Today I joined my first The Art of Photography Meetup group. We spent the day in Little Havana walking along famous Calle Ocho photographing the locals playing dominoes, enjoying Cuban coffee, hand rolling cigars, contemplating life, and caught a peanut street dealer in the action.

There was also some shadow play. I am proud of this one. We walked into an empty space with the harsh midday sun filling up the center of the area. However, there was also a well defined shadow on one of the columns. I thought it would be great if we could have someone stand in the light and look up to match the shadow’s angle. Luckily one of the participants volunteered. I’m sure a pro would have done much better, but it’s my first time and I am happy with the results.

I also dabbled again in the abstract. I am really liking this genre of photography. You will see more when I post photos from the Hard Rock Live Casino.

It was nerve wracking for me photographing strangers. Our host Raphael was a natural at it. He moved between the people and storefronts striking up conversations and snapping away with ease. It was great to watch and try to pick up some techniques.

One thing he does that I loved is he prints out their photos and has them in his bag. If he sees them again, he says I have your photo, fumbles through the stack and hands them their print. Seeing the people light up when they see his work really makes it worth it. So many smiles.

This got me thinking. Should I invest in a printer?

Date: May 24, 2025

Equipment used:

Canon EOS R6 Mark II

Canon 24mm to 105mm f4 Lens