Nelson Alvarez is a Cuban-born architect, photographer, and educator based in Miami. He graduated from the Institute Technical Superior of Havana (CUJAE) School of Architecture in 1979 and earned a Master's Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Venice (IUAV) in 1992, where he lived and worked for over a decade.

In Venice, Alvarez combined his expertise in architecture, photography, graphic design, and freehand drawing, collaborating on architectural projects while supporting his family as a professional photographer. He moved to Miami in 2004, where he continues to work as an architect, professor, photographer, and Italian and Spanish language tutor.

Alvarez's photography follows the principle of "Less is More," defined by minimal elements, precise composition, restrained color palettes, and light as the protagonist. Inspired by photographers such as Jeanloup Sieff, Mario Giacomelli, and Richard Avedon, as well as Old Masters like Caravaggio and Vermeer, his work explores urban environments, architecture, dance, theater, portraits, and the human body—often using dramatic shadows to convey deeper meaning.

His upcoming project, inspired by Hugo Pratt's Corto Maltese, will be a book exploring the "genius loci" of charming cities through drawings and photography. (photonelsonalvarez.com)