PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

Featuring Sanne Derks

National Geographic Explorer

Explore Cuban culture through the lens of your camera – a photo workshop featuring National Geographic Explorer Sanne Derks. Capture the spirit of Cuba in the capital city of Havana before traveling to the magical mogotes of Viñales to dig deeper into the western countryside.

October 2-10, 2024

Old Havana • Viñales • Vedado

$2,950/person - single occupancy

$2,050/person - double occupancy

 $100 off the full package price if you book by August 15, 2024

THE SPIRIT OF CUBA

9 days / 8 nights

Wednesday, October 2nd
Guests arrive to Cuba. Get settled in Buen Viaje – your lovely boutique hotel located in the heart of Old Havana. Enjoy a group welcome dinner at one of the city’s best restaurants where you’ll meet fellow travelers and your Cuba-U.S. team for an orientation of the city and a review of the tour’s itinerary.
Thursday, October 3rd
Begin the day with a delicious Cuban breakfast, followed by a photo workshop with Sanne that covers the ingredients of a reportage, camera gear, lenses, and safety. Then head off to Plaza de Armas for a walking tour of Havana’s famous four squares with Alejandro – Travel Cuba’s expert guide. Spend the afternoon working on your first photo assignment – Street Photography in Old Havana. Enjoy a group dinner on the terrace of one of Havana’s most happening restaurants and then rest up for the day ahead.
Friday, October 4th
After a delicious Cuban breakfast, join Sanne for a photo workshop focused on shooting techniques (lines, framing, layering) followed by a brief presentation by Alejandro on the “Spirit of Havana.” Then put what you’ve learned into practice. Explore the gritty and colorful streets of Habana Vieja – alone or in pairs– while visiting Cuban bodegas (stores), nail salons, and other nooks and crannies. Get to know the locals, whether they’re driving classic cars or passing by on the street. Cuba is a friendly place!
In the afternoon, join the group for your second photo assignment – a live action shoot – at a local ballet or boxing gym. Enjoy a group dinner with Chef Hector who will make traditional Baracoan dishes at a local restaurant before gathering in the evening for a night shoot where you’ll capture Havana’s streets at dark.
Saturday, October 5th
Enjoy an early Cuban breakfast before departing Havana for the magical mogotes of Viñales. Our first stop in the countryside will show you breathtaking views of the valley while you enjoy a classic Cuban cocktail or fresh-squeezed juice as Alejandro orients you to your surroundings. Settle into your accommodations in a neighborhood of colorful casitas (little houses) nestled in the heart of downtown Viñales that offer unexpected vistas of the surrounding hills.
Take an afternoon walk through the city toward Valle del Silencio where we’ll ride horses and learn about tobacco and guayabita production while exploring their fields. Make the trek to the top of the hill (or take a quick taxi) to Finca Paraiso to enjoy a family-style meal on an overlook that allows you to perch with your camera to capture the most stunning sunsets.
Sunday, October 6th
Crawl out of bed for an early-morning (5:00 am) coffee and snack before taking a classic Cuba car ride to the base of one of Viñales’ four breathtaking valleys. Hike a steady climb for about an hour in the dark (headlamps required) to the home of Felix where you can rest and enjoy a rural Cuban breakfast while photographing the beautiful sunrise.
Trek down the mountain and head back to your accommodations to refresh and then join the group for an exceptional lunch experience at El Cuajaní. The afternoon is free for you to explore the town, book an excursion, or continue working on your portfolio. Dinner is on your own in town. There are many options nearby and we’re happy to make recommendations.
Monday, October 7th
Fill up on a traditional Cuban breakfast before joining Sanne at the local theatre in Viñales for a presentation of her most recent photo-book – Manifesto del Agua – a long-term documentary project on Cuba’s hidden water crisis. Use this as a template to build a narrative of your own, or let it be an inspiration for your own long-form documentary project in Cuba or beyond.
Spend the afternoon exploring the town and valleys to fill any gaps in your reportage so you’re prepared for your one-on-one meeting with Sanne to review your portfolio. If you want more structure, join Sanne for an afternoon walk through Cueva de la Vaca, but be prepared for the unexpected. Join the group in the evening on main street at a hip, local outdoor venue that offers top-notch cocktails, impressive appetizers, and energetic live music.
Tuesday, October 8th
Fill up on a delicious Cuban breakfast before our drive back to Havana. Enjoy a traditional Cuban lunch by the sea in Santa Fé – a small barrio about 30 minutes west of Havana. Take a quick stop to see the wonder of Fusterlandia in Jaimanitas before arriving to your next accommodation located in the heart of Vedado, a quieter neighborhood where you’ll find the University of Havana, beautiful parks, and a more mellow pace of life.
Get to know the city better by taking a classic car ride that ends at El Moro – Havana’s fort that overlooks the city’s skyline. We’ll make stops along the way for you to make photos of Havana’s most famous sights.
Dinner is on your own so you can explore the area on your own terms or prep your photos for a one-on-one portfolio review with Sanne, which is scheduled for the next day.
Wednesday, October 9th
After a delicious Cuban breakfast at your accommodations in Vedado, taxis will transfer you back to Old Havana where we’ll spend the day at the Raúl Corrales Gallery. You’ll have the option to have a one-on-one portfolio review with Sanne and participate in an afternoon group share where you’ll have the opportunity to present your work to others. In between, they’ll be some downtime for you to prep your portfolio and continue your exploration of Old Havana with Travel Cuba’s guides. There’s still plenty to see – Camera Obscura, small local galleries, Hemingway’s former haunts, and El Capitolio. Close out the tour with a group farewell dinner at one of Vedado’s best restaurants and then head back to your casa and get packed.
Thursday, October 10th
Bid farewell to the island after breakfast. We’ll transport you to the airport so you can head home to share your amazing experience with friends and family. If you’re staying in Cuba longer, we’ll transport you to your destination if it’s within the province of La Habana.

Sanne Derks

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER

Sanne Derks (b. 1979) is a Dutch documentary photographer and anthropologist (Ph.D.) based between Havana, Cuba and Arnhem, the Netherlands. Her work mainly focuses on social issues in Latin America and includes themes like climate-change resilience, water- housing- and human rights. For her Masters in the Psychology of Culture and Religion and her Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology, she worked for years in Bolivia. During her fieldwork for her dissertation on social inequality and religion in Bolivia, she got interested in visual storytelling. In 2016 she finished a postgraduate in Photojournalism at the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, she started as a freelance photographer, mainly focusing on self-initiated projects.

The camera is her tool to discover the world unfolding in front of her lens. In particular, she loves the streets of Cuba, where she photographed severely in the past years. Her photobook Manifiesto del Agua, on how the right for clean drinking water in Cuba is managed at the socialist island, came out in 2024 and was exhibited and awarded worldwide. By focusing on the inventiveness with which Cubans deal with the daily water struggles, gives a profound understanding of contemporary socialist Cuba as it stands today. She is a National Geographic Explorer, a IWMF-grantee and a Eddie Adams alumna. Her work is published internationally in media such as the New York Times, Washington Post and the Guardian. In her work she mixes anthropological topics and methods with photography.

In this Workshop she will take you to the streets of Havana to catch the essence of urban Cuba, as well as to the magical Viñales Valley, to explore Cuba’s soul in the rural areas.

The workshop is open to all levels. Sanne will tailor each day to all individual needs and levels.

FAQs

- Daily photography workshops and one-on-one instruction with National Geographic Explorer – Sanne Derks
- A signed copy of Sanne Derk’s recent book Manifesto del Agua (2024) – a beautiful photo book based on her long-format documentary project exploring Cuba’s hidden water crisis
- All guide fees with Travel Cuba With Us
- Airport Transportation to and from Havana
- Daily accommodations in Old Havana, Viñales, and Vedado
- Classic car ride around Havana
- Local group transportation
- Safe and comfortable transportation to and from Viñales
- All museum and Biosphere Reserve entrance fees
- Group cell phone with internet access
- Eight (8) group breakfasts
- Three (3) group lunches
- Five (5) group dinners
- Two (2) group cocktail hours with appetizers and one (1) pre-breakfast before sunrise hike (in-between meals)
- Unlimited filtered water
- Airfare to and from Cuba
- Tourist visa (if needed)
- Camera equipment and computers
- Other lunches (x6)
- Other dinners (x3)
- Other transportation (non-group)
- Alcohol
- Travel Insurance
Yes! Travel to Cuba is legal for U.S. citizens if the purpose of the travel falls within one of the 12 categories listed under the general license by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Our tour packages are designed to meet the general license requirements for the Support for the Cuban People (SCP) category (515.574). This is the ideal category for visitors taking tours or traveling independently in Cuba.
See our company’s FAQ page or email us for more details.
Fill out the form below and/or email us. We’ll walk you through the process. We require a $500 non-refundable deposit upon signing of our contract. The remaining payment will be due on a specified date.
We accept cash, check, wire transfer, and Zelle for no additional fee. You can also pay with a credit card or via PayPal but there will be a 3.5% fee added to your payment.
Not at all! All level of photography are welcome – whether you’re a beginner or advanced. All you need is a camera, passion for adventuring in Cuba, and the desire to learn and make photos. Sanne tailors each day to all individual needs and levels.
You definitely need to bring a digital camera. If you want to work in analog, email us to see what’s possible. We recommend you bring a computer for digital editing, along with your preferred editing software, but that’s not required. You are welcome to bring any other equipment you think you may want to use – monopods, tripods, card readers, flashes, bounce lights, etc. If you need help deciding, let us know and we’ll help you troubleshoot your packing list.
We have eight (8) rooms available for this tour. All eight (8) rooms are available for single occupancy ($2,950 per room) and four (4) of these rooms can accommodate double occupancy ($4,100 per room, which is the base room fee of $2,950 plus a $1,150 supplement for double occupancy – or $2,050 per person for a shared room).
We cannot guarantee to find a roommate for you, but we will definitely try!
All rooms have 1-2 beds and a private bathroom, along with air conditioning and in-room safes.
Yes it can!
Please do your own research if you plan to travel to Cuba from Europe as a EU citizen to make sure any future legal entry into the United States wiIl not be impacted. In 2017, the United States government placed Cuba on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list (section1754(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, section 40 of the Arms Export Control Act, and section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961).
If you plan to travel to the United States in the near future using ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), the United States immigration may deny you or revoke a previously-approved status, requiring you to apply for a specific visa directly from a U.S. embassy in your country in order visit the United States. Please email us for more details.
Per the U.S. Department of State:
“The Cuban government requires U.S.-Cuban dual citizens who departed Cuba on or after January 1, 1971 to enter and depart Cuba using a Cuban passport. Using a Cuban passport for this purpose does not jeopardize one’s U.S. citizenship; however, such persons must use their U.S. passports to enter and depart the United States. Cuban-Americans who departed Cuba before January 1, 1971 may travel to Cuba on their U.S. passport but must apply for an HE-11 visa from the Cuban Embassy. Cuban authorities do not always notify the U.S. Embassy of the arrest of dual nationals and may deny U.S. consular officers access to them.”