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From drag queens to trucks, Nabil Harb’s hometown of Lakeland, Florida, is a place he doesn’t want to leave. His knowledge and connection to the area’s land and its communities have made central Florida his photography’s focus.

“There’s this kind of tension between the levels of narrative that can occur here,” Harb said. “And maybe that depends on who you are and what you bring to it, for me it’s Polk County and I know it so well.”

Nabil Harb’s exhibit, “Mater si, magistra no,” is currently on display at Light Work until April 25. The exhibit is a culmination of various works in Polk County, Florida, including scenes of both nature and the various communities Harb grew up around.

Harb also teaches at Florida Southern College, sharing the lessons he’s learned when viewing the world through photography. Even though he’s their professor, his students bring in their own perspectives on using photography to share a narrative, which he learns from.

“When I’m giving them a camera, I’m not telling them what to do with that camera except to explore their own interests,” Harb said. “We all have something to share.”

Harb shoots his photos digitally in black and white, with most works depicting the raw, fragile landscape of Polk County. Through his frequent use of flash photography, Harb desires to tell a story about central Florida as he sees it.

Though the region’s land and creatures are constantly changing, some places always feel the same to Harb.

For years, Harb has weaved his way around the bar and backstage of The Parrot, a LGBTQ nightclub he frequently shoots photos at. As a gay man, he’s talked with people about their experiences in Lakeland, specifically during the HIV/AIDS crisis in Polk County.

Using a strobe of light, Harb captures a host of warm human interactions and raw moments in his time photographing at the club. Through this tactic, Harb can look at the before and after of intimate moments.

“When you spend time in a place like that, you fold into the fabric of it,” Harb........

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