Boy and woman looking from doorway Havana Cuba

Between Shadow and Sunlight: A Glimpse into Havana’s Quiet Tension

Cuba has a rhythm that never stops—not in the cars, not in the music, and not in the people. When I walk the streets of Havana, I’m not looking for the iconic. I’m looking for the quiet in-between moments that most would pass by without a second glance. I’ve learned that the streets here will reward you if you give them your time. I’ll often wander for hours, camera in hand, not searching exactly—just open to what unfolds. That’s when I find these hidden vignettes.

This photo stopped me. Two doorways. Two different lives. A young boy leans casually in one, wearing a faded cartoon sweatshirt, feet loose in his sandals, already comfortable in his space. A few feet away, a woman crouches low on the stoop of her doorway, absorbed in her ritual, whatever it might be. There’s no interaction between them, no acknowledgment even—but there’s a strange harmony. It’s as if they exist on parallel tracks of the same world, side by side but untouched. 

What I love about Cuba is just that—life spills into the streets. You don’t have to dig deep to see it. The people are open, full of warmth, and have an unfiltered presence. The textures of the city—peeling paint, rusted hinges, soft pastels fading in the sun—tell their own story, but it’s the people who give it breath.

For me, this photograph is less about composition and more about narrative. It shows two separate lives, two stories, two doors, and the space in between—silent but alive.

© Dan Kosmayer, 2017