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David Alan Harvey: Havana

Image Copyright David Alan Harvey/Magnum
David Alan Harvey is a legend among photojournalists. Here's what Dirck Halstead, of the Digital Journalist says about him: "David is a photojournalist's photojournalist. His work is in the tradition of Henri Cartier-Bresson and W. Eugene Smith. He never uses a press card or long lens. He never stands behind ropes at a "photo op." He tends to use a single Leica body with either a 35mm or 50mm lens. He has the eye of painter and the soul of a poet. He is the kind of photographer I would like to be."

For the past 15 years, David has assembled an incredible body of work on Hispanic culture. Sponsored by his agency, Magnum Photos, and National Geographic, he has documented the Mayan culture, the trail of the conquistadors, Chile, Honduras, Belize and Spain. He developed a love affair with Cuba. In his words, it was "a love mixed with frustration, fear, passion, and paranoia...I was drawn to the ballet of street photography. I hung out with Cubans, listened to their music, drank with them, danced and ate with them. I visited schools and science labs. I rode buses, lived with the families, went to church, and in general, soaked it all up. I lived it, felt it, and photographed it."

His images are full of life and vivacity...and the gallery has Real Audio snippets with David's commentary. By the way, his 17th image on the gallery is of Adelaide and Wilki...these two photogenic Cubans were fixtures in Old Havana, dancing exuberantly for tourists and photographers. I met them in Havana in 2000 and have photographs of them...one of which is on my Havana gallery (a gallery which is in dire need of being reworked on).

David Alan Harvey's gallery on Cuba, and above excerpts come courtesy of the Digital Journalist. It's been a while that this gallery has been published...and it shows. I would freshen it up by converting it into a Flash slideshow, perhaps adding a pulsating Ibrahim Ferrer track to the Havana images, and traditional son with the rest. Along with David's narrative, it'd be wonderful. Notwithstanding, the images are timeless.

David Alan Harvey's Cuban Soul

I haven't met David, but through his recently published blog, I can tell that he's indeed one of a kind. His desire to help young emerging photographers and his generosity stand out in an industry that is frequently selfish and egoistical. My hat's off to David Alan Harvey.

David Alan Harvey's Blog