After a five-year commission documenting Morristown National Historical Park for the National Park Service, Xiomaro turns his lens to the famous barrier island and its mix of 1950s architecture and contemporary American culture.
MORRISTOWN, NJ – Photographer Xiomaro (pronounced “SEE-oh-MAH-ro”), whose work documenting Morristown National Historical Park for the National Park Service was exhibited at Morris Museum and covered by PBS and Morristown Minute, has a new book set for release on March 31, 2026. Street Photography of the Wildwoods: The Other Side of Nostalgia is published by America Through Time/Sutton Publishing and features 160 photographs alongside Xiomaro’s prose about the famous New Jersey shore resort destination.
The book is the latest in a growing body of documentary work from the photographer, who has deep roots in the Morris County arts community. Morristown’s Starlight Gallery at MPAC and the Atrium Gallery at the Morris County Administration and Records Building both hosted early exhibitions of his street photography. The Morris County Historical Society also commissioned him to photograph seven local historic sites.
The Wildwoods draw more than nine million tourists a year and are known for their free beaches, boardwalk, and kitschy “Doo-wop” architecture. Most photo books about the area focus on distinctive motel facades, neon signs, and retro signage. Xiomaro spent extended time in the three towns of North Wildwood, Wildwood, and Wildwood Crest as what he calls a “residentographer,” documenting subjects and seasons not typically featured in other Wildwoods photography.
The book is organized into three chapters: The Beach, The Boardwalk, and The Backstreets. The photographs range from Polar Bear Plunge crowds charging into the January surf to the off-season, when the boardwalk empties and the five-mile strip returns to its fewer than 13,000 year-round residents. Xiomaro’s prose accompanies the images, addressing themes of nostalgia, memory, and how Americans relate to familiar places.
The foreword is written by Dr. Lynn L. Siebert, who served as on the Board at Morris Arts from 1979 to 2002 and as staff member from 2002 to 2023 and is a Juilliard-trained violinist. Siebert curated one of Xiomaro’s largest exhibitions, Mystery, Memory and Magic, at the Atrium Gallery before retiring from Morris Arts.
Street Photography of the Wildwoods follows Xiomaro’s Street Photography of New York City: Street Haunting in the Big Apple (America Through Time, 2025) and Weir Farm National Historic Site (Arcadia Publishing, 2019). All three books grew out of his ongoing work with the National Park Service, which has commissioned him to photograph and write about historic sites connected to George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and other American figures.
Before turning to photography, Xiomaro worked as an entertainment attorney representing recording artists including Village People, Lisa Lisa, and actor Larry Hagman. He transitioned out of law after overcoming prostate cancer in 2005, picking up a camera during his recovery. He adopted the pseudonym “Xiomaro,” which he says means “ready for battle.”
His photography has been featured by The New York Times, Fine Art Connoisseur magazine, PBS, CBS, ABC, and Fox Nation, and is exhibited in museums and galleries across the United States, Europe, and China.
Street Photography of the Wildwoods: The Other Side of Nostalgia releases March 31 for $25.99.