Boxing Class-Clase de Boxeo
I discovered this class one day when I was wandering around Old Havana.
I discovered this class one day when I was wandering around Old Havana.
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Feb, 2014Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken in Central Havana (Centro Habana), Cuba. One afternoon I was walking around with no particular purpose when I walked past an apartment building with a courtyard I could see from the street. I could see there was a boxing class going on, so I walked in and asked the coach if I could watch and shoot some pictures. He said sure.Time
Midday.Lighting
Nothing special. Shot with natural available light.Equipment
Shot with my Nikon D80 and a zoon lens, natural light.Inspiration
I've spent a lot of time in Cuba and I am always looking for the unusual. Most people who shoot in Cuba wind up with the same shots, the same themes, but to understand Cuba you have to get under the surface. Here I literally got behind the surface and into the interior life of the neighborhood. This is a very popular shot with Cubans, many of whom have said that for them it represents the fighting spirit of their people. Besides the sort of documentary aspect I think it's a good shot because although it's a group shot everyone in it is doing something slightly different.Editing
Nothing significant.In my camera bag
In Cuba I nearly always go around with the SLR (I now have a Nikon D800) and the 28-300 zoom, over my shoulder. If I'm feeling energetic I might take a backpack and throw in a flash.Feedback
Cuba is hard for the outsider to get to know. I'd suggest that for the first day or two you don't take a camera. Just look. Because if you start shooting right away you will be seduced by the obvious beauty, just like everyone else, and end up with shots like everyone else's. Also it pays to learn something about Cuba before you go so you will have some idea about what's important. This is why I have a series called "Twelve Things You Don't Know About Cuba."
