Keith Montero

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He had arrived in New York to make his vision of becoming a photographer in “the Big Leagues,” as Montero calls it, more real. “I was always into living here,” says Montero, 33. “When I moved to New York, I was very much motivated to try to make something out of it.”

Moving to New York in the summer of 2015 brought him back to his roots. Montero was born in the East Tremont neighborhood of the West Bronx. Growing up, his father would simply call him “Keef.” His thick New York accent masked the proper pronunciation of Keith. The childhood name would eventually inspire Montero’s Instagram handle, @keefshoots.

Montero was primarily raised in Miami though, where his parents moved when he was four. Throughout childhood, Montero’s mother would give him disposable cameras, and he would take pictures mostly during family vacations, from the costumed characters at Disney World to landscapes in Cuba. Naturally, Montero developed an inclination for photography, an interest that would continue to develop.

Words by Sarah Gearheat