikes! :>0

Perhaps, a workshop IS the way to go! Thanks Robert. :)

Interesting!

Thanks again

Cheers

domenico Foschi

8-Mar-2008, 12:45

David A. Goldfarb

8-Mar-2008, 13:05

Radcliffe Roye did some work in Cuba with his Littman shooting Type 55. He's made a few posts on this forum. I don't think the work is on his website--http://www.royephotography.com/ but it might be elsewhere, maybe on flickr. I saw some of the work in an album of Polaroids he was carrying with him. He mentioned that it was on an organized tour of photojournalists, but I got the sense that they had a good deal of freedom of movement once they were in the country.

Capocheny

8-Mar-2008, 20:21

I can care less if it's illegal.
There are ways to get there.
To go in another Country it is not criminal behavior, even less immoral.
Cuba has always been a place to go in my list.
The only condition that will keep me from going is low cash availability.
So much for Freedom.

Hi Domenico,

Although we would be happy to have you join us if we can get such a trip off the ground... my feeling is that prison colors aren't in vogue these days!

OR prison stripes! :)

Like you... I've also thought about going to Cuba but have always thought that going with a group of LF shooters would be great fun. The wives/significant others can be out doing "significant other things" such as hanging out at the beach! :)

One other question... if you shot film over there, how would you get it back? Or, would you process it in a lab there?

Imaging getting some terrific images and having the Customs inspector open up the film box!!!!

Cheers

Cheers

Hollis

9-Mar-2008, 20:32

Ive been meaning to get to Cuba for some time now, especially before it opens up. I could see the embargo being lifted with the next president, maybe. As soon as that happens, bam, you have cancun v. 2.0 I am looking at going to Mexico City for a workshop and was planning on flying straight from Mex. City to Havanna since, well, I am a US citizen and that is the easiest way.

BradS

10-Mar-2008, 09:48

I have no idea why it is illegal for a US citizen to visit Cuba...or any country for that matter. Is our federal government afraid of something?

Anyway, for what it's worth, that would not stop me from going.

I believe the preferred route from here is through Mexico. We fly to Cancun and from there, take a boat or short flight.

Some day...

anchored

10-Mar-2008, 10:15

I don't believe it's illegal for a US citizen to visit Cuba... it's only illegal to spend any money there. Reason for the ban... laws banning "trading with the enemy." If the government should hear of a visitation, hearings and heavy fines can be levied (unsure about possible jail time).

With the current administration stauch supporters of "no relations with Cuba", and with an active "Homeland Security" I see little reason to take chances on such an adventure.

Perhaps since you can't spend ANY money there, the trip itself might not be so extraordinarily expensive... but... upon your return it could become a very expensive photo shoot...

BradS

10-Mar-2008, 10:21

but...that is absurd...right? I mean, how can anybody think that Cuba poses a threat to the US of A? How is it that they are our enemy???? Because their political - economy is communist? Is that it? I thought we, as a nation, were beyond that whole communist concern....the cold war is over.

Now, I fell like going and spending money just to expose the absurdity of it. Sheesh!

cyrus

10-Mar-2008, 10:24

I don't believe it's illegal for a US citizen to visit Cuba... it's only illegal to spend any money there. Reason for the ban... laws banning "trading with the enemy." If the government should hear of a visitation, hearings and heavy fines can be levied (unsure about possible jail time).

Same difference, in practice. Criminal penalties for violating the sanctions range up to 10 years in prison, $1,000,000 in corporate fines, and $250,000 in individual fines.
Civil penalties up to $55,000 per violation may also be imposed.

Yup, 50 years of sanctions and throwing our own citizens in jail ought to show 'em Cubans not to mess with the USA...or something....all the while the Chinese and Canadians and Germans are freely traveling there....

anchored

10-Mar-2008, 10:35

I personally do not agree with this nation's policy on this matter, and I surely wasn't asked if it's OK to impose or to continue such restrictions. But... I for one would not be willing to "make a statement" with such possible trials and tribulations and fines. Perhaps pre-911 one might be able to easily make such a trip without being caught, but in this new-day of "Big Brother Sees All"... I'm not so sure it could be so easily pulled off.

You fellows go on without me... I'd love to see Cuba but don't think I could afford the return home from the trip.

jwaddison

10-Mar-2008, 11:41

If it comes to pass I'd certainly be interested, especially if we managed to stay away from the tourist resorts.

Ted Stoddard

10-Mar-2008, 16:13

I would love it we can always hop on a boat and go from the keys... but in all honesty I think it would be a great idea so count me in for a definte...

John Kasaian

10-Mar-2008, 17:00

Cuba is famous for it's fleet of old American automobiles which are kept running because of the US embargo....hmmmm, I wonder if the same applies fo old 'dorffs?

Doug Dolde

10-Mar-2008, 18:20

Mark Tucker has a Cuba portfolio on www.marktucker.com

Also see http://www.usacubatravel.com/restriction.htm

Eric Rose

10-Mar-2008, 18:34

Wow Mark Tucker has some awesome stuff!

Hollis

10-Mar-2008, 20:40

Mark is a good friend of mine and his stuff is pretty damn good, if not LF though. We were talking about it a while back and he mentioned to me that I guess the cuban customs folks won't stamp your passport when you enter/leave the country so that the powers that be here in the states never know you went there (at least from your passport at least). Good stuff.

BradS

10-Mar-2008, 21:15

cyrus

10-Mar-2008, 21:27

Exactly. And nobody in Mexico cares where you come from or where you're going...at least, not for very long after you're out of their sight.

Believe me - the Feds are on to that.

Michael T. Murphy

11-Mar-2008, 11:52

There were a lot of photo workshops, etc. in Cuba and it was quite easy to travel there for educational purposes before Bush took office. In fact the uS Congrerss was very close to legalizing travel to Cuba in October of 2000.

After Bush took office the US gov took a hard-core approach to travel to Cuba. They cut the authorized travel of US citizens by more than 95% and started to fine many citizens - like Danny Lyons - $10,000 for travelling there. Mostly to please a group of right wing Cuba ex-pat nationists in Florida. The Maine Photographic Workshops, for example, had to cancel all of their Cuba classes after Bush took office.

Hopefully the restirictions will be relaxed or lifted after Bush leaves office. That is probably the shortest path to normalization of relations with Cuba and a change in their policies. Very odd that anyone else in the world can travel there freely, except US citizens (one reason why it remains attractive to Canadians and Europeans - no Americans. :D :D )

Michael T. Murphy

11-Mar-2008, 11:56

Cuba is famous for it's fleet of old American automobiles which are kept running because of the US embargo

If you get a chance to watch the film "Buena Vista Social Club" there are some beautiful images in there of Havana. Wim Winders is an avid photographer and also has some beautiful still images from his trips to Cuba.

Colin Corneau

17-Mar-2008, 19:35

I recently went to Cuba. My sister planned a family trip, we went to a resort in Varadero but it was easy as pie to go where you want -- you can rent a car, go with a tour or hire a taxi which is what I did to do a day trip to Havana.

People in Cuba are uniformly wonderful. Friendly, warm, good-humoured, polite. The culture and history is incredibly rich in that country.

As to leaders, Fidel stepped down the day after we arrived. We actually heard nothing from the Cubans about it, instead finding out from CNN in our hotel room. The few Cubans I talked to about it said they don't expect any change, since Raul has been running the show for almost 2 years anyway. I agree that a gradual slow change is best, and have fingers crossed for it. The Cuban people have suffered too much for too long to withstand any more pain.

I took my Shen Hao and shot about 23 sheets of HP5 there. I'm still kind of new to LF work, but not once was I hassled by anyone...even in some spectacularly grimy back alleys in Havana's Chinatown (yes they have one, I hope to return and devote more time and film to documenting it).

I carried it all with me on the plane, even my Berlebach, with no problems.

Cuba is a photographer's dream, regardless of format.

Colin Corneau

17-Mar-2008, 19:37

Also, count me in for any LF photography group going there!

jetcode

26-Mar-2008, 09:34

Wouldn't it be a hoot to organize a group to go to a foreign country such as Cuba to do nothing but eat, drink, and shoot LF images?

yeah, say when - of course selling prints of 1959 buicks and cuban cigars might land someone in a federal office for a chat (load of horse dung if you ask me)

jetcode

26-Mar-2008, 09:36

If you get a chance to watch the film "Buena Vista Social Club" there are some beautiful images in there of Havana. Wim Winders is an avid photographer and also has some beautiful still images from his trips to Cuba.

I had a friend spend 3 months in Cuba drumming with all the Cuban orchestras and musicians. He came back a completely different man.

tgtaylor

27-Mar-2008, 15:12

Guys, count me in for a trip to Cuba! There is a travel ban in effect for travel to Cuba but I believe that the state department makes exceptions for artists.

Lets do this before the ban is lifted and Cuba turns into another "Miami Vice."

PViapiano

28-Mar-2008, 00:23

Nobody mentioned Polidori's amazing book, "Havana"...and Andrew Moore also has a Cuba book. Great LF work...

BradS

28-Mar-2008, 09:46

Nobody mentioned Polidori's amazing book, "Havana"...and Andrew Moore also has a Cuba book. Great LF work...

WOW! Andrew Moore's work is wonderful! Thanks Paul.

dbr

6-Apr-2008, 00:06

Here is what I know about going to Cuba from those I know who have traveled there fairly recently including the two people mentioned in Brads Post;

A. English is not spoken much except for the very young

B. The dollar is not the foriegn currency of choice these days given the strength of the Euro. Apparently many will not accept dollars. Remember, Cuba is crawling with Europeans who can and do go there at will so
It will cost more than you think for services, not the "third world bargain" it was.

C. Credit cards from American banks are not accepted, nor do you want to use them.(Banks have obscure disclosure rules) so you must bring lots of cash -more so now given the dollars weakness. (see above)

D. (and this is important) The Cubans sometimes stamp your passport with a little red stamp.
If you are an American citizen this can mean real trouble if a customs agent sees it.
This is not to be taken lightly, a friend of mine, an american of Cuban descent, was caught coming back via Toronto. Eventually he did no Jail time and his fine was lowered to $5,000 but almost every time he flies anywhere now, he is stopped by security at the least. Getting on the wrong list can make traveling very difficult.

C. If you are a Canadian citizen (like Polidori) or a European and you decide to go you MUST ask to have your film hand-checked at the airport. While this may be normal practice for most of us, this is especially important in Cuba given that the X-Ray machines are Soviet made from the early 1960's-very powerful indeed.

Until recently, Americans could go to Cuba as part of school groups or cultural exchange programs- This is how many went.
unfortunatley, the State dept. stopped allowing that in 2002

IMHO, I would wait (if one is American). One or possibly two things will change; come this November, the U.S. may begin to think about changing it's official policy towards Cuba and/or the dollar may increase in value.

One can only hope.

P.S. If you liked Andrew Moore's book, you must try and see the actual prints-they are jaw-droppingly beautiful - the book did not do them justice.

PViapiano

8-Apr-2008, 00:35

Andrew Moore was also featured in a recent Ovation TV special: Photographers at Work...great show featuring Moore, Albert Maysles, Sylvia Plachy, Greg Crewdson and Timothy Greenfield-Sanders.

Andrew's book on Russia is also amazing. I've been to Russia twice and his work embodies my feelings exactly.

Tomaas

24-Apr-2008, 23:01

Andrew O'Neill

17-May-2008, 08:28

It's been over two months and not a word...How did your friend do over there, Henry? And what's happening with this trip that you're organizing to Cuba 'cause I wanna go.

Barry Wilkinson

17-May-2008, 11:58

LF appears to be thriving in Havana!

12738

:D

Andrew O'Neill

19-Jun-2008, 17:02

I guess this trip is dead in the water...

Michael T. Murphy

20-Jun-2008, 11:22

I guess this trip is dead in the water...

Maybe after the next elections? We should see the rules relaxed, even with McCain (I hope.)

I was seriously planning to go with Maine Photographics Workshop - or on my own - before Bush came in. He killed many existing prograoms like the MPW one, and really racheted down the restrictions. Travel was reduced to maybe 10% of the pre-Bush numbers.

Before Bush was elected it looked like Congress was on track to allow US citizens to travel to Cuba. Heck, we can even go to North Korea, but not Cuba. Everyone else in the world can go of course .....

Bob Salomon

20-Jun-2008, 12:08

One of the German companies that we represent shot their catalog in Cuba in 1999 for the 2000/2001 version. They took a large crew of photographers and ad people and all of their product and shot on location for over 6 weeks in Cuba. They had no problems arranging the shoots or traveling to where ever they wanted (one shot was in a private individuals home). They shot product in elementary schools, ballet schools, churches as well as on the street.

They had no problem bringing film in or out. They shot digital, video, 4x5 as well as 6x9cm.

Unfortunately this particular catalog ended up having to be used for 4 years due to travel restrictions that were applied after 9/11 which prevented the shoot of a new 2002/2003 version in another locale.

This particular catalog has been shot in Thailand, Mexico, India, Brazil, USA and Canada (the current one). They plan well in advance with the embassies and travel authorities in the various countries and have had virtually no problems once the product and the camera equipment are in country. They did have some problems getting it all in to Mexico which extended their stay a few days.

If you get all of the required permits and clearances well in advance you should have no problems. You might also have the travel authorities arrange for a guide that knows photography and that speaks your language as well

Just showing up and plopping down a large format camera and tripod might not be the best approach.

SAShruby

20-Jun-2008, 15:57

Really? Did this trip ended up in the water? Again? How come? Same story?
Aah, as usual, too much talk, not much work.

jwaddison

20-Jun-2008, 18:08

Really? Did this trip ended up in the water? Again? How come? Same story?
Aah, as usual, too much talk, not much work.
Actually I think a lot of people (myself included) expressed an interest in doing this trip, but I guess no one (myself included again) has the time (or contacts) to organise it. The thread did not start with, "Lets go to Cuba".

Tomaas

20-Jun-2008, 20:26

Really? Did this trip ended up in the water? Again? How come? Same story?
Aah, as usual, too much talk, not much work.

You are worse than a puppy that follows his master around! Every time a posting appears that is slightly related to Capocheny you're on him like a dog to bone. If you have a personal problem with him, you should get a set of balls and speak with him off-line.

I am tired of witnessing your pettiness being posted on this forum.

Tomaas

Tomaas

20-Jun-2008, 20:38

It's been over two months and not a word...How did your friend do over there, Henry? And what's happening with this trip that you're organizing to Cuba 'cause I wanna go.

I PM'd Capocheny and he explained that his friends photographic experience did not work out as planned. That is why he did not respond t o our questions.

Tomaas

Andrew O'Neill

21-Jun-2008, 19:14

Thanks!