Photographer recalls favourite image of Cuban woman smoking

Photographer Árni Sæberg has recalled how he took one of his favourite photographs in Cuba, mbl.is reported. He discussed the story in the Dagmál programme ahead of his 70th birthday.

Sæberg was visiting Cuba several years ago with three cameras. One day, he was carrying two of them when he stumbled and broke both.

He was left with an old-fashioned wooden box camera, which requires the photographer to place a cloth over his head while taking a picture. Sæberg took the camera into the Cuban countryside, where he captured the black-and-white image.

The photograph shows a rural woman standing beside the charcoal stove in her home and smoking. Sæberg is particularly fond of black-and-white photography.

He has worked as a photographer for Morgunblaðið for more than 40 years.