In 2004 I traveled to Cuba for the first time as part of my college study abroad program. I visited 4 countries throughout the semester, and every one of them left a deep impact on me. But Cuba…there was something about Cuba that completely captured my imagination and kept calling me back over the next decade.

I’ll be honest–I lacked any photography skills to speak of on that first trip, but I had such a drive to capture what it felt like to be there. Ten years later, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to return. And this time, I went prepared to capture something of Cuba’s essence.

There are a lot of layers, assumptions, and complicated realities to Cuba’s story. But for now, I simply want to share a few of the photographs from some afternoons spent wandering around Havana.

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Have you ever visited Cuba? What were some of the highlights of your trip? If you haven’t visited, what would you most like to see or do there? Let me know in the comments!

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