I walked with Maya around the perimeter of the Metropolitan Forest. We had already explored other locations a few minutes before and all we needed to do was cross the border. Some rock and log structures served as boundaries and were a great starting point. We climbed the steep access road and stopped just to the left. I suggested that she approach one of the corners of the structure, I then placed my external flash in a strategic position and gave the signal to begin. Maya is very good at modeling, very disciplined and serious, even though she is a minor (she always goes on safaris accompanied by her grandmother), it is always wonderful to have her as a model. Unfortunately, it started to rain and I had to quickly take down my gear to run to shelter on a nearby roof, but there was a lot of potential in that corner and with Maya as a model.

If you ever feel alone and the noise around you makes me hard to find Imagine that I am parallel to the other side, you just have to touch the mirror. Because with your pockets full of kisses and my heart full of dreams I assure you that there is no place we cannot go. Put your hand on the glass and I'll try to get you out of there. You just have to close your eyes and whisper my name, You will see that I will never lose you. It's just that when I see you, I'm looking at my other half And the emptiness that was in my heart Now you fill it. Teach me to fight for the now and together we will think about the later, You'll see we'll come back thinking it was easy if we both did it together. We couldn't be bigger or go further. Without reflecting on each other. Each one on their side, but inseparable.

Getting her out of her house in Old Havana, from her comfortable position as a neighbor attentive to the life that passes by while she smokes a cigar from the bar on the corner, was not a difficult task. She was expecting some friends to go out partying that afternoon, I was lucky enough to see that scene of a beautiful blonde, tobacco and smoke and I couldn't resist approaching it. We crossed the boulevard to the front door, I took some photos of her there and then used some bougainvilleas to crown that youthful beauty. The farewell and the exchange of contacts for another session on any other day.

Today I am in a good mood. Shoot, gentleman, take your photos. I came to the bar to look for some very strong coffee, Cuban, not the water that foreigners serve in glass jugs and funny jars. Héctor, look at this photographer, doing his thing with me! Find me a cigar too, lets make some smoke a little outside, more than I have inside. Alcohol at this time? Only the old ladies from my lot, the rum I consume is for the early mornings, and besides, I don't pay for it, if you know what I mean. The photos here on the street? Of course, let everyone see me in the neighborhood that my five minutes of fame have finally arrived. What does Hector say? There's no coffee? What f*cking luck I have, to say the least!

We arrived at the coast on time! Right at the right time and place! It was a fairly cold weekend for Caribbean afternoons, with relatively high waves that jumped over the breakwater of the portion of the coast where we went to conclude our marathon sequence of dresses and photos. Fernanda has a temper for cold water that I don't have, thank goodness she was the one who had to get wet. I quickly placed my external flash with the counterweight near the girl and began to give instructions, we took several photos of each pose. The flash at full power already took 3 or 4 seconds to recharge, which seemed like an eternity to us: for me because I missed the sun in the background and some waves that broke at unexpected moments, and Fernanda, because in any case the cold water was not made for those of us who live on an island so accustomed to the heat. Finally a few good photos came out, some of them you can see here, unedited yet, others will come out over time, there is a lot to tell!

How easy it is to take portraits in this parallel reality. I just have to sit on the threshold of my studio with the red scarf in my right hand and that's it. Those who pass by know that I will give water to anyone who lets me take photos. For some reason, water is very valuable here. More valuable than what we are used to on the other side. Maybe because it adapts to any container. Maybe because it cannot be compressed in a liquid state. Maybe it burns when it is very hot or very cold. Who knows. The truth is that it didn't take long for her to appear. No words were said. Fearfully she entered the dark room, stopped above the mark on the floor and waited. They still fear that a photo will capture their souls. The truth is that I capture their desperations, their desires and their fears. With those feelings I can sketch a primitive soul, it's true. But no one suffers irreparable damage. Here, I told her when we finished. I handed her a container of liquid water. She embraced my payment like it was gold. If it wasn't before, now it is. The gold turned into water.