MAKE THEM

EAT THEIR VEGGIES


"Miami AF" was chosen as a captivating play on words to pique people's interest and draw them into the book. The aim was to leverage the intriguing and bold nature of the phrase to immediately grab attention and entice potential readers.

By using this attention-grabbing hook, we intended to create a doorway into the book, allowing readers to explore deeper and discover the more meaningful subject matter and purpose within. The vibrant title acts as a lure, enticing a larger amount of  individuals to engage and delve into the book's pages and ultimately our message of persistence & sustainability.

“IF YOU END UP WITH THE STORY YOU SET OUT TO TELL YOU WEREN’T PAYING ATTENTION ALONG THE WAY”

Outcasts, fugitives, and exiles-, —the Miami skyline has been shaped by an improbable cast of characters who used its harsh environment as a perfect hideaway to escape persecution.

These groups homogenized and were later dubbed “cimarrónes”, by the colonizing Spaniards. The new name served as a description for those who were considered to be runaways, recluses, or
“The Wild Ones.”

It is there where we begin to track the story of this once small outpost under the sun. And while in the process of creating this book we learned that oddly, not much has changed as it relates to the people who chose to call Miami home.

  • SHOT OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD

  • SEQUENCING TRACKS FROM EAST TO WEST & PAST TO PRESENT DAY

  • 60/40 SPLIT FROM FILM & DIGITAL

  • 84 IMAGES TOTAL FROM *3253 TOTAL

  • Leica M240 and 40MM lens

  • THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF 5 LANDSCAPES & GANGSTERS BOOKS

In curating and sequencing the book, we made the hard choice to deliberately not to include pictures of people as they did not align with the central focus and theme of the project. The aim was to spotlight the vibrant landscapes and evoke the essence of Miami through its architecture, urban scenes, and natural beauty.

The absence of individuals in the imagery allowed us to emphasize the city's character, history, and visual aesthetics, concentrating solely on the built environment and the narratives it inherently conveyed. This intentional decision ensured that the book remained true to its intended message and portrayed Miami in a way that resonated with the chosen artistic vision and storytelling.


  • ONE 10” THICK TREE PRODUCES AN AVERAGE OF 62 BOOKS

  • ONE TREE TAKES ABOUT 6 YEARS TO GROW

  • A SMALL BOOK RUN IS 5K BOOKS  

  • PRODUCTION IS DONE OVERSEAS WITH UNSUPERVISED LABOR

The book cover, and origin of the book name. While working on images for the book we came across a flamingo floaty that flew away from the opposite side of the South Beach Pier. Its unfortunate end seemed like a fitting beginning to a story about Miami, its gangsters and the hope of one day being free from the violent consequences of the drug trade.