Boarding Pass: MIA
Litte Havana photo map. Click image for interactive map.
I have called a lot of places home, and Miami is probably my favorite. I loved the warm weather. I loved the energy. I loved knowing I could get on a direct flight to any location in the Caribbean and be there inside of three hours. I miss it. So when I had time to take a day trip to the 305, I grabbed my camera and go-bag and headed for the airport.
As great as Miami is, it is not widely known for its public transport options, but you just have to know where to look. Jay and I knew that we could take the Metrorail from the airport and get off at the Government Center station, which would put us within walking distance of Little Havana, the perfect subject for an afternoon of shooting. That is exactly what we did, and after a quick lunch beside the Miami River, we headed west on Calle Ocho.
Parading through Little Havana.
I knew that I would be shooting close to my subjects, and that I would want to include a lot of action in my frame. I took my 40mm pancake lens, knowing it would be my workhorse. I also packed my circular polarizer (Sunshine State, hello), but the day was overcast and I didn’t need it. I also put my 70-300mm zoom lens in the bottom of my bag because I can’t help myself, but it never saw the South Florida daylight.
Riding through.
Everyone knows that Little Havana is touristy to an extent, but that doesn’t make it a bad place to shoot. Quite the contrary. Calle Ocho is dense with people, colorful art, and activity. Right on. I stayed right along the road, shooting as I went. Underpasses and the sides of buildings delivered on the mural front, and I wouldn’t have to wait long for a motorcycle to pass in front of one for a great shot.
The iconic rooster statues were on my shot list, but a wildly colored carousel horse trotted straight to the top of my favorite shots of the day. The Domino Park was in full swing with games at almost every table, serving those shots you can’t leave without. Imagine my elation when a very lavishly dressed gentleman strolled across an intersection right in front of a cigar shop, reigning as the quintessential Little Havana street photo subject. Not bad for less than an hour of shooting.
Afternoon errands on Calle Ocho.
After a rest, a cold beverage, and a bus ride, we were on the Metrorail back to the airport. It felt great to take a fresh look at my former home with a photographic point of view. Miami made me feel the way it always did: hot, exhausted, and happy. MIA, you sexy thing, you haven’t changed a bit.
