Black+White - Color - DigitalBlack+White - Color - Digital
Cuba - Turn of the Century, 2000
Photographs by Michael Segal
Cuba invokes an image to us all. To some it's deserted streets and dark alleys, rusted signs and faded paint. and to others it's winding roads through endless fields of tobacco and daydreams under blue sky. It's a place where Marlboro cigarettes and Coca-Cola hail exotica and the 1955 Coupe de Ville is as common as they come.
"I heard so much about Cuba, I wanted to experience it for myself," said Michael Segal of his recent trip to the Island. The images on display range from stoic portraits to festival dance, revealing the spirit and mood of a people and their culture. Their sun weathered faces, and wide, curiouis grins share the heart of a country frozen in time. Photo Impact lended their expertise to bring these black & white photos alive by partial sepia toning them. The partial tone added an edgy feel that enhanced the deepth and warmth of the island lifestyle.
Venturing to Cuba to celebrate the millennium offered a glimpse into a ntion challenged by the dawn of a new era. A chance to skip out on Dick Clark and to do the Flamenco shouting, " . . . siete, sies, cinco . . . " in a country seemingly untouced by modern convenience. Cuba remains one of the last models of Communism in a world wrought with change and democratization. And though Communism rules, the people are alive with freedom.
