At just three years old, a very young Josh Aronson ’12 and his family made the move from Toronto, Canada to South Florida, seeking warmer weather and better working opportunities for his parents.
In what was meant to be a temporary, two-year long stop, Miami eventually became the permanent residence for the Aronson family, and the place that Josh still calls home. After living there for several years, Josh’s parents knew they wanted something more for their children’s education. “When I was getting ready to start middle school, my parents were seeking a more challenging environment, a community that would inspire and a clearer path toward the future for my siblings and me,” he explained. So, committed to making the commute every day from Miami to Fort Lauderdale, Josh’s parents landed on Pine Crest School.
Portrait of Josh Aronson ’12 with his artworks on the porch of the William Wagner House, the oldest known home in Miami, Florida, by photographer Nicole Combeau
“It was well worth it,” said Josh. “At Pine Crest, I was certainly challenged academically, but I was also inspired, like my parents had hoped, to explore and pursue different things. It was my fellow classmates at Pine Crest who introduced me to photography, and pushed me to really dive into it. They were the ones who encouraged me to continue getting better at the craft.” Josh also took advantage of other opportunities unique to Pine Crest at that time, like an expanding PCTV platform. “When I was there, around 2010-11, the program had begun transitioning from a broadcast television-only format, to embracing more film and cinema work. Having access to something like that right there at school really helped cement my interest in making images, whether photographically or cinematically,” he said. Josh also noted that Pine Crest connected him to the individuals that he would remain close to, even after graduation. “The friends I made at Pine Crest, but more specifically through those creative channels, became my friends for life.”
Josh also highlighted his experience in theater at Pine Crest, where he acted in plays, assisted with directing, and took a theater class as an elective. “I found the theater program, and my teacher Mr. Jim Patrick in particular, pretty galvanizing. He was someone that encouraged me to explore my creative side. While I’m not a professional actor now, it was those moments and principles he instilled in me that helped me feel confident enough to do something creative in life; that it was worth pursuing. I really credit Pine Crest with instilling in me so much of that eagerness to explore and push myself that feels so essential to the work I do now.”
Upon graduating from Pine Crest, Josh knew he wanted to pursue something in the arts professionally, but had not decided on a specific college major at Northwestern University. “I knew the arts would be my end goal, but I figured that if I was going to spend the rest of my life as a creative, I might as well take those four years of college to explore and study things that would make my art richer and more interesting.” Josh found Philosophy to be an eye-opener, especially for a young person in their formative college years. “It provided an avenue for me to study, to read and learn about other people’s perspectives on life and the world and how we’re all meant to move through it. It really ended up helping me gain deeper insight and better grasp over my own beliefs about the world,” he said.
Josh Aronson, Capsized, 2025, from Florida Boys
After building a solid philosophical foundation, Josh used the time after graduation to get his bearings. “I went into college having made some really amazing friends in the creative world in New York City, and when I finished school, I reconnected with them. They were very supportive in helping me pursue a career in the arts,” he said. Josh moved back to South Florida from Chicago and worked for LeBron James's clothing boutique in Miami, creating content, photos and videos to advertise and promote the clothing line. “While working at the boutique in Miami, I started taking on freelance photography assignments on the side. Different artists found me online and commissioned me to take their portraits. That was a gig that kept me working in the creative world, and it also provided me with a small glimpse into how my life could look if I pursued photography professionally.”
Josh’s work even managed to get noticed across the Atlantic. In 2018, a curator who lived in a rural area of Russia called Nizhny Tagil, saw some of his portraits online, and invited him to exhibit his work in a remote, independent museum. “I had no connection to Russia, but here I was, a young, up-and-coming artist that was being given a great opportunity to get my work out.” Josh explained that while he was on board with exhibiting, he felt the time was right to take a chance. “I told the curator that I had no problem showing the portraits he had already seen, but I asked him how he felt about a new body of work that I had been creating. I sent him some pictures, he agreed, and we ended up doing the show.” Titled "With Mind Dyed Blue," the show featured portraits of people styling their body hair similarly to how they style the hair on their heads. “It was definitely out there conceptually, but it was very cool to observe the audience respond and interact with the portraits. They were much more outlandish, eccentric pieces, and nothing like the work that I do now, but I suppose part of being an artist is the journey,” Josh quipped.
In the year leading up to his showing in Russia, Josh shared that he found himself flying to New York for photography once every few months, then once a month, then once every two weeks, until eventually, he was getting work so frequently that he decided to move to New York City. “That was really when my life as a freelance editorial and commercial photographer began, and I’ve been doing that ever since,” he said.
Josh Aronson, Sirens, 2025, from Florida Boys
Though he was finding notable success working with prestigious brands and publications that included Vogue, ULTA Beauty, Financial Times and The New York Times, Josh shared that he returned to South Florida during the pandemic in 2020 to be closer to home and family. “It was interesting,” he said, “because when I got back, I found that the local photography scene had grown significantly. There were so many companies and business leaders that moved south because of the pandemic, just like I had.” Josh explained that where there are major industry players, there is a need for photography. “The work followed me. That’s something I wasn’t expecting. It allowed me to continue my career successfully, and I’m now living a life I never imagined possible in Florida. I’ve been able to use photography as an excuse to meet fascinating people, to collaborate and share ideas. The camera is like a passport that allows me to explore so many different worlds. That is ultimately what I’ve always been most interested in.”
As Josh continued to reestablish his permanence in the Sunshine State, he became intrigued by the creative freedom of Floridians and the attractive natural landscapes surrounding him. He took the liberty of exploring more of the state’s parks and protected areas. “The weather and environment here are so charming, and unlike those found anywhere else in the U.S.,” said Josh. “As a visual person, those elements are really attractive. I’ve spent the last five to six years since coming back exploring the state at length, visiting the parks, springs and beaches, and using the time as an excuse to get to know Florida better.”
Arguably his most recognized styling, Josh explained that he is most known for his artistic approach of creating staged, utopian, fantastical photographs featuring young Floridians, sometimes as individuals but often in groups, amidst natural landscapes. Motivated by both his personal connection to Florida and a desire to represent overlooked or even marginalized aspects of Florida life, he described his specific body of work "Florida Boys" as telling stories of young men who defy traditional stereotypes; they tend to be more artistic or particularly sensitive individuals, with the goal of encouraging acceptance of non-traditional identities. “I employ staged scenes of these young men in moments of repose or play or joy—moments of connection with one another and with the natural world around them. I try to present the side of Florida life that I want to see in the world, so that hopefully a young student at Pine Crest can pick up a photo book one day with some of my work in it and see themselves; if not in the physical location, then in the kind of stories that I’m telling or the types of identities I’m expressing. Art is essential to life, because as humans we are expressive and communal in nature. It should be the one medium that feels inclusive for everybody.”
Art has given Josh the confidence to be bold and take risks, something he again credits to Pine Crest. “I was a Canadian kid with family from the Middle East and Eastern Europe, and when we got to Florida and my parents enrolled me at Pine Crest, I didn’t know many people. More than wanting to stand out, I wanted to find my people. I wanted to make friends, feel seen, and understand where I fit in. Pine Crest gave me the space to become more comfortable with myself and, over time, more willing to take risks,” said Josh.
Portrait of Josh Aronson ’12 in Big Cypress, Florida by photographer Angie Vero.
“Even skills like pitching myself and cold emailing, which are so important for freelance professionals, are skills I began developing during my time at Pine Crest. I believe the best art comes from a personal place, and my own journey has certainly shaped the work I make. I would want the same for young people getting ready to find their own paths: be your own biggest advocate, lean on others, and don’t be afraid to push the envelope. You’ll be amazed at the life you can create.”
