Let’s explore Miami, Florida with local photographer Jenny Abrams. Be sure to check out her vibrant Instagram feed for a taste of the local life here: @ShaynaBatya

Name: Shayna Batya

Place you live: Miami

Occupation: Visual Storyteller

Preoccupation: Disc Jockey (DJ Banal)

Can you sum up Miami? Lots of harsh light, fortunately there are palm trees to relax under with Cuban coffee to drink.

What is a perfect day in Miami? There are so many things to do in Miami but for me the most simple things are my favorite. Definitely some time spent by a body of water, whether it’s Biscayne Bay or the ocean, there’s nothing better than the saltwater. Grabbing a fresh juice from any of the Latin restaurants is a must. My favorite would be Maracuya (Passion Fruit) juice from Sabor A Peru, one of the best mom and pop Peruvian restaurants.

If Miami was a person or a character who would it be and why? Definitely “The Mask” – a bi-polar city that doesn’t know if it should rain or shine, but definitely knows how to party and have a wild time.

How long have you been using Instagram? About five years.

Do you shoot with your phone or other cameras or both? Both. I try to not resort to using my phone so much, but sometimes it’s the quickest tool. It really depends on the circumstance, but I always carry my actual camera with me.

What is your editing process? Super simple. I like to do minimal editing on my photos. I usually just adjust curves in Camera Raw, but sometimes apply and edit film filters in Lightroom too.

Has Instagram/phoneography affected how you shoot? It hasn’t affected how I shoot, but it definitely effects where I choose to post my work. I used to stick just to my blog and tumblr, now there are so many media outlets, it’s hard to be consistent in all.

Can you give a couple tips to aspiring Instagram photographers? Stop worrying about likes, just shoot.

Who are your three favorite Instagrammers? @mustafahabdulaziz, @josecabaco, @arnold_daniel