Cuba: Island at a Crossroad

Do not believe the nay sayers reviewing here, photography can never be a medium that wants or even care to project and objective view of a place, God forbid! What it does, and that one of the most accomplished artists of his generation proves here page after page, is to show us how the best photographer is one who doesn't merely catch a moment, nails a perfect shot, but conveys his feeling of a place and its people, and so much that is in between and that words can hardly translate, which is exactly where the subjectivity of and in photography, the inherent genius of the medium, comes in. Harvey's photographic mastery lies in the poetic, not the descriptive. He has what the greatest masters of the Arts do have, an intuitive knowledge of the composition, of the right angle, coupled to a sure sense and experience of color hues and volumes, again not to nail a shot, not to do pretty, snappy glossy travel or documentary images but to give that photo the resonance of a written poem, to translate all these elements as feelings, be they lingering or fleeting ones . Also, anyone just a little familiar with his career knows that he wouldn't even bother to go out and shoot if he was to lose his great empathy for people, a quality that defines who he is, maybe even more than his photographic talent. I doubt any of the cubans he met, some many times over, found any less than a friend in him. It is their loss that some do not recognize this in his pictures.

By now, most folks interested in travel have seen the crumbling beauty of modern Cuba (through photos, at least). There are the expected shots of old American cars that seem to still run on Caribbean force of will exclusively. We see the cobbled stones streets and sweeping beaches. What makes Harvey's work appeal to me so much is that he is not afraid to take what some would consider incorrect or imperfect shots. He is not afraid of showing the heavy contrast generated by Cuba's bright and unrelenting sun. His colors are lovely in that way that film can be and he even throws in some inventive techniques, like when he lights one scene with what are obviously the headlights of care. If this book has one over-riding feel it is one of intimacy and respect for his subject matter. That kind of reverence due to one's photographic subjects is what is often lost in trying to get the perfect shot. Instead, Harvey lets the people be themselves, lets the light blast us with color then conceal details as a subject stands in half-light. There is much made of "street photography" and often it brushes uncomfortably close to voyuerism for my taste, but not so with Harvey's Cuba. There aren't the hidden, uncomfortable looks or forced "slice-of-life" vignettes that plague "street photography," the photos are fantastic all by themselves and show the hand of a seasoned, thoughtful and very gifted photographer at play in an element that suits him very well.

Good in expensive photo book. Love the Cuban subject matter.

I like this book it is like new

This book arrived well protected and early! It is an autographed copy and is immaculate. Thanks!

Amazing!!!

A colorful well laid out book with good use of photographs in the National Geo style taken by a optimistic photographer with a quirky eye that obviously has a lot of passion for this country. looking forward to the next one.

very good

Tutto perfetto

１週間近く到着予定日を過ぎてからポスティングされた。 表紙はかなりヤレがきている。 中味は大丈夫だった。 新品50ドルを中古で5000円で購入。 写真は本の大きさからすると少し小さな写真も少なくない。 写真自体は魅力的。 ナショナルジオグラフィックが発行してるからか前説がつらつらと長く無駄なページも多い。

El Producto llegó avejentado

David Alan Harvey's book inspires me to view the world with a fresh eye (and a minimalist approach to equipment).

El libro es de segunda mano y se nota por el color de las páginas pero ya lo sabía cuando lo compré.