Miami 2023

Miami Polaroids 2023 marks my final year in South Florida. As rising costs pushed me toward leaving the city, I used my remaining time to photograph as much as I could at Muscle Beach, Miami Pride, and Haulover’s clothing-optional shore.

These images function as a farewell to Miami — a collection of sunlit bodies, brief encounters, and the queer community that shaped and sustained me during my years there. Working with one-of-one instant film, I treated each Polaroid as both souvenir and testament: physical proof of the heat, freedom, and desire that defined my life in the city before I rolled onward.

A shirtless man wearing only underwear sitting on a large, twisted tree branch outdoors with leaves and other trees in the background.
A shirtless man with dark hair and a slight smile, holding onto a large tree branch or trunk outdoors during dusk or dawn.
A person standing nude outdoors, holding their head with both hands. The background features palm trees and a bench, suggesting a beach or tropical setting.
A muscular man sitting nude on a wooden bench outdoors in a tropical setting with palm trees in the background.
A shirtless young man with short dark hair and a necklace, standing outdoors with palm trees in the background, under a bright sky.
A young man wearing only underwear hanging from a tree branch outdoors.
Polaroid photo of a person's face partially illuminated, with dark shadows and a blue sky visible at the top.
A person in swim trunks crouching on a wooden platform at the beach with palm trees in the background.
A shirtless person with hands on their belly, wearing blue shorts, outdoors near water and trees.
A shirtless man with dark hair posing outdoors with palm trees in the background, during sunset or sunrise.
A young man in swim trunks crawling on a wooden platform outdoors with palm trees in the background.
A young man is sitting on a wooden bench at the beach, wearing a floral bikini bottom and no shirt, with palm trees in the background.
Close-up of a person's lower back and buttocks, wearing black fishnet stockings and a pink sweatshirt, standing on a balcony overlooking city buildings.
A man standing on a balcony, wearing a white sweater with a large 'Y' on the front, with his hand on his waist and looking at the camera.
A person standing on a balcony wearing a white sweatshirt, with their back to the camera, showing their bare legs and buttocks. City buildings are visible in the background during dusk.
A young man standing in a poolside area wearing blue swim trunks, with a wooden fence and green plants in the background, and a closed patio umbrella nearby.
A shirtless person standing outdoors, wearing shiny blue underwear, with a tattoo of an ankh symbol on their waist, in front of a wooden fence and green foliage, under a partly cloudy sky.
Person pulling down shiny blue underwear, revealing thighs and lower abdomen.
Back view of a person wearing shiny blue shorts, standing outdoors near tropical plants.
A shirtless young man wearing swim trunks standing by a swimming pool with a wooden fence, large green plants, and an umbrella in the background.
Close-up of a shirtless man wearing shiny blue briefs, hands pulling at the waistband, with greenery in the background.
A shirtless man with tan skin and dark hair posing outdoors against a blue sky with clouds and palm trees in the background.
A person wearing only a tie-dye thong standing outdoors near a wooden fence and plants.
A shirtless young man with dark hair standing in front of green foliage, wearing a necklace and a bracelet, looking at the camera with a relaxed expression and touching his hair.
A shirtless man with tattooed arms, wearing sunglasses and black shorts, sitting outdoors near a palm tree on a sunny day.
A shirtless man with tattoos, wearing sunglasses and wireless earbuds, stands outdoors near a palm tree against a clear sky. The word "Blessed" is tattooed across his chest.
Back view of a young person with short curly hair, covered in sand, standing at the beach with palm trees and lounge chairs in the background.
Young man with dark skin smiling and showing white teeth, shirtless on a beach with palm trees in the background.
A shirtless man with tattoos on his shoulders and chest, standing outdoors on a beach with palm trees in the background.
A shirtless man with curly hair and sunglasses posing outdoors with palm trees in the background.
A shirtless man wearing sunglasses and smiling, giving a thumbs-up, outdoors with palm trees and beach in the background.
A happy Siberian Husky dog with blue eyes and a black nose, standing on a concrete surface with a leash, next to a person's legs in sneakers.
A muscular man wearing sunglasses, a cross necklace, red underwear, and standing outdoors near a building with red and white walls, striking a confident pose.
A shirtless man with a beard and sunglasses, wearing a cross necklace, standing against a pink and white background.
A shirtless man with curly hair and a beard, smiling and standing outdoors with palm trees in the background.
A shirtless man with curly hair and a goatee lying on the ground with palm trees behind him.
A man with tattoos on his chest and shoulders, wearing sunglasses and a cap, taking a selfie at the beach with a camera mounted on a bike handlebar.
Four people, three men standing and one woman seated in a motorized wheelchair, in front of palm trees, at a sunny outdoor location.
Two women sitting outdoors on a picnic blanket, one with light skin and the other with dark skin, with a city skyline in the background.
A man with a hat and sunglasses is lying on a beach chair with a breathing mask connected to a tank, at a sandy beach with people and high-rise buildings in the background.
Close-up of a person's pelvic region wearing a white thong, showing dark skin and body hair.
A person with a broad smile wearing a black and white striped shirt at a dimly lit event or party, surrounded by other people with blue-tinted lights in the background.
A person dressed in a colorful silk shirt with tiger and dragon designs, yellow shorts, and multiple bracelets, smiling and standing with one arm extended. There is a vehicle with a partial logo behind them.
Two people smiling, wearing colorful curly wigs and accessories, outdoors with a partly cloudy sky and palm trees in the background.
A person with braided hair wearing a patterned robe and bright yellow underwear, holding a microphone on stage, with a Pepsi advertisement visible in the background.
A woman with curly hair and sunglasses standing near a stage with mushroom-shaped decorations and tropical foliage.
A person with curly hair and sunglasses standing in a crowded indoor venue, wearing a lanyard with the text 'MASSIVE'.
A man wearing sunglasses and a white shirt taking a selfie at a lively outdoor event or festival, with colorful lights and other attendees in the background.
Close-up of a person's midsection, wearing a black bikini bottom with side ties, on a beach or outdoor area with people in swimsuits and a sign that reads 'ENT' in the background.
A person in a long, green dress standing under a canopy at an outdoor event.
A shirtless man with pink hair, wearing sunglasses, and a large black tattoo of a snake on his chest, stands in a crowd at a concert or event, with stage lights and a backdrop visible in the background.
Two people in colorful costumes, one with sunglasses, blonde hair, and a beard mask, and the other with glasses, licking a banana, at a playful or themed event.
Three smiling men at a pride event, with rainbow flags in the background. The man in the center is in a wheelchair with equipment attached, and the other two men are standing beside him, all wearing casual summer clothing.
A shirtless person pulling down their underwear to reveal their genitals.
A close-up photo of a man's torso with visible abs and chest hair, wearing jeans unbuttoned and pulled down slightly around the waist.
A Polaroid photo showing a topless man standing outdoors at night, with reflections and city lights in the background.
A shirtless man with ripped jeans standing outdoors at night. He is holding something in his right hand, and there are small lights in the background.
A person with short dark hair standing nude with their back to the camera, outdoors at night, with city lights visible in the background.
A shirtless man standing outdoors at night with his hand on his hip, wearing bright blue underwear, with a small tattoo on his right thigh and a black necklace.
A young man standing in the dark, completely nude with a blue towel tied around his waist. The background shows a night scene with distant lights.
A person standing outdoors at night, shirtless and wearing pants, with their back to the camera.
A shirtless young man with dark hair standing outdoors among trees, with sunlight filtering through the leaves.
A shirtless young man with a necklace stands outdoors among dense trees, with sunlight filtering through the foliage behind him.
Nude man with dark hair standing outdoors among green foliage, with a background suggesting a natural setting.
A young man standing outdoors, nude, in front of dense green foliage, on a sandy ground.
A shirtless man with dark skin and short hair, wearing dark shorts, is stretching with his arms overhead against a backdrop of city buildings and construction cranes. A white dog stands on the ground behind him.
A shirtless man with dark skin standing outdoors against a cloudy sky, with a structure in the background.
A shirtless young man standing outdoors on a rooftop with a blue sky background.
A portrait of a young person with short hair, smiling softly, with light and shadow stripes across their face and shoulders.
Portrait of a shirtless young man with short hair, standing in front of a wall with horizontal blinds casting striped shadows on his face and upper body.
Polaroid photo showing a shirtless person with their back to the camera and a second person in the background, partially visible, with sunlight and window blinds creating shadows.
A person standing naked with sunlight casting shadows on the wall behind them, highlighting their side profile and body contours.
Close-up of a silhouette of a female bust with a blurred background and horizontal shadow lines.