People of Rochester - Cubanophile

As I noted in my first post, when I'm not working with customers, one of my favorite things to do is walk around with a camera and meet people in the community. I happen to live in Rochester's Neighborhood of the Arts, so it's a short walk to Railroad Street and the Public Market.

The Rochester Public Market is one of my favorite locations. I love the variety of cultures, ethnicities, shapes, and sizes. It's a little bit like walking on the streets of New York City, but on a much smaller scale.

I've met many interesting people on the streets of Rochester, and some have given me permission to photograph them and share their photos. The public market isn't the only place I've met people in Rochester, but I've probably captured more street portraits there than at any other Rochester location.

The man in the photo wearing a colorful hat decorated by assorted buttons and knickknacks is a Cubanophile--a lover of all things Cuban. I approached him because I liked that he boldly wore his offbeat, eye-catching hat at the public market. When I asked him about the hat, he presented a monologue about how great Cuba is. I wish I'd noted more of the various points he was making about what makes Cuba great, but what mattered most to me was that he had no reservations about proudly displaying a visible sign of his love for Cuba, his native country.