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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Eighty-two: A city portrait -- impressions of Havana, Cuba. > In charge, Elementary school, Havana, Cuba, 2012
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11-MAY-2012

In charge, Elementary school, Havana, Cuba, 2012

I saw very few of images of Cuba’s retired legendary leader Fidel Castro while in Cuba. He is said to keep a low profile these days. Yet Castro remains a prominent presence in the principal’s office of this elementary school. I met the principal himself in a hallway, and followed him as he walked the halls. Eventually he led me back to his office, where he seated himself at a cluttered desk, before a large portrait of Fidel Castro himself. As I was photographing the principal, a staff member came over and embraced him from behind. The image is all about authority on one hand, and human values on the other. Castro had been more or less in charge of Cuba for 50 years, while the principal is in charge of all who work and study at this school. The friendly embrace tells us how the school’s staff regards their leader.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5
1/20s f/2.0 at 5.1mm iso400 hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time11-May-2012 08:03:54
MakePanasonic
ModelDMC-LX5
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length5.1 mm
Exposure Time1/20 sec
Aperturef/2
ISO Equivalent400
Exposure Bias-0.66
White Balance
Metering Modemulti spot (3)
JPEG Quality
Exposure Programprogram (2)
Focus Distance

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Phil Douglis30-May-2012 19:30
The school was amazingly informal, Celia. It seemed like a big family -- great spontaneity, and very little adherence to rules. This principal is completely at ease with his hugging compatriot. The image speaks of respect in a genuine manner, with an utter lack of formality. I can't even imagine making an image such as this in a school here in the US.
Cecilia Lim29-May-2012 22:59
I get the sense that there is little formality there. People are not afraid to show their ease with each other. There's little pretension and I find that particularly amusing especially in a school setting where there are always boundaries, and rules!
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