Smoke & Soul For the #monomad challenge

Hello to all lovers of black and white photography,

Today I’m sharing a very special series. It’s not just about cigars or portraits… it’s about an experience, a chapter, and a camera that marked a turning point in my photographic journey.

These images were taken in a small private bar in Havana; more like a café with soul: intimate, warm, and authentic. One of those places where time slows down, where silence is savored between drinks, and where cigar smoke isn’t just part of the air… it’s part of the ritual.

The owner, a true aficionado of Cuban cigars, used to organize private tasting events with friends. He invited me to capture those moments, not as a promotional shoot, but as a way to preserve the atmosphere. Like someone who wants to hold on to the emotion of a space, a time, a lifestyle.

And there I was, as excited as a kid with a new toy, carrying for the first time my Canon 60D, along with two lenses I had just managed to acquire: the classic 50mm f/1.8 and a 70–300mm that, until then, I had only seen in the hands of others. It was during that shoot that I truly started to understand their potential; and from that moment on, I left Nikon behind for good. It had been part of my beginnings, but no longer felt right for what I wanted to create.

From then on, the 60D became my main companion for years. And although my old Canon XTi; the very first camera I ever owned; stepped into the background, I still keep it with deep affection. I even use it from time to time, as a reminder of where I started and why we should never underestimate the gear we have when we have vision.

The images in this post are not meant to impress; they’re meant to convey. The smoke, the textures, the skin, the glass, the wood… all in black and white, stripping away the superficial to focus on what really matters. On the character of Cuban tobacco, the calm of the moment, and the quiet strength found in things made with care.

Thank you for looking; with your eyes, and with your soul.