I was imprinted with travel by living abroad at an early age. Foreign adventures have shaped my life and my Cuba trip this past June was a defining experience. I saw in this moment a chance to capture a time of looming change in a country familiar with economic hardship. Just a week earlier this same street was bustling with activity, a short distance from the Havana cruise port now abruptly shut down from the U.S. travel ban. What was this bicyclist discussing? Impending hard times with a business colleague or foreign relative? I was struck by the pattern of the building façade that framed my subject. I thought of my photography mentor, Diz, who extoled balance in composition and mixing textures and shapes. Cuba was eye opening and eye stimulating. And it is still accessible under licenses to support the Cuban people. Don’t hesitate, go.

Chris Bensley

Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Holbrook Travel