018: Street Photography in Cartagena: Embracing Culture & Celebrating Love

Embracing Culture, Celebrating Love: Street Photography in Cartagena

A few months ago, I found myself in Colombia, flying into Bogotá before heading to Cartagena for a friend's wedding. If you've followed my work, you know I rarely pass up the chance to document new places. But this trip was different. I wasn’t in the streets all day, moving with that usual rhythm, chasing fleeting moments. Instead, I was celebrating love, spending time with my wife and friends, and soaking in the energy of the city. Still, I managed to make a few images, and the process of photographing in a different country with a different mindset gave me some new insights into street photography.

I had my Leica M5 loaded with Kodak Tri-X 400, my go-to combination for black and white street photography. I thought about bringing color film, knowing how vibrant Cartagena is, but ultimately stuck with black and white. Looking back, I know now that I’ll always make sure to shoot at least a few rolls of color. These places I’ve been visiting—Cuba, Colombia, and beyond—are alive with richness. The architecture, the street art, the movement, the way the light plays off the walls. That deserves to be seen in full. Lesson learned.

Unlike my usual solo photo walks, where I move with a certain rhythm, locked in and tuned out, this trip required a different approach. I was navigating the city with my wife and friends, which meant slowing down, being present, and experiencing the place instead of just chasing images. And honestly, I appreciated that. It reminded me that sometimes the best photographs come not from searching, but from simply being in the moment.

As photographers, it's easy to get caught up in the chase—always looking for the next frame, the perfect composition, the decisive moment. But this trip reinforced something I’ve been thinking about more lately. Every trip doesn’t have to be a full-on photo project. It’s okay to experience a place without feeling the pressure to document every corner. I wanted to embrace Cartagena, to be present at the wedding, to celebrate my friend’s love. Photography was secondary, and that was perfectly fine.

That said, the few images I did make carry a different weight. They weren’t just about documenting the city. They were about my experience in that moment. And sometimes, that’s enough.

Photographing in a place that isn’t home always shifts my perspective. In the U.S., especially in Atlanta, I have a certain rhythm, a deep familiarity with the culture and the flow of the streets. But in another country, everything slows down a bit. I pay more attention, I observe differently. I also think more about how I engage with the people I’m documenting—how I represent them and their environment in an honest and respectful way. Cartagena, with its deep history and energy, made me think about these things even more.

Colombia made me realize something I want to incorporate into my work moving forward: color. As much as I love black and white, I don’t want to limit my storytelling by ignoring the full depth of what a place offers. Countries like Cuba and Colombia breathe in color—sun-faded walls, bright fabrics catching the wind, street murals telling stories of resilience and history. I want to make sure I do those places justice by incorporating color into my work when it makes sense.

That doesn’t mean I’m stepping away from Tri-X 400 (because let’s be real, that’s not happening), but I’ll be more intentional about carrying both black and white and color film on future trips.

If you want to check out my images from Cartagena, you can view them here. Also, if you haven’t seen my post about photographing in Cuba, you can read that here.

This trip was a reminder that photography and life don’t always have to compete. Sometimes, the best way to document a place is to simply live in it. And when you do pick up the camera, those images tend to mean a little more.

If you’re interested in refining your approach to street photography, check out my post on A Gameplan for Better Street Photography—it’s been resonating with a lot of photographers online lately.

Until next time, keep creating, keep experiencing, and don’t forget to embrace the moment.

005: Havana, Cuba: A Journey in Black and White

Havana, Cuba: A Journey in Black and White
Photographed on: Leica M5, Kodak Tri-X 400, 35mm Film

Stepping into Havana felt like stepping into a beautifully preserved time capsule. In 2023, I had the opportunity to document life in this vibrant city, where every street corner seemed to tell its own story. Armed with my Leica M5 and Kodak Tri-X 400, I set out to capture the soul of Havana in shades of black and white.

From the peeling pastel walls of Old Havana to the vintage cars cruising the Malecón, Havana thrives on contrasts. The textures were what drew me in—cracked pavement, sun-faded facades, and faces marked by the weight of history and resilience. Shooting on Kodak Tri-X 400 was intentional; its grain and depth allowed me to emphasize the timelessness of these scenes without the distractions of color.

Havana’s energy is its people. I spent hours wandering through neighborhoods like Centro Habana and Vedado, stopping to document quiet moments—a man lighting his cigar, children chasing each other barefoot, an elderly woman watching the world go by from her balcony. These moments weren’t staged; they were lived. The Leica M5, with its quiet precision, helped me document without intrusion.

Shooting on film slows you down. In Havana, this pace was a gift. I didn’t just document what I saw; I engaged with it. I took time to frame each image, anticipate movement, and consider light. Kodak Tri-X, with its ability to handle the harsh Cuban sun, gave me the latitude to work intuitively, knowing the results would speak for themselves.

As I developed these rolls back in Atlanta, the images took me right back to the streets of Havana—the warmth of its people, the rhythm of its daily life, and the layers of history embedded in its architecture. Each frame feels like a love letter to the city, a way of saying, “I saw you. I felt you.”

Havana wasn’t just a place I visited—it’s a place that left its mark on me. Through the lens of my Leica and the grain of Kodak Tri-X, I tried to honor that. For me, this trip wasn’t just about making images; it was about connecting with a culture, a history, and a people that will forever inspire me.

Check out the entire gallery HERE.

With Love,

Stan