Disappearing Paradise

Essay 606 • Sep 22nd 2025

Jamaican beaches are disappearing. The paradise shorelines we once knew are vanishing before our eyes due to elements of climate change. The invisible heat has caused sea levels to rise & coral reefs once protecting our shores to die causing erosion.

I walk along the shoreline capturing what is left with my camera in hand. The locals speak about storms and sandcastles that are no more. These images will now be memories about a shoreline forever reshaped by the relentless pull of the sea.














 

Kadeem Montgomery (phvrvohxo) is a Jamaican film photographer who has been documenting the island’s culture for over fourteen years. Based in Portmore, he uses 35mm analog photography to capture the authenticity and soul of his community while working on assignments for publications such as Backayard and The Fader. His work explores the evolving development of Jamaica and the human condition, informed by his personal experiences with depression and schizophrenia.
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