Alla Prima Photo — an embossed signature on textured paper

THE PHOTOGRAPHER

Blackzaphir

“I graduated from my eye.”
Read my story ↓

A COLLECTION · 30 PHOTOGRAPHS

Coral Gables,
after the rain.

The theater, the streets, and the light left on the pavement.
Select a photograph to see it larger.

The Miracle Theatre on a rainy evening
01 / 30The Miracle Theatre on a rainy evening
The theater entrance reflected in the wet pavement
02 / 30The theater entrance reflected in the wet pavement
A side view of the theater marquee and doors
03 / 30A side view of the theater marquee and doors
Amber shop windows and a Leica sign above wet bricks
04 / 30Amber shop windows and a Leica sign above wet bricks
Street lamps reflected along a rain-soaked walkway
05 / 30Street lamps reflected along a rain-soaked walkway
Red window panels above a patterned wet sidewalk
06 / 30Red window panels above a patterned wet sidewalk
Lighted columns along the pedestrian street
07 / 30Lighted columns along the pedestrian street
An autumn display beside the wet street
08 / 30An autumn display beside the wet street
Palms and streetlights reflected in a puddle
09 / 30Palms and streetlights reflected in a puddle
Shopfront lights beneath a tree across the rainy street
10 / 30Shopfront lights beneath a tree across the rainy street
A sheltered walkway beside illuminated shop windows
11 / 30A sheltered walkway beside illuminated shop windows
White lamps and distant shop windows above glistening bricks
12 / 30White lamps and distant shop windows above glistening bricks
An illuminated corner building beyond a rain-soaked road
13 / 30An illuminated corner building beyond a rain-soaked road
Traffic lights cast green reflections across an intersection
14 / 30Traffic lights cast green reflections across an intersection
Restaurant lights reflected beneath a tree
15 / 30Restaurant lights reflected beneath a tree
A quiet passage with tables beneath the trees
16 / 30A quiet passage with tables beneath the trees
String lights above a narrow passage toward the clock tower
17 / 30String lights above a narrow passage toward the clock tower
Wet paving and bollards facing the lighted storefronts
18 / 30Wet paving and bollards facing the lighted storefronts
A flower-framed entrance beside the evening street
19 / 30A flower-framed entrance beside the evening street
Curved metal and timber architectural details
20 / 30Curved metal and timber architectural details
A stone fountain and a lamp in the night
21 / 30A stone fountain and a lamp in the night
Autumn decorations reflected beside a fountain
22 / 30Autumn decorations reflected beside a fountain
A pumpkin in the fountain beside a rain-darkened path
23 / 30A pumpkin in the fountain beside a rain-darkened path
A palm silhouetted against the evening sky
24 / 30A palm silhouetted against the evening sky
The clock tower framed by autumn-colored leaves
25 / 30The clock tower framed by autumn-colored leaves
Light trails beneath the clock tower and a starburst streetlight
26 / 30Light trails beneath the clock tower and a starburst streetlight
Window reflections with café chairs
27 / 30Window reflections with café chairs
Leaves and soft streetlights at night
28 / 30Leaves and soft streetlights at night
Yellow flowers surrounded by soft colored light
29 / 30Yellow flowers surrounded by soft colored light
The clock tower at dusk with passing cars and reflections
30 / 30The clock tower at dusk with passing cars and reflections

IN MY OWN WORDS

Learning
to see.

I always loved photography, but I didn’t own a camera until I came to this country at twenty-six. One of the first things I did was buy one—an Olympus film camera. I don’t remember the model. I would take photographs, bring the film to be developed, and return to see what I had captured. That was how I began learning.

Later, a friend who was retiring sold me a professional Nikon camera with lenses. I believe it was an F3. I wanted to take photography further. Learning wasn’t as accessible as it is today, so I asked a photographer I knew to take me on as an apprentice. He refused.

I was disappointed. I sold the camera and gave up trying to become a professional photographer. But I never stopped loving cameras, and I never stopped taking photographs.

Whenever I had the opportunity, I bought cameras and kept learning through them. Through the viewfinder, I learned to find things that mattered to me—to appreciate color, light, exposure, and beauty.

Am I a great photographer? Maybe. I believe I’m a good one. What I know is that I’ve learned to see.

I didn’t go to photography school. I graduated from my eye.

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