on an earlier trip to cuba a few years ago, our group leaders met a transvestite called barbara, with whom they developed some kind of a relationship. during this visit, they thought they saw her on the street, and – if i understand the story they told us correctly – their conversation went something like this:
group leaders: “barbara?”
transvestite: “cerveza?“
apparently, it wasn’t barbara, but rather a transvestite who called herself yalorde. in short order, thatcher and kirsten arranged with yalorde for us to come photograph her and her friends – in exchange for beer and money – so we could study how to work with natural lighting.
one day before we were scheduled to go to yalorde’s apartment as a group, a few of us went down to check out the lighting and take a few practice shots.
 |
 |
 |
 |
yalorde (in and then out of the magenta shirt) was the queen bee, and very dramatic, but also very much in charge. raquel (left) and aruaca (right; i can’t vouch for the spelling) were far more quiet. when it came time for the scheduled photo shoot, however, they all “brought it.” tyra banks would have been impressed.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 Granted, it wasn’t always pretty. |
after the shoot, we were invited to the drag show, and then it was out to the street to get us cabs. a typical thursday in havana.
next: housing
COHN17 