Years ago I was a tour boat captain navigating the waters of Biscayne Bay, where my tours would lead me through the bustling Port of Miami, filled with massive ships carrying everything imaginable. Armed with my old camera phone, I would sneakily capture these moments, some resulting in lower-resolution images that add an impressionistic touch, reflecting the raw essence of the experience. My priority was always my passengers, so I shot "on the fly," with each spontaneous image shaped by the unpredictable dance of sunlight, cloud cover, and choppy waters. I’ve always been captivated by the elegant complexity of the gantry cranes gliding along their tracks to offload cargo, and the legends of containers lost at sea—everything from cars to rubber ducks—fascinated me. The "Steel Curtain Miami" series was born from this time.

The “steel curtain” of a cargo ship serves as a metaphor for the hull itself. When you peel it back, you uncover how culture and trade shape our lives.

It isn't until you are close enough, and able to distinguish each container stacked on its decks, that the full magnitude of what these ships represent sets in. From the steel used to build its hull, to the propulsion that moves it across oceans; a cargo ship is the ultimate manifestation of the industrial revolution.

Saltwater, blazing sun, and drenching rain create mesmerizing pockets of rust and wash away layers of paint, resulting in breathtaking natural visual illusions. The vibrant colors and textures tell a story of perseverance, as nature's hand creates a visual symphony that blurs the line between reality and abstraction.

The sweet manatees of Biscayne Bay are gentle giants that represent the serene beauty of Florida's coastal waters. Their presence, along with the diverse marine life in the bay, underscores the importance of conservation efforts to protect their fragile habitat.

Stiltsville, located in Biscayne Bay, is a collection of colorful wooden houses on stilts. Established in the 1930s as fishing camps, these structures became social hubs. Today, only 7 of the original buildings have survived storms and hurricanes, making Stiltsville a symbol of resilience and a popular destination for boaters and photographers.
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