| Cuba has a great amount of wonderful curiosities. | | | | choose this site for making new friends, for been |
| That is the case of the cajón | | | | photographed or taking some pictures with their |
| photography, marvel that seems to be taken out | | | | modern digital cameras, or just for fraternizing with |
| from a very, very old book of stories to be shown in | | | | these photographers that try to present old cameras |
| a century of advanced technology. | | | | as an innovation whose epoch has really gone away. |
| Â Â Such a wonder has an extra value | | | | Â Â Still fresh, those times of |
| in Havana. Those people who visit its capitol have the | | | | technological introductions during the 1900-1918 |
| possibility of been photographed before the staircase | | | | intervals of various devices characterized by having |
| of this colossal building. There, some photographs are | | | | springs and long legs of their tripods. At that time, |
| ready for taking a good picture of you with nothing | | | | these apparatuses were in vogue all over the world. |
| less than a cajón camera. | | | |   However, people may see these |
| Â Â This device always draws the | | | | devices -well preserved and real museum pieces, now |
| attention of foreign visitors who immediately want to | | | | in the hands of persons who most of the time do |
| be photographed for taking the picture to their | | | | not know the history of photography. Nevertheless, |
| countries as a souvenir of having enjoyed a sort of | | | | they are part of it. |
| journey to the past without using a time machine. | | | | Â Â Nonetheless, in Havana as well as |
| Â Â It is a real Cuban feast the fact | | | | in some other cities around the Island, |
| of personally living such an experience, talking with | | | | cajón photography is still a luxurious |
| the owners of the old cameras -real museum pieces, | | | | activity, an artistic expression with unique features |
| as well as taking a look to their good working order | | | | widespread with the purpose of promoting tourism |
| and the way their owners keep them alive, working. | | | | using a very particular method: giving poetry. |
| Â Â The photographers of this kind of | | | | Â Â In general terms, |
| cameras are a real big shot. Carrying an antique | | | | cajón photographers of these days are |
| camera, they position themselves in front of the | | | | old persons probably nostalgic for a city of |
| staircase of the capitol of Havana. It is an invitation | | | | streetcars, theatres showing comedies, and demure |
| for people passing by for been photographed. They | | | | clothes in contrast with today's fashion of short |
| also use this place because it is crowded all the time. | | | | clothes and almost-uncovered women. |
| Â Â Champions of the image, they | | | | Â Â Such a simple person is the |
| seem a modern Don Quixote trying to preserve mills | | | | cajón photographer: symbol, part and |
| of light and colour in the time of cutting-edge | | | | counterpart of an image worth to remember or to |
| technology, powerful plane trips among other | | | | take home. Graphic essence of the silhouette of the |
| advances of science. Nevertheless, these artists | | | | architecture of other times, symbol that just hides in |
| -somehow they are, succeed with their old apparatus. | | | | a click! |
| Â Â Every day more and more visitors | | | | |