After freelancing in Hollywood as a photographer he turned his attention to film editing and later to writing and directing for theater and film. In between projects, his journeys to Cuba reminded him that he was a photographer first and foremost. Many of his photographs have been licensed for print, cds, television and films, including for the HBO series, “Six Feet Under”, and for Warner Brothers, “Queen of the Damned”
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Cubanos: Island Portraits
Photographs by Lorenzo DeStefano
July 22, 2015
Santa Paula News
In celebration of Ventura Artwalk and its theme “Havana to Cuba,” the Museum of Ventura County will exhibit photographs by Lorenzo DeStefano, created during his several journeys to Cuba, between 1993 and 1998. DeStefano crisscrossed the island, traversing its urban centers as well as lesser known rural provinces, using every opportunity to capture intimate portraits of its inhabitants.
Through his photographs we see glimpses of everyday life in Cuba from 20 years ago. Candid portraits like Clara Falcon and grandson, El Cobre, Cuba, 1993 allows viewers to explore unfamiliar landscapes and people, while reaffirming our common humanity. Lorenzo DeStefano said, “As someone born and raised in Hawai’i I felt an immediate affinity for the Cuban people and their island landscape. It was only later that I learned that Cuba and Hawai’i, while almost 5,000 miles apart, share the same polar latitude, 21° north of the equator. These pictures are part of my ongoing search for those moments when the lens reveals people’s lives, and their gaze meets mine.”
About the Artist
A Ventura-based photographer born and raised in Honolulu, Lorenzo began working during and after high school as a Hawaii location scout and stills man for local and national commercials. He photographed extensively in the islands and in Europe before completing “REST HOMES - HAWAII”, his first large-scale project as a photojournalist.
