Cuba — THOMAS E. FRANKLIN

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: A local barber trims a customer's hair in a small, street-side shop in Habana Vieja

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: A group of Cubans sit on the curb waiting for a ride as a classic car passes by them in front of the Teatro Americano, an iconic cultural landmark that originally served as a performance venue, showcasing a variety of entertainment including vaudeville, cinema, and live performances. The building reflects a blend of architectural styles, featuring elements of neoclassical and art deco design.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: Two young girls strike a sassy pose for the camera on the streets of Havana, embodying the resilience and spirit of a new generation growing up in a Cuba.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A classic American car is framed by colorful painted buildings, reflected on the wet pavement.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: Two men push a cart past a mural of Che Guevara, a major figure of the Cuban Revolution who played a crucial role in Fidel Castro's rise to power in the late 1950s. Guevara, an Argentine physician turned revolutionary, has become an enduring symbol of resistance and anti-imperialism in Cuba and beyond.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 The iconic Capitolio in Havana, crowned by its striking gold dome, modeled after the US Capitol in Washington.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 The iconic Hotel Nacional towers over Havana, famously featured in The Godfather where Michael Corleone confronts Fredo, revealing his betrayal.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 The historic Castillo del Morro juxtaposed against the modern skyline in the background.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A classic American car glides past pedestrians on Lamparilla Street, adorned with colorful umbrellas.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: A produce merchant sits outside a government marketplace in Habana Vieja.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A zapatero repairs shoes in a small vintage shop in Habana Vieja.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: A man repairs a flat tire on a classic car, a common sight of aging vehicles in Cuba, where maintenance and parts are often hard to obtain. While these vintage American cars evoke a sense of nostalgia and charm, the reality is that their upkeep can be prohibitively expensive.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 Two older twin men pose for a portrait on the streets of Havana offering peace.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A man walks through a cloud of smoke where trash was being burned on the sidewalk in Havana.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: A man pushes a cart past the Teatro Americano, an iconic cultural landmark that originally served as a performance venue, showcasing a variety of entertainment including vaudeville, cinema, and live performances. The building reflects a blend of architectural styles, featuring elements of neoclassical and art deco design.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: The skyline of Havana features beautiful colonial buildings in soft colors. Many of these Spanish Colonial era structures are old and falling apart, with peeling paint that shows their long history.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A man fishes along the barrier wall of the Malecón, above a painting of the Cuban flag.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: A woman wearing sunglasses glamorously peers through the open window of a moving car along the Malecón in Havana. While vintage American cars are often romanticized as symbols of Cuba’s allure and charm, this nostalgia can overshadow the deeper economic struggles faced by many Cubans.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A guitar-playing performer serenades passersby along the Malecón in the evening

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A couple walks hand in hand along the Malecón in Havana during the evening.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A man wearing a spiritual message raises his arms skyward while spending time with friends on the Malecón.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A classic car speeds past the USS Maine monument, a tribute to the battleship that exploded in 1898, an event that galvanized U.S. support for Cuban Independence.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 Men fish in silhouette along the barrier wall of the Malecón in Havana at dusk.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A Cuban flag, looking tattered flaps in the wind in front of the Dome.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: Cuban lineup outside a bodega to pick up groceries using government issued vouchers.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 The El Floridita club was made famous by Ernest Hemingway, when he lived in Havana this was his local drinking hole.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: A group gathers to play dominoes, their game illuminated by the glow of a car trunk in Habana Vieja. It’s typical for Cubans to come together outdoors, enjoying games and conversations that reflect the communal spirit inherent in Cuban culture.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 Boys take a break from playing makeshift baseball in the street at night in Havana.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 Two brothers playfully argue over sharing candy.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 Tourists ride in the back of a convertible automobile, classic American car in Havana.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: Laundry hangs from a second-story window in Havana. Many of these Spanish Colonial era structures are old and falling apart, with peeling paint that shows their long history.

HAVANA, CUBA 2024: A woman stands on her balcony next to the Cuban flag and Havana.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: Luis, a professional tour guide, waved to some friends in an apartment building in Havana.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 Men slaughter a pig in the streets of Havana.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: A worker naps within one of the government-run marketplaces in Havana. As food shortages worsen, many Cubans rely on government-issued food vouchers to purchase items from these poorly stocked markets, where the available food often lacks quality and variety.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: A worker cuts a root vegetable inside a government-run marketplace in Havana. As food shortages worsen, many Cubans rely on government-issued food vouchers to purchase items from these poorly stocked markets, where the available food often lacks quality and variety.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: A woman waits inside a government-run marketplace in Havana. As food shortages worsen, many Cubans rely on government-issued food vouchers to purchase items from these poorly stocked markets, where the available food often lacks quality and variety.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 Men slaughter a pig in the streets of Havana.

FUSTERLANDIA, CUBA, 2024 Viva Cuba sign in the artist community of Fusterlandia, created by artist José Fuster.

FUSTERLANDIA, CUBA, 2024 The Granma Yacht mosaic, a prominent feature in Fusterlandia, Cuba, showcases the iconic vessel that carried Fidel Castro and his revolutionaries to Cuba.

FUSTERLANDIA, CUBA, 2024 A black-faced doll made of mosaic tiles is displayed in the Fusterlandia neighborhood. In Cuba, blackface does not carry the same racist connotation as in the U.S.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A close-up of an old Soviet-era payphone, painted pink and looking outdated.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: A man walks past a crowded gas station filled with aging Russian cars at the pumps. Gasoline is in short supply and costs around $5 a gallon, a steep price for many Cubans given that the average monthly salary is only about $30. This makes fuel unaffordable for most, especially since only about 10% of Cubans own vehicles. Additionally, the maintenance demands of these older cars create significant transportation challenges for the population.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: A woman walks past an historic mural of prominent figures in Cuba history, including Theodore Roosevelt

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: A man read a newspaper standing in the doorway of the building in Old Havana.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: A man walks past two women who just went shopping for groceries in the street in old Havana.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 wo young boys engage in playful kickboxing in a park in Havana.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A determined boxer, fists raised and sweat dripping down his face, poses for a portrait at the Gimnasio de Jesús Montaner Oropesa in Havana.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A group of boxers train at the Gimnasio de Jesús Montaner Oropes, a small gym in Havana.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 Boxers complete sprints at the Gimnasio de Jesús Montaner Oropesa under trainer Radames Castillo.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A determined boxer grimaces as he completes push-ups at the Gimnasio de Jesús Montaner Oropesa.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A young fighter throws punches at the Gimnasio de Jesús Montaner Oropesa with trainer Radames Castillo.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 Too Young boxers take a short break in between reps at the Gimnasio de Jesús Montaner Oropesa.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A determined boxer, fists raised and sweat dripping down his face, poses for a portrait at the Gimnasio de Jesús Montaner Oropesa in Havana.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 Gimnasio de Jesús Montaner Oropesa trainer Radames Castillo.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A young Cuban man lifts weights in a makeshift gym beneath a house patio. Fitness thrives despite limited access to modern equipment.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A young Cuban man does pullups in a makeshift gym beneath a house patio. Fitness thrives despite limited access to modern equipment.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A group of boys play soccer in the street in Havana.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 Luis shakes hands with a friend after a church service at a Pentecostal church in Havana. Catholicism is the predominant religion in Cuba, though religious practices were suppressed during the Castro regime.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A woman prays inside a historic church. Catholicism is the predominant religion in Cuba, though religious practices were suppressed during the Castro regime.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A Santero performs a Santería ceremony at an altar in his kitchen in Havana.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: A rooster is tied to a chair moments before being taken for sacrifice in a Santería ceremony. Santería is a religion that originated in Cuba, it blends African traditions with elements of Catholicism, often involving animal sacrifices as offerings to the orishas, or spirits Not everyone in Cuba practices Santería

Santeria ceremony series 06 HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A Santero leads a procession during a ritual in Santería intended to honor deities and seek their blessings.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A group gathers on a street corner with a Santero as he conducts a Santería ritual that involves the bloodletting of a sacrificial rooster.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A Santero shakes a rattle, using it to invoke the spirits and create a rhythmic sound that helps facilitate communication with the deities.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A Santero carries a bloody knife after sacrificing a rooster, a significant act in Santería that symbolizes the offering of life to the spirits.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A collection of objects displayed in a Santero's home, serving as an important element in Santería.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A man plays an African bongo drum, providing rhythmic support for Santería music during a performance.

VIÑALES, CUBA, 2024 The highway from Havana to Vinales is riddled with potholes and rush roadway

VIÑALES, CUBA, 2024 The iconic mogote mountains rise from the lush, tobacco-producing valley below in Viñales.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: People wait to board a public transportation bus. The bus system here is antiquated, slow, and overcrowded.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024 A vintage American automobile moves past a older colonial building in Havana.

HAVANA, CUBA, 2024: A man pushes a cart selling bread through the cobblestone streets of Habana Vieja, calling out "pan-pan" for people to buy the fresh bread.