Behind the Lens
Jorge j. Pérez
Hello, and welcome!
I'm glad you're here, exploring my photographs. I hope you enjoy them. If you've found your way here, it's likely because you're curious about my work and the person behind the body of work in this portfolio. So, let me tell you a little about myself and my journey through photography.
My name is Jorge Javier Perez, and I am a Cuban photographer born in Havana, now living in Miami, Florida. I was born on February 21, 1987, in a neighborhood called El Cerro, one of the most unique and emblematic places in the city. Like many children, I spent countless hours drawing, pencil in hand. That passion for visual expression likely came from relatives who also had an affinity for art. While I wouldn’t call myself a Cuban Picasso, those early years of drawing helped shape my understanding of composition, form, and light, fundamental elements in my evolution as a photographer.
In terms of formal education, I graduated as a Technician in Electronics in 2006 from the Osvaldo Herrera Polytechnic in Havana. Around that time, two events changed the course of my life. First, I discovered Adobe Photoshop, an editing tool that captivated my curiosity about images and forms—just as drawing had in earlier years. Then, as a reward for completing my studies, my father gifted me my first camera. “Thank you, Dad”. From that moment on, I was completely hooked, caught in this “trap” of light and imagery—a place I have no desire to escape. Photography became more than a passion; it became my most sincere mode of expression.
My formal training in photography began in early 2008 when I took workshops on camera operation and the history of photography at the reborn Photographic Club of Cuba. That experience marked a turning point for me. There, I met mentors and discovered the work of photographers who would become my first major influences. I was introduced to Henri Cartier-Bresson and his concept of the decisive moment, as well as Robert Frank, a Swiss immigrant whose groundbreaking book The Americans forever changed the course of photography. His outsider perspective on American life resonated deeply with me, and his images would later take on even greater significance in my own journey.
Then, in late 2011, my life changed drastically. A new city, a new country, a new language. It was the most abrupt transition I had ever experienced what I call "The Leap into the Void." I arrived in the country that Robert Frank had once documented—the land of Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus, Garry Winogrand, and many other great photographers.
Over the past 13 years living in the United States, my work has been shaped by themes of identity, migration, and memory. One of my ongoing projects, Legacy in Stone, began in 2017 and focuses on the Cuban community in the U.S. by documenting the José Martí busts scattered across the country. Through these statues, I explore the connection between Cuban heritage and its presence in American society. In Miami 11-21, I turn to street photography to document my first ten years living in Miami, capturing the essence of the city that became my second home. More recently, in The House of Red Slabs, I return to Cuba to photograph the transformations in the neighborhood where I grew up, reflecting on change, nostalgia, and the passage of time.
Beyond photography, I am also a videographer and video editor, and I’ve had the opportunity to create and edit national TV commercials for various brands in the U.S. This experience has allowed me to expand my storytelling skills, combining my passion for visuals with motion and narrative.
Now, years after taking my first photograph, my love for this craft remains unwavering. And yet, the most important image is always the next one I’m about to take. Through my lens, I document my journey revealing not only who I am, but the roots that shaped me.
This is just a glimpse of my story. See you in the next frame.
