In Camagüey, eastern Cuba, they were ‘puttin’ on the ritz’ with fresh coats of paint on a lot of buildings when I was last there. The town, like Trinidad, is a UNESCO world site, and boasts a strong collection of classic Spanish colonial, art deco, neo-colonial, and neoclassical architecture, and like Trinidad, is a historic village for sugar cane production nearby.

As I wandered by this man, I noticed his brilliant red ball cap against the green walls, a harmonious color contrast. That was exciting, and when I realized he was painting, and the light was nice and strong sidelight, I thought this had potential.  I watch for a minute or two, and when he leaned out to paint, I captured the photo just before the roller made contact.

When I wander the streets of any place, be it Cuba or Florence, Italy, I’m looking for stories – and gestures that help to tell the story. In this image, the guy is clearly on  ladder to do some work, but the paint roller is the feature that tells what he’s doing up there, along with the swaths of different paint coats.

Enjoy, and thanks for visiting!