CThru.com Presents Tony Ward Studio

Photo: Ryan Feit

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Ryan Feit

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……….Anywhere you look, the writing’s on the walls. Even in the most beautiful of settings, the government has made their mark. However, the dream of a prosperous, independent nation crumbles along with the colorful branding of the revolution.

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Photo: Ryan Feit

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The iconic symbol of the Revolution still embellishes Havana. The “Che” decorates everything from walls to cups of coffee. Nowhere else in the world does a face represent a nation as it does in Cuba.

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Photo: Ryan Feit

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Some pictures are so powerful that they don’t even need a caption, just a translation: “All Cubans Should Learn to Shoot and Shoot Well.”

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Photo: Ryan Feit

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Some of the propaganda is subtle. Just the stamp of the revolution and a few birds bolstering the Cuban flag. It makes one think that democratizing Cuba would be just as easy as a simple fresh coat of white paint.

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Photo: Ryan Feit

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Then again, some of the propaganda is not so subtle. Once in a while, Castro’s pure hate for America and its leaders is truly in your face. It makes one wonder whether communism will simply die with him.

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Photo: Ryan Feit

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But the reality is, Socialism is engrained in the people. They’ve lived it for so long that some simply don’t know any better. But whether it really is here today, tomorrow and always is yet to be written.

About The Author: Ryan Feit is enrolled in the MBA program: Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.
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Editor’s Note: To read more articles by Ryan Feit, go to the search bar at the top of the page: enter name and click green icon.

Ryan Feit: Cuba

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Ryan Feit

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……….Make no mistake, times are hard in Cuba. Cuba has been frozen in time for the last 50 years. As a result, Cubans have struggled through countless bouts of famine, rations, and crises. The economy collapsed with the fall of the Soviet Union and has been in a downward spiral ever since.

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The older Cubans believe the Socialist propaganda they read in the papers. They seem completely unaware that the world has evolved since 1960. They argue about world events from decades ago and assume that mobile phones and the Internet are simply science fiction.

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Ryan Feit: Cuba

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The architecture is timelessly breathtaking and is evidence of its storied history. However, the houses and apartments have been washed away by time, exposing the real Cuba.

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Yet despite the relentless challenges, the people endure. Music carries the Cuban people just as it has for decades. Havana moves to a collective Salsa beat which puts a smile on the face of even the poorest Cuban.

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Cuba: Ryan Feit

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And they work with what they have. You won’t hear a single complaint that once again it’s a pulled pork sandwich for lunch and rice and beans for dinner.

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Ryan Feit: Cuba

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But the younger generation is excited for the future. They stand up tall, realizing they posses something special. They know that the time is getting close now and they are ready to reveal themselves to the world.

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Ryan Feit: Cuba

Photos by Ryan Feit: Copyright 2012

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About The Author: Ryan Feit is enrolled in the MBA program: Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.

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Editor’s Note: To read more articles by Ryan Feit, go to the search bar at the top of the page: enter name and click green icon.

Castro

Posted by Eric Mencher

Cuba is truly a country on the edge. It’s government, for 50 years the authoritative body over the island’s 11,000,000 people, seems forever on the verge of collapse. The people themselves live constantly in flux, with the promise of freedom one day or prison the next. In Old Havana, people lurk in and of the shadows and the sun’s constant glare seems to ask more questions than it illuminates.

Fishing Along The Malecon

Havana is a street photographer’s paradise. The alleys and streets are a constant swarm of human activity, and moments surreal or all too real unfold in an unending stream of live theater. In the five times I’ve visited the island since 1997, there remains one constant in Cuba: the love of life, whether it’s a couple in embrace on the Malecon or kids who seem to dance in the streets to the beat of the ubiquitous music.

Cuban Music

We can learn a lot from the Cubanos–in the face of a harsh living standard, they always seem to maintain their joy, dignity and spirit.

Young Boy Plaza Of The Cathedral In Havana

Streets Of Havanna

Baseball Field In Pinar del Rio

Cuba's Light And Shadow

To learn more about Eric Mencher’s photographs, please log on to www.EricMencher.com.

…Lilian was perfect for this shoot. I met her through a mutual friend out on the town one night in Amsterdam. I couldn’t wait to photograph her. She is sexy and gorgeous…..some day I will tell you more……