As the eyes of the world turn to the small but resilient island in the Caribbean Sea, Picturing Cuba offers the rare opportunity to engage with the Cuban people and to discover the country’s cultural diversity and her physical beauty with your camera. Bustling, urban Havana and colorful, laid back Trinidad are our primary locations to explore. Join photographer and seasoned Cuba traveler Eddie Soloway for a memorable journey to this beguiling country before it changes forever.

A tropical paradise with a storied past, where intrigue, romance, and uncertainty are woven into the fabric of everyday life, Cuba is at a turning point in its history. It’s a potent mix of contradictions: socialism and newly approved private enterprise; relaxed Caribbean island culture and vibrant big-city life; chrome-laden vintage American cars from the 1940’s and ‘50’s juxtaposed with new Chinese taxis and tour buses.

To offer you unparalleled access to the inhabitants and culture of Cuba, English-speaking Cuban photographers who live in Havana and Trinidad serve as our local guides and translators for this cultural program. In alliance with Cuba’s premier photographic organization, Fototeca de Cuba, and its Director Nelson Ramírez, our unique program allows U.S. participants to learn about Cuba’s long and colorful history and to engage directly with Cubans from all walks of life.

In addition to visiting the historic sites and cultural centers of Old Havana, our group ventures to the nearby neighborhoods to discover an authentic Cuba that lies beneath the tourist veil.

After three days in Havana, we journey by motor coach across the island to Cuba’s third oldest settlement—Trinidad de Cuba. Founded in 1514 and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this Caribbean town—with its pastel-covered buildings, cobblestone streets and relaxed island atmosphere—is Cuba’s protected gem. Our guide Julio Muñoz, born in Trinidad and today its most well known photographer, shares his treasured places with our group. A day trip from Trinidad to the colonial city of Cienfuegos, the “Pearl of the South,” completes our exploration. We return to Havana for our final night’s stay and group dinner.

Join Eddie and Santa Fe Photographic Workshops for an organized journey through the forbidden isle and experience Picturing Cuba through your own eyes. The music, dance, sports, local produce markets, architectural marvels, stunning landscapes and, most of all, the spirited and gracious Cuban people are the focus of this program that will enable you to better understand this fascinating country just 90 miles south of Miami.

True to the requirements of our people-to-people license with U.S. Treasury Department, Picturing Cuba focuses on exchanges with the Cuban people and recording their amazing lives with our cameras. There will not be structured photo instruction nor group critiques.