Lenny Furman: Miami Beach Photographer

ABOVE: Miami Beach Hotel Strip

One of Lenny Furman’s most important relationships is with one of his favorite subjects:  the city of Miami Beach.  Born in Havana and raised in Miami Beach, the affable photographer is one of those rare people who seem to be just right: doing what they love, where they love.  “I absolutely love it,” says Lenny.  “I’ve traveled to other cities but I wouldn’t trade it for anywhere else in the world.”
Lenny comes from a line of Lithuanian and Polish immigrants who immigrated to Cuba in the 1920s; the family eventually moved to Miami Beach in 1965. Being both Jewish and Cuban, Lenny possesses a bit of chutzpah and chispa that helped him succeed in a tough field.
Photography has always been Lenny’s passion, in spite of a career that has also touched upon the clothing and TV broadcasting industries.  After graduating from Miami Beach High School, Lenny attended Florida International University, where he sold photographs to the college newspaper.  Later, he worked as a biomedical photographer at the Rosenstein School of Medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital, which led him to realize he was truly a more of an outgoing, people-oriented photographer.  “I developed film shot to detect cancer cells.  It was very depressing.  I didn’t want to be in the dark room all the time.”
During the Miami Vice era of the 1980s, Lenny was in the thick of things—he shot for the Sun Reporter and worked as City of Miami Beach photographer.  In addition to covering civic and political events, Lenny also got a taste of clicking the shutter for celebrities.  By the 1990s, he was working for South Beach Photo Agency with credentials and also shooting for Getty Images.

ABOVE: Outside Rumi Nightclub
Lenny describes one night in 1996 as one of the most interesting moments of his life.  “I waited until 4 am outside Club Liquid for Madonna to arrive with Ingrid Casares.  I got a beautiful shot of her looking straight at me.  It was a perfect moment, worth the wait.”
Over the years, Lenny developed a portfolio that reads like a dizzying who’s who of celebrities, or as he puts it, “from A to Z, every celebrity that ever landed in Miami Beach.”  His work has been published in over 40 countries and he’s still receiving royalties.
When asked why so many celebrities flock to Miami Beach, Lenny believes the city provides an escape.  For photographers, the season is also a boon:  “Winter light in Miami is great.  It’s absolutely gorgeous.”
Today, Lenny has moved on from a celebrity focus and is working freelance for such clients as SOL Sotheby’s International Realty and Social Affairs Magazine, as well doing portraits and private events.  “I’m still learning,” he explains. “Now everything is digital.  It’s different.”
If the best teacher is always a student, Lenny still enjoys not just bringing out the best of his subjects in portraits, but also inspiring other artists.  “I like to inspire people to do better,” he explains.  “It’s a very competitive field, but I’m willing to inspire and motivate other photographers or anyone creative looking for a little push.”

ABOVE: Carlos Justo from the TV show “Million Dollar Agents”

One of Lenny’s new passions is still life photography, specifically large fine art prints for high-end clients.  Although photographing flowers and fruits is less people-oriented, Lenny doesn’t mind focusing on a more introspective process.  “The beauty is in the connection between the camera and the photographer and the opportunity to grab the light of a subject.”

Related Links: • Lenny Furman at Flickr • Miami Beach Hotel Strip Related Categories: Miami: Local News, About the Author: Maria de los Angeles is a freelance wordsmith who loves to write about all things travel in Florida and the Caribbean. She is also the author of the award-winning blog Sex and the Beach. See more articles by Maria de los Angeles. See more articles by Maria de los Angeles Was This Post Helpful? Please Share It With Others! Tweet

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