Sensual Havana - A Celebration of Female Beauty

On this unparalleled nude photo workshop / tour, we'll photograph Cuba's most beautiful women in time-worn Havana--as fantastic a backdrop for glamour photography as exists in this world, given its mixture of Spanish colonial and faded baroque architecture, its wealth of 1950s American cars, and its stimulating aura of exoticism. To which add Cuba’s stunningly beautiful and self-assured women, and their joyous at-ease delight in being photographed. No wonder Cuba is a top destination of choice for such publications as Elle, Vogue, and Vanity Fair.

Our respectful and elegant treatment of the subject pays tribute to all that is positive about the Cuban Revolution and its advancement of women’s rights and self-determination, while also honoring their own unashamedly and affirmatively self-confident pride in expressing their sensuality.

Plus, we'll work with one or more of Cuba's foremost female photographers in the genre.

In 2015 Annie Leibovitz famously photographed Rhianna nude in Havana's most remarkable yesteryear mansion for Vanity Fair. Although the latter venue no longer exists as such, we’ll use other remarkable venues for our own glamour and artistic nude photography with Cuba’s own glamorous models and ballerinas…

ITINERARY (subject to change)

This suggested itinerary will be determined by availability of venues and specific models at the time, as well as weather and other variables.

Day 1: Saturday
We’ll meet this evening at our upscale casa particular (private B&B) in Habana Vieja. We’ll then take convertible classic American cars to dinner at La Guarida–Cuba’s most sensational dining experience!
Overnight: Private B&B (D) 

Day 2: Sunday
This morning up early for a sunrise shoot on the rooftop balcony of our B&B, then at select venues in Habana Vieja... including a barber' shop in the lobby of a tumbledown solar (tenement building). In the afternoon, we'll enjoy photographing one or more models at a sensational Beaux Arts venue exclusively set up for photo shoots. This evening we’ll dine at another of Chris’ favorite paladares in Habana Vieja.
Overnight: Private B&B (BD) 

Day 3: Monday
Today we aim to shoot in a sensational Art Deco interior staircase in a high-rise apartment in the once-chic Vedado district. Then, we'll head back to Habana Vieja to photograph our model in a derelict (and supremely photogenic) tenement building in Habana Vieja. Our afternoon shoot will be themed to santería (the Afro-Cuban religion) as we photograph a model dressed as Yemayá, goddess of the sea This evening we’ll dine at another of Chris’ favorite paladares in Habana Vieja.
Overnight: Private B&B (BD) 

Day 4: Tuesday
We dedicate today to photographing professional ballerinas at sunrise atop one of Havana's most incredible high-rise buildings, as well as inside one of Havana's most photogenic centenary mansion with multiple rooms furnished in classic Cuban period style. Our afternoon venues will include two fabulous stairwells in Havana Vieja, plus the arcades of Parque Central in the golden hour, with a third ballerina.
Overnight: Private B&B (B)

Day 5: Wednesday
Of course, we simply must shoot models with Cuba's famous classic cars. This morning we'll head to the mechanic's workshop of Chris’ closest friend in Havana, where we’ll shoot an uninhibited fitness model among his collection of antique Harley-Davidsons plus his 1948 Buick. In the afternoon, we’ll mix it up by photographing Cuba's champion (and stunningly beautiful) female bodybuilder (and perhaps another fitness model) in thong bikini. Our venues may include the Edificio Girón, plus the beach at Playa Santa Fe as we hop in a convertible classic car with our model(s) . Tonight is free for you to dine at leisure.
Overnight: Private B&B (BD) 

Day 6: Thursday
Today we’ll return to La Guarida--an unparalleled setting for glamour photography--for a sensual photo shoot with two of Cuba's top fashion models. We'll also photograph them in one of Vedado's top centenary mansions. In the afternoon, we'll make music a theme as we shoot one or two of Cuba's most beautiful professional musicians with a piano and violin or cello as props.
Overnight: Private B&B (B)

Day 7:Friday
Our final day begins with one of Cuba's top fashion models as we photograph her against an iconic venue featuring a Che Guevara mural and classic car, then at another old mansion with fabulous period decór. In the afternoon, we take two models in one or more classic cars to the Bosque de la Habana a ruined colonial plantation on the outskirts of Havana that provides a sensational venue for photography during the golden hour. We'll end with a celebratory dinner at one of Habana Vieja's top private restaurants.
Overnight: Private B&B (BD)

Day 8: Saturday
This morning we’ll transfer participants to the airport to connect with their flights home. Or feel free to stay on in Cuba on your own time, pre-approved under the “Support for the Cuban People” license.

WHO SHOULD JOIN?

This tour is designed for photographers of all standards–beginner, intermediate or professional–and especially for those who may not have previously worked with models.

Our focus will be on shooting street photography and natural settings that require minimum equipment, using natural light spontaneously (plus occasional fill-flash and portable LED lighting). We’ll span opportunities for all aspects of sensual portrait and street photography.

We will endeavor to create space for you to pursue your personal interests with our models, be it fashion, dance, street photography, portraits, or boudoir, erotic, and/or fine art nudes. The goal? Editorial worthy images to be proud of!.

YOUR MODELS

We’ll select our models from a pool of more than 40 professional models, Tropicana showgirl dancers, ballerinas from the Ballet Nacional de Cuba (and even fisiculturistas--female bodybuilders), plus other stunning cubanas who have expressed their desire to model for us. At a minimum, we expect to shoot at least 10 to 15 models. In all cases, this will depend on the availability of any particular model, of course!

We aim to provide a minimum of two models daily. On occasion we will shoot with one model. At others we will work with two, and perhaps even three, to ensure that only two or three participants are working with any one model at any time, depending on each venue.

Thanks to you for being such a professional dear Chris. I'm so flattered to work with you again my dear friend. Loved this session!
Lea Vall @la_mulata_esa_

Super cheveres a la verdad me sentí muy cómodo trabajando hoy. [Super cool! In truth, I felt very comfortable working today.]" 
Giselle Pérez @gis.perez.4

Adoré el trabajo en conjunto [I adored working with you]" 
Amaray García @amaraygarcia

Muchas gracias. Para mi es un placer trabajar con usted. Usted es profesional. Por eso, puedes contar conmigo siempre. [Many thanks. It's a pleasure working with you. You're a professional. For that reason, you can always count on me.]" 
Glenda Ovedo @gle.oviedo

Thank you so much, Christopher. I hope to work with you again. Thank you for the opportunity, my friend." 
Laura Cos @im_lauracos

Thank you, Chris. It was a very beautiful experience." 
Ingrid Zamora @ingrid_zamorapiano_official

What this tour is & is not!

Although Cuba has an advanced avant-garde (and overtly erotic) art scene, the Cuban government is highly sensitive about nude photography and equally restrictive about what is permissible. It has a zero tolerance policy regarding pornography, which it defines far more broadly than North American and European standards.

Although many of our proposed models (including ballerinas of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba) have previously posed nude and have expressed a desire and willingness to pose for artistic nudes and implied  fine-art nudes, this tour is NOT a nude photography tour per se.  The trip is entirely about creating art! It is a tour dedicated to photographing Cuba using Cuban models as props, and to photographing female beauty and sensuality in a Cuban context. We will constantly strive to maintain a respectful and elegant treatment of the subject, as well as honoring each model's individual limits.

It is extremely important that as photographers we remain professional and sensitive to Cuba’s cultural and legal norms throughout. Not least, this will give confidence to our models. You, too, will learn to become comfortable with planning your shoots and directing your subjects, posing them and coaching them to achieve your desired effect. Always we will respect the comfort level of our models and the opinions of our other Cuban photographer co-leaders about what may or may not be appropriate to our circumstances. Any attempt on the part of a participant to solicit, encourage, or engage in pornographic poses or other improper behavior will be considered reason for instant dismissal from the tour without refund.

Our focus throughout will be on images that are statements on Cuba, not mere glamour photos. Since much of our shooting will be outdoors in public places, we will use our models as compositional elements that add dynamic perspective to intriguing street scenes and exotic locations. A sense of place is paramount! We will NOT be experimenting with a wide range of gear, lighting setups, or creative in-camera techniques. Instead, reflecting Chris’ own background as a travel photographer unencumbered by lots of gear, we will work almost exclusively with natural light. Plus, our focus throughout will be on elegance and good taste to ensure the most classy and respectful results that dignify womanhood and femininity. 

Our photography should be viewed as an opportunity to create art for the sake of art, with a focus on shape, form, mood, light and shadow, and storytelling. The emphasis will be on posture, posing and composition, including placing our models in unusual settings and unexpected or fascinating scenes, and using creative approaches that play with light, scene, and an intriguing narrative. Of course, whether outdoors or in more controlled indoor settings, we’ll also experiment with the interplay of highlight and shadow and mood to express our creativity and story-telling. We will work around an idea or artistic concept rather than simply photographing our models. The viewer should be inspired to see a creative expression of beauty and elegance, or other artistic exploration, not a naked figure or body parts. Composition, texture, graphic pattern and narrative concept take precedence. This becomes even more important in artistic nude photography; sculpting and differentiating curves and musculature for artistic allure and/or erotic effect.

Below:  Claudia Corral Mesa photographing Dayleris in Bosque de la Habana...