Photographer shares experiences in Cuba

Local photographer Peter Burg spent two weeks trying to capture the heart of Cuba.

He explored the streets in and around Havana in order to discover what Cuban life is like.

Along the way, he photographed street performers, a cigar roller and José Rodriguez Fuster, a famous Cuban artist. These images, among others, will be on display in a colorful array in the entrance of the UCF Library throughout the month of October.      

Burg, who has had a photography studio in Maitland for the past 25 years, primarily does commercial and portrait work. However, he spends his free time traveling and decided to visit Cuba for two weeks in June. Burg was able to obtain the visa to Cuba through the First Unity Church of St. Petersburg. Volunteers from the church visited on a humanitarian mission to help victims of the last hurricane that ravaged Cuba.

When he returned, Caroline Hinshaw, the marketing and program officer for UCF Libraries, contacted him about putting his work on display. He jumped at the chance. This is Burg's first show.      

"It was an interesting experience," Burg said. "The hardest part was picking which photos to use."     

He took about 6,000 photographs during his visit, and 31 are on display in the library.     

"I feel great," Burg said. "I love sharing what I do. This was the perfect venue."      

Burg said what struck him the most about Cuba was its people, whom he said are friendly and welcoming.     

"It's not the  people that don't like us," he said. "It's our governments that don't like each other."     

Burg said he purposely steered away from including political images in the show because it was unnecessary.      

"I didn't want to offend anyone," he said. "I'm not a real political person."  Burg and his wife are working on a book that will include more photos from his trip. He said it will contain some political images and should be available within a few weeks. In the meantime, Burg is hoping the show will travel around Florida. The next stop might be Miami.      

Hinshaw said the gallery wall in the library is booked for about a year. Sometimes she goes looking for artists to display their work, and sometimes they contact her. There is even an application available on the library Web site. Hinshaw said the attention Burg's photography is receiving is about as positive as when some of Jack Kerouac's work was on display in the library.      

Debra Melillo, a senior marketing major, stopped to admire the photographs on her way out of the library. She said what she liked most about them was how colorful they were. She said one image, a close-up shot of an old man's face, which is also the cover of Burg's book, really spoke to her.      

"They're just amazing," she said. "It's really great to be able to share what you do and have people enjoy it."      

Burg said his advice for photography students is to practice, practice, practice.

"Now that everything is digital, photography is inexpensive," Burg said. "You don't have to buy film and other supplies."     

Burg said photography is not rocket science. "If you understand composition and you understand people, you can be a photographer," he said.