In the winter of 2022, we left California and began a new life in southern Spain, trading everything for a life unknown with nothing but two suitcases and our dog. In the lingering aftermath of COVID, my husband and I chose to reboot ourselves and chose Málaga for its history, climate, and Mediterranean ease, planting roots in a country we had never visited before, but embracing a simpler way of living.

My camera quickly became my compass, a way to make sense of the unfamiliar by documenting the layers of ancient architecture alongside contemporary Spanish life. Everything felt new, foreign, and at times overwhelming. Gradually my attention turned toward the men of Andalucía and I began searching for collaborations.

This book centers on my work with Jaime, a Malagueño living in the rolling hills outside the city. The images from our two collaborations are intercut with my photographs of Málaga taken that first year, representing an outsider finding his way.