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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Eighty-two: A city portrait -- impressions of Havana, Cuba. > Present and past, Havana, Cuba, 2012
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08-MAY-2012

Present and past, Havana, Cuba, 2012

I also made this image from a rooftop high over the center of downtown Havana. It is the early morning light that gives this image its beauty, abstraction, and meaning. That light reflects off the pavement, creating a river of gold from top to bottom of the well-worn concrete. I photographed the passage of numerous people and automobiles upon this gilded street. This is the image that creates the simplest and most relevant message. The extended shadows of the pedestrians lengthen their strides. The 1950’s American car, its characteristic tail fins clearly defined, anchors the image at the bottom of the frame. It seems to chase the shadow of its own colorful history. This is Havana, both present and past.

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1/1000s f/8.0 at 124.0mm iso160 full exif

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Phil Douglis16-Aug-2012 05:20
Thanks, Andrea -- that is high praise indeed. Kertesz is one of my favorite photographers as well. I spent an evening with him at a seminar1n 1967 and will always remember his words: "Passion is the most important factor in photography. If you are not passionate about your work, why bother?"
andrea dimiceli 14-Aug-2012 19:04
look at that beautiful light! it reminds me of andre kertesz, one of my favorite photographers (other than you)....
Phil Douglis06-Jul-2012 04:29
Thanks, Armin. It is not difficult to find such shadow present in photographic scenes from cityscapes.. However, you have to have a lot of practice in order for it to work.
arminb26-Jun-2012 18:08
my def. fav - splendid perspective, colors and shadows, would love to see the world like this - I am sure, I would have missed this opportunity - thanks for opening my eyes!
Phil Douglis30-May-2012 16:57
Glad to see how you have read this image, Celia. You see well beyond my intentions here -- and that makes me realize how important the role of abstraction can be in expressive photography. I gave you a starting point here, and you let your own imagination carry the story into the realm of time, change, culture, and even the future of Cuba's people.
Cecilia Lim29-May-2012 20:12
I love simple and abstract images like this one but at the same time, rich in symbolism. For me, this photo is very much about the passage of time and change, as it shows a different journey for both the old car and the group of young people, who are traversing in different directions. However the past and present do seem to try and co-exist together. I love the repetition of the pedestrians' shadows, echoing the rhythm of their movement, almost to say that the pulse and energy of a culture always lies in its people. And the future of Havana also lies in these youth. (They are young people, aren't they? They look like school kids in uniform with backpacks)
Phil Douglis27-May-2012 17:49
The side shadows are very important to this image. They create a frame within a frame here, and draw the eye into and through the image. And yes, I see the paper dolls in those shadows as well, Carol. The v-shaped legs make them appear as those cutouts.
Carol E Sandgren27-May-2012 03:55
I like how the shadows on either side of the road help to create your golden river. The girls crossing the street create shadows that remind me of cut out paper dolls!
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