Whether you live in Miami or not, you’re probably familiar with the city’s storied, drug-fueled past of the late 1970’s and early 80’s (hello Miami Vice).  You may have even seen Cocaine Cowboys, a documentary film featuring first-hand accounts of the major drug trafficking and subsequent money laundering operations that took place in Miami during that time.  This happens to be one of my all-time favorite documentary films, so when I got the assignment to photograph the film’s director (and local Miamian), Billy Corben, for Time Out Miami, I was thrilled.

The magazine arranged for us to meet up at Books and Books on Lincoln Road, downstairs from Billy’s production office.  After photographing him in front of some architecturally interesting backgrounds nearby, we ended the shoot on a fitting note-  making his portrait in the back alley of his office, where he sat on a staircase leading nowhere, chatting about this crazy place we call home.  #miami #florida