Cuba Tour, February 2019

Hello and Happy Friday, friends! I've got a couple bits of exciting news to share. First, I have nailed down the dates and details for my photographic tour of Cuba, which is scheduled for February 3-9, 2019 (with an option to stay an extra two days to explore Viñales with me). I have gotten several inquiries regarding this tour so I am happy to have the plans laid out. We will be using KB Cuba Tours for the transportation, lodging, and guide services. This is the same company I traveled to Cuba with this past February and I happy to say they are offering us a great rate for this tour!! Follow the link at the bottom for details and how to arrange payment. Total cost for the week, which includes all transportation in Cuba, lodging & breakfast each day, photographic instruction and more is $1,795 with an early bird rate of $1,595 if you register before October 1, 2018. A $500 non-refundable deposit will secure your spot with the balance due by December 1, 2018. You can see my photos and videos of Cuba here: http://www.colintyler.com/travel/#/cuba-2018/

Second, after photographing a wedding this afternoon I am heading to the airport to explore a new part of the world! I haven't divulged the details yet so you'll have to stay tuned to see where I land this time.

Please share this information with your friends and anyone you think might be interested in exploring Cuba with me and experiencing the magic and culture of this magnificent Caribbean destination! As always, thank you for following along and supporting me in my adventures.

Gracias,

Colin

Details on February 2019 Cuba Tour:

http://www.colintyler.com/phototours-and-classes/

Cuba Photo Gallery

I have just finished posting my photos (and two videos) from my recent trip to Cuba. Please check them out here: Cuba 2018.

Bay of Pigs and Trinidad, Cuba

Bay of Pigs and Trinidad, Cuba.

These are from days 2 & 3 of my recent adventure to Cuba. I'd packed an underwater housing in anticipation of taking some shots while snorkeling near the Bay of Pigs. Additionally, we all brought soccer balls to give out to children in the countryside. We frequently encountered groups of kids playing soccer with a tattered ball, so we would stop with a new ball and kick it around with them for a bit before leaving on our way.

Trinidad is Cuba's third oldest city and steeped in cultural history. We spent two nights there before driving back to Havana. The rooftop photo is from the casa where I stayed. If all goes well, I will be leading a photo tour to Cuba next winter. Again, I will post the details as they develop. Thank you for following along.

Colin

Havana Tribute

Happy Hump Day, friends! I’m finally over the hump of editing the photos from my trip to Cuba. I spent much of yesterday organizing images and creating this video, a tribute to Havana with music by the lovely Camila Cabello. With the exception of the night shots and a few others, nearly all were taken my first afternoon. Shortly after arriving from an overnight flight and dropping my bags at la casa, I hit the streets to experience Havana - exploring, wandering, getting lost and soaking up the Cuban vibe. By the end of the week it was apparent how I could walk the streets and navigate traffic more easily and with greater confidence, and communicate with people more effectively; expanding my Spanish vocabulary in the short time I was there. In all honesty, I have not been this inspired and immersed in a foreign culture since I traveled to India more than four years ago.

Let me know how you like the video. I felt this made for a more heartfelt salutation than a photo album. From the classic cars to the people and street scenes, los perros y gatos (the dogs & cats) and even a few selfies and group pics, this is my compilation, my tribute to the city of Havana and its wonderful people who welcomed me with open arms.

Finally, many thanks to KB Cuba Tours and our guide Gelin for this incredible journey. I have every intention of returning and leading a group of photo enthusiasts, so please stay tuned for details on that if you or someone you know might be interested. Until then Cuba, mucho amor y hasta pronto!

Muchas gracias,

Colin

Vegas Grandes

Vegas Grandes - Tope de Collantes, Cuba. Just two weeks ago I was swimming right here, underneath Cuba's tallest waterfall (160 meters). I'm still organizing photos and looking forward to giving a presentation on my trip. I'll post the details as they come along. Viva Cuba!

Cheers,

Colin

My first day in Cuba

My first day in Cuba; so many truly unforgettable moments. So much happened during my short time in country that this feels long ago, though little more than a week has passed since I took these. After our guide Gelin led us around for an hour or so to show us some major landmarks, I took off on my own to explore the city and soak up the vibe of Havana. I was excited to see a new part of the world, a place that, generally speaking, few Americans have been able to visit. At heart I am a nature photographer and while I looked forward to creating images of a different landscape and possibly some new species of wildlife, it was the culture and the people of Cuba that I felt most inspired to meet and photograph.

I spent hours walking the streets of Havana by myself that first day, taking advantage of the limited time I would have for solo ventures in the city. To me, there is no greater source of inspiration than to step outside my comfort zone, immerse myself in a foreign culture and interact with the locals as best I can despite the language barrier. Actions and expressions often speak louder than words and through mutual understanding, I was able to communicate with my limited Spanish vocabulary, so much that this lovely little girl, Stefany, approached me to have her picture taken. She was a great model and after several poses and smiles, her mother and grandmother were eager to have me over for dinner the following evening, an offer I had to decline since we had a full itinerary the rest of the week. I will email the photos to her mother and when I return to Havana, I hope to take her up on that offer.

Colin

Havana Nights

I spent my last evening in Cuba walking the streets of Havana, taking in the vibrant nightlife on a solo venture. My first stop was Floridita, Ernest Hemingway's favorite watering hole. You can still find him there as he is eternally honored in the form of a statue at his corner of the bar. The others were taken near the capitol with some of the historic hotels in the background. 

I'm still editing photos and catching up after returning to Alaska yesterday morning, so please stay tuned for more. Once again, many thanks to KB Cuba for this wonderful opportunity to explore and photograph Cuba!

Colin

Trinidad Sunset Time-Lapse

Happy Presidents Day! I’ve been back in the states since Saturday night, still organizing my images as well as my thoughts from the entire Cuba experience. I’ve got more to share yet as I saw so much in just one week, from the culture to the scenery and everything in between. 

I would like to give a big shout-out to KB Cuba for arranging such a grand adventure. Traveling to Cuba and navigating your way around can be complicated, so I am grateful to have had everything arranged and run so smoothly so that I could focus on my tasks at hand – exploring, creating, and sharing my experiences. Please check out their page if you are interested in visiting Cuba or visit their other page, KB Tambo Travel, to see the trips they offer around the world. I am also communicating with them about leading a group of photographers to Cuba next year, so please stay tuned for that! 
Here is a time-lapse video I created of the sunset on the beach near Trinidad last Thursday - 700 still images and 40 minutes condensed into 30 seconds. I will be back with more  soon.

Cheers,

Colin

El Nicho National Park, Cuba

Hola amigos! It’s been a busy week here in Cuba. We’ve been going almost non-stop so today I took some much-needed time for yoga, rehydration, journaling, and photo editing. We arrived in Trinidad yesterday, Cuba’s third oldest city, after spending a night in Cienfuegos, and tomorrow we will make our way back to Havana. I’ve got several images and experiences to share, including snorkeling in the Bay of Pigs and more interactions with the people of Cuba. Yesterday we explored a series of waterfalls along the Hanabania River in the lush mountains of El Nicho National Park. The water was very refreshing, as our guide Gellin demonstrated by jumping in and taking time to meditate in the cool waterfall. I will check in and post more images when I am able. In the meantime, don’t forget to take some time for self-care as well, and thank you for following my journey.

Colin

Dog Days in Havana

Paws down, the coolest dog in Cuba! It was another beautiful day in Havana. We took a classic car tour of the city this morning and rented bikes in the afternoon to do some more exploring while learning a good deal of Cuban history. Among the sites we visited were Revolution Square and a park with a statue of John Lennon sitting on a bench. Tomorrow we will be traveling few hours out of Havana to take a boat tour and go snorkeling. I look forward to getting into the water; it’s been a long time since I swam in the Caribbean.

Adios for now!

Colin

Hola from Havana!!

Hola from Havana, Cuba! I landed here this morning after a couple days acclimatizing in LA (this is a 100-degree temperature increase from just a few days ago). I have wanted to explore Cuba for years, so when I was presented with an opportunity to join a group for a weeklong tour, inevitably I was going to find myself here.

The street photography here is incredible - the vibrant culture, classic cars, Spanish architecture, it is truly inspiring. I shot close to 1,000 frames today and I’m just getting started. I’ve got a pretty full itinerary and Wi-Fi is very limited but I will post when I am able. The journey is just beginning and as I’ve said before, there is nothing like experiencing a destination for the first time. I’ve got a lot to share so stay tuned and, as always, thank you for following along.

Viva Cuba!!

Colin