I was sitting at the pool of the Mondrian Hotel in South Beach in March, thoroughly enjoying the magnificent sunset that burned across the vista. My new addiction to photography made me lament the fact that I’d forgotten to bring my camera down from the room. I looked at the phone in my lap and remembered that the iphone 4 takes incredible pictures. I snapped a few of the sunset when a woman who had her camera with her stepped right into the shot, offering me a perfect, iconic silhouette. She shot the sunset, I shot her. As she sat down with her husband to show him her results, I showed them this picture. They didn’t speak English and I did not speak their northern European language, but I was able to offer her my phone to type in her email address, and sent her the picture right then and there. They were so happy about it. I was so happy about it. I love technology.

And, I love this shot, even though the pool hook pokes itself into the middle of it, because this, to me, is Florida. This is what feels like home. After suffering through the dreary Michigan winter, which is anathema to my inner bikini sensibility, this moment held deeper relief, a hope in a time of transition. This moment is what life should be.