About
My passion for photography has always coexisted with the love of teaching. Perhaps because I come from a family of educators, it happens that from the moment I'm learning something new, I'm also thinking about how to explain it to others.
I got graduated in cinematography in 2008 at the University of the Arts of Havana. In a low-income school, it been less difficult for students to get a still camera than a video one, so we learned both, still and motion photography, almost on our own and in bits and pieces. For that reason when I became a teacher I redesigned the class program just as I would have liked to have received it. To my satisfaction, the method was validated by who became also my mentor Mr. William Frank Gentile, professor at the American University in Washington DC, who enlightened me in how to teach. Since 2012 I have taught for the American University, the University of Arts of Havana and the University of Havana.
Beyond photojournalism and teaching, a professional photographer must be ready to be called for all kinds of assignments. In this way, I have also covered weddings, portraits, fashion, commercial, products, events, concerts, travel photography, street, landscape, nature, events, and concerts.
I assume that the progress of my students as a progress of mine, and It makes me feel proud when I observe them find their own way beyond my lessons.
Reviews
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
First of all, I would like to know the expectations and interests of my student in order to taylor the lessons, highlighting everything that may be useful and subtracting interest from what is not. Each student is a universe in itself and the ideal would be to be able to tailor the lessons.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
First, I would like to know the expectations and interests of the student to make the lessons more personalized, highlighting everything that can be useful and avoiding wasting time on what is not. Each student is a universe in itself and the ideal would be to adapt the lessons to each person.
How did you get started teaching?
The university where I studied first and then worked as a teacher was a very humble school. My idea was to create a documentary workshop using photographs instead of video cameras, but using the same workflow. Due to my students knowledge was not homogeneous, I had to redesign the learning cycle from level zero, in order to each class become in a step to understand the next one.
When Mr. Gentile appeared in my life, he thought that my workshop seemed to be designed by a more experienced person. Thanks to that, he chose me to teach a semester of Photojournalism and Social Documentary to a group of students from American University in Havana. (Yes, even living in the island, I taught Americans students firts to Cubans.)
That semester I taught for American University been readapted by me to the economic conditions of Cuban students (using cell phones intead of DSLRs, for example) and I proposed to the University of Arts and the school of Communications at the University of Havana. Nowadays, former students of mine have become filmmakers, reporters and collaborators for state-run and independent media in Cuba.
What types of students have you worked with?
Of all kinds, but -of course -mainly young people due to my former condition of University Professor.