I went to the Soviet Union in 1976. I really did not have a focus for my photographs, but looking back I should have paid more attention to the Communist state. The failures of Communism were quite evident. But in 1976, those that were never there thought that history was on the side of the Soviet Union. In my photographs, I really did not take enough pictures of the Communist state. And now it is gone!
I have photo's of people walking around with placards on their chest. It was an apartment exchange on Saturday morning in Kiev. I missed photo's of a huge apartment complex with a hand operated water pump in the courtyard. The signs announcing separate shopping hours for Communist party members at the stores. Everybody got pictures of the empty shops!!
But I almost took photo's of arrival in the Soviet Union and crossing customs with the Soviet Army. Or leaving, when the Soviet Army browbeat and stole money from a 80 year old Irish professor. I am not sure what would have happened if I took photo's of those crossings.
The same thing will happen in Cuba. You will always be able to go back and capture the natural landscapes and people of Cuba. That will not change. However, that unique span of time that Cuba was under a Communist dictatorship will be gone. Given the censorship and restraints on photography this period of time represents a once in a lifetime opportunity to get it down on photographs.
Last shot, will be North Korea. But nobody knows how quickly that will play out.
