Blog 072 "Dog Day Afternoon" , A story at the heart of the Old Habana

"Dog Day Afternoon", a title chosen as a reference for the 1975 American film about a bank robbery that went wrong and inspired by reality. Here I make a certain link between a choice of "Freedom" and which for many, is just another change of "Dictatorship".

But for this photo, here’s the story: After a few trips to Cuba in the Varadero area, we were Linda and I, befriended by Amore, a 35-year-old mole who was not cold-eyed and who was the head bartender of our hotel, the sober and typical "Los Delphines",
He knew very well my passion for photography, he admired my many Click of Cuban curiosities and elsewhere on the planet and also our kindness towards the staff and the friendships made with several residents of the area over the years, gave us the privilege of being more than just tourists . (Little trick that often serves me, I always have in my camera bag, one to four small booklets containing several of my best Click on different topics, to quickly demonstrate the seriousness of my Art, if you knew the number of forbidden or unusual places I had access to when presenting these.)

So Amore offered us a guided tour and especially in the back Habana, where the tourist can not or dare to go, some of the less disreputable corners of this old city, to visit his friends in their daily life a little less known of the Cuban reality, visit shops and his knowledge Artists. To see this way of life that we would describe here as poverty, simplicity and resilience, but for these people of Great Hearts, this is their daily life.

Here for this photo, we were walking in one of the streets of this beautiful and historic old Capital and Chance, this car passes by me with the window down and in the back of the driver, a little Chiwawa with my faith was showing up, an unfriendly, almost human attitude or mimic. Without waiting, like a photojournalist’s reaction, or like a hunter whose prey quickly passes in front of him, a single chance to capture a nanosecond of Life and CLICK, the destiny to be in the right place and at the right time, to have a camera, to point and focus. 

I am not an automotive expert, Cuba is known for its American classics of the 50s (before the revolution of Fidel Castro), then comes Russian and Chinese cars, the Cubans have become Aces of the resourceful mechanical side and also to pair different brands for a single car, also when you examine under the hood of these shiny cars, engine components are often very surprising and non-standard according to the manufacturer’s guide! 

As an example on this one, the fuel tank refuelling entrances seem to be located on the driver’s rear door?

I chose to present as a member, this photo in the annual artistic competitions of the association MAA (Mondial Art Academia) based in France, it is a group of international artists of great levels. The Works presented are submitted to thirty three expert judges from 16 countries, for the category "photography" it allowed me to have the honor to receive the Silver Medal for 2022.

All my Click are available in multiple formats, print media and on classic or unique presentation montages.

Let me surprise you!

This one:

14’ x 8 ½ ” canvas printing (35cm x 21cm)

Positioned on 20’ x 20’ (51cm x 51cm) Espresso stained wood panel

With metal signature.