Happy Couple...

This happy couple came down to Denver for an engagement photo session. Playing in the rain, changing in the car and, as I put it, "documenting their love and youth."

A few more Out-of- the-Ordinary...

Out-of-the-ordinary

I used to live in a part of Denver referred to as Capitol Hill. It is the grudge part of town near Colfax (a 'colorful' Denver Ave) and home of Denver's Art Institute. While living there I noticed this couple that walked by my apartment window on a daily basis. They were dressed like they just left an all night rave but in the middle of the day. So it is this eccentric couple caught my interest. Some of the neighbors assumed that they were a couple of 'ravers', but that seemed the obvious answer - I find the obvious answer is rarely the real situation - I knew there had to be more to the story. After meeting Kira and Nate I was not surprised to learn they are quite intelligent and friendly. They are both students. Nate is studying computer science and Kira is finishing a degree in web design. She is considering a masters at DU. They have a unique style and expression and their fashion sense is one of the outlets for their creativity. They design and make their clothing together. They have agreed to allow me to capture their lives. For our first shoot we went to the art museum and did more of a portrait session to break the ice. I'm not sure if the story is a 'more than meets the eye' or a love story 'someone for everyone'? I think the answer will reveal itself over time.

Classic

A friend of mine/writer had an idea to start a zine so she came into the studio to create the feel of the zine. The zine is on hold as she is working on a book and now a story with me. More to come...

Buena Vista Artists of Today

Standing at his bedroom window Dixon, a jewelry maker and psychology student, tells me that most of the boys he went to school with are now in prison for robbery, drugs, as political dissidents or an array of other crimes that communism puts men in jail for. Dixon explains that it is illegal for Cuban’s to purchase or have beef or lobster in their homes. I wonder how many men are in prison for getting caught with beef? He tells me that his “hood”, The Buena Vista neighborhood, is a little “rough”.

I met Dixon on my first trip to Cuba, when the Buena Vista Social Club was, to me, just some Cuban band. Dixon is from the Buena Vista neighborhood in Havana from which this band takes its name. The Buena Vista Social Club was actually a pre-revolutionary gathering place for the mostly black neighborhood. It was a creative hub where artists convened; musicians made music, dancers danced and partiers partied.

The idea of a club like that captivates me and I wanted to document how the neighborhood has retained the creative DNA that made it so famous. So I asked Dixon to show me around his barrio. (Neighborhood)

Armando, wood worker




Agustin, tattoo artist





Lineanny, manicurist





Dixon, metallurgist and fine jewler




I am in awe of the creative souls I met in the Buena Vista neighborhood. With little to no influences from the media, the Internet and opportunity to travel they are cut off from the outside world. The people seem to “meet themselves before they meet society,” as Dixon puts it. The creators in this land seem to find an internal motivation with fewer influences from external sources. With the repressive laws and rules of communism looming, Cuban’s have come to declare themselves through their art. Perhaps it is for this reason the colors, sounds, and endless forms of expression seem so rich in Cuba. I believe I am witnessing a new generation of artisans who are transforming the landscape of the Buena Vista neighborhood and the streets of Havana.

*See more on the Buena Vista Artists of Today on my website www.shaunaintelisano.com in the stories section of my Portfolio

Tradition

Weddings are a fascinating event to photograph. The traditional side always interests me. A 'show' that moves through various stages. I've observed that weddings are the largest celebration that our culture has. When else do people decorate a large enough space to get everyone they know together, put on a show, feed and entertain them?

Tradition

Homeboys really went for the garter belt - a symbol of 'deflowering.' Interesting tradition. The groom disappeared under her dress while 'deflowering' his bride.

Pedro, 82, vetran of the Cuban Revolutionary war

Pedro 82, sits on his front porch in the Buena Vista neighborhood listens to the radio and smokes a cigar. He went blind a few years ago but still rolls his own cigars, by memory. He told me that around the age of 40 Cuban's get cigars included in their rations, but he says they are of poor quality. He does not speak English but knew I was American by my accent. Knowing what he knows now he says "we [Americans] were on the 'right' side of the revolution." However, he did say the people are more taken care of than under the Batista government. Politics...