Around the World in Analogue: A Paradise in Miami

The coastal city of Miami, Florida is known for its pristine white sand beaches and sunny weather. The place also has a strong connection with Latin American culture. While the city is sought for its gorgeous seascapes and getaways, it's also a major urban hub in America, even having the third largest skyline in the country. Miami has the best of both worlds. Lomographer Maia Shampo a.k.a. maiashampo shares her piece of peace with these stunningly sunny and pastel-colored beach photographs taken with her Canon AE-1 and a roll of Cinestill 50D.

This trip to Miami was special because a group of exchange students were able to get together, explore some of the best sites America has to offer, bond, and also get a break from the draining and tiring work that is college. As the Spanish students said, they are going to keep traveling to Miami when they are homesick, as it is home to many Spanish speakers, Hispanic food, etc. It's almost like traveling to another country. I also tried Cinestill 50D for the first time - a film stock I had been wanting to try for a long time. Traveling to Miami gave me the opportunity to capture beautiful blue tones and vivid colors in a bright setting, which also motivated me to explore more of the settings and take more walks to my destinations in the city.

The local life in Miami is amazing. It’s inclusive for all kinds of people, there is tons of nightlife and even in 2021 during a pandemic, there is so much to do, for people of all interests. You can spend all day at the beach, go see the Miami Heat, go shopping, walk around downtown, go eat any time of food you want, go to a club, etc.

My tips are to befriend local people and be nice to whoever you come in contact with because they are likely to give you a lot of good recommendations.

My fondest memory of Miami was walking to the beach, which then turned into a photo walk for me. The weather was perfect - warm and sunny but not too hot. Coming from a cold spell in North Carolina, this was much needed. There were beautiful flowers, palm trees, and colorful buildings all along the walk. I was with a group of new friends and it was a nice way to talk and get to know each other.

The beach was my favorite place to take photos! The colors, the very vivid blue water, the pink and orange lifeguard towers, the colorful townhouses and flowers on the walk to the beach, the sun shining on the water, the palm trees… all of it! If you go to Miami, you have to try the seafood. It’s a must. I went to a restaurant called SuViche, which had sushi and ceviche and - wow. Two of my favorite foods in one restaurant? They had vegan ceviche as well!

Lately, my photography has been impacted not only by the pandemic but also as a full-time student. Finding time to shoot has been difficult, and it’s even been harder to be able to travel and take more pictures in interesting spots. Since Miami, I have been working at school, doing photography when I can. I won’t be traveling for a while but the next stop will be New Orleans for Mardi Gras, hopefully getting some good film photos there as well. :)

Want to take us Around the World in Analogue? Drop a line to ciel.hernandez@lomography.com with the subject Around the World in Analogue and share your unforgettable travels with the rest of the community! Read the guidelines here.

written by cielsan on 2022-01-12 #places #around-the-world #miami #around-the-world-in-analogue