A quirky advantage of working for an Italian company is that they’re very deliberate about taking time off for Christian holidays. It’s Easter, and most of the office has gone away. I decided to go to the beach again—work half the week, and enjoy the rest as time off.

One thing I’m drawn to in Miami is the sheer outwardness of it—especially compared to the cities I tend to live in or visit. Everyone is physically outside, sparingly dressed, and seemingly having a great time, with minimal apology or self-consciousness. Almost everyone in Miami thinks they’re the Main Character. I admire that. I’ve been trying to summon more Main Character energy for myself lately, lol.

The outwardness shows up in the buildings, too. There’s a stretch of South Beach lined with incredible Art Deco façades. I’m usually drawn to black lines and minimalism—if it were up to me, everything would look like graph paper—so it’s refreshing to have my taste challenged. Art Deco is so cool? The colors and ornamentation are totally wild. Judging by the shapes and patterns, everyone back then seems to have been really excited about automobiles, cruise ships, and… ancient Egypt?

Walking past the buildings, it struck me that Art Deco is basically confidence rendered in architecture. Bold lines, candy colors, no hesitation. And the façade is the point? It makes me wonder what my work—or my personality?—would look like if it were done more like this, honestly.

Being around here makes me want to build something weird. Practically not even functional, and definitely not minimal. Just expressive and odd. The whole place is an unexpected source of inspiration for me, and it’s cool to feel that here.

The Miami Design Preservation League hosts a daily walking tour through South Beach. I went Saturday morning. It was rad. I brought my camera and shot these photos.

I’m learning that architectural photography, even more so than other photography styles, is all about lighting—overcast days are ideal, so there aren’t any shadows on the façade. I’ll probably go back and shoot again. It was a good walk, and a perfect setting for taking photos.

Here’s what I got so far.