A Photography Visit to Havana - Dina Crassati

Back from a photography visit in Havana, I am sharing some photographs of what turned to be a heartwarming encounter with the Cuban people. The photos were made in the famous Prodanza Ballet Center, in a boxing gym, at a Santeria religious ceremony, in a barber shop, and in the streets of diverse neighborhoods of the city. 

Despite the dire socioeconomic conditions in Cuba, reflected in Havana by endless rows of decaying old buildings, long lines for food rations, rare and empty stores, major electricity cuts, and a dominant number of weathered vintage cars, the city vibrates and captivates. And this is entirely due to the people living in it. 

The Cuban people radiate with wit and warmth, intelligence and energy, elegance and beauty, and, most of all, dignity. Each eye you meet has a story that goes directly to your heart. And I must say, Cubans are uniquely engaging, no need to say much to connect, a smile, a small gesture with the camera, and they quickly own their photo. The last photo in the gallery is made in a cigar tobacco farm in the Viñales Valley of Cuba (that I visited for a day). The look of the woman farmer says it all.

[copyrighted: photographs by Dina Craissati, Havana, March 2025]

Rehearsing at the Prodanza Ballet Center

Santeria religious ceremony

Training at the boxing gym

At the barbershop

Taxi driver waiting for full load of passengers

Afternoon street football

Watching passersby

Father and daughter gaze

Street vendor

Afternoon chat on stairs

The art of collecting garbage

You can view additional photos below as a slideshow or  by clicking here.