Here’s a brief photo tribute to a Ft. Lauderdale model I shot last month. She was a blast to work with. A really fun personality and she brought lots of cool swimsuit options! And she brought a friend who was actually helpful (he helped haul gear) and supportive of her modeling (ie he wasn’t her boyfriend).

It’s fine if models have boyfriends or husbands, but BFs on a shoot just don’t seem to mix well. I’ve worked with cool BF’s though, so there are exceptions to the rule. Chances are you’re not one of them. lol

In all seriousness, you’ll always get better photos during a shoot if you bring a supportive friend and not a boyfriend. That’s been my experience anyway.

Model Sonny

portland swimwear photographer pete springer

We had a stormy morning by Florida standards for this shoot. Lots of wind and lots of dark clouds and rougher than normal surf. All that wind is making for a lot of stray hairs to retouch out!

Model Sonny

portland swimwear photographer pete springer

In the USA, Thanksgiving is a harvest holiday and also one to acknowledge the dramatic change in seasons in the northern climates. Leaves are basically gone from trees, it’s dark a lot, and it rains even more than it’s dark.

A common tradition at Thanksgiving in my family is to go around the table and offer up a comment about why you’re thankful for something (or lots of things) in your life.

And that gets me to the photo posted today. I’m really thankful that I have the ability to travel and meet models and photograph them. I’m really thankful that I get to meet some really amazing models who bring so much energy and drive to shoots.

Model Devin
Location Deerfield Beach, Florida

portland swimwear photographer pete springer

Oh wow — just ran across this shot from a couple of weeks ago. This is one the model requested and I had completely overlooked in my initial edit. There are still more to come from this shoot. Maybe it’s good I don’t live in Florida. Visiting for just a week leaves me with a month of post-production work!

Model Sonny, location Boynton Beach, Florida

portland swimwear photographer pete springer

Couple of shots from a sunrise beach shoot in Miami last week. We were a little late catching the sunrise so it was a fast paced shoot — I think we shot seven swimsuits in and hour and half. On location with no MUA, no stylist, changing area, etc.

Model Ewa, photography assistant Jonathan Gonzalez

swimwear photographer pete springer

So the original photo did show the bikini bottoms but I liked this crop more. So is this still a swimwear photo? My first swimwear photo that doesn’t actually show any swimwear!

And sometimes photogs convert to b&w when the white balance is all out of whack but not the case here. I just liked the b&w look more than color. Felt it gave a softer yet still believable look. B&W always lends itself to a photojournalistic feel even with a photo like this.

Model Sonny
Location Boynton Beach, Florida

swimwear photographer pete springer

I’m totally joking about my post headline. Crocodiles terrify me. It’s a biological wonder they survive in a place like Miami (well at least in Matheson Hammock). But they still terrify me. Probably because they are top notch predators with razor sharp teeth. I was reading today in the Miami Herald how alligators eat a stray dogs dumped in Homestead. South Florida is one unique place.

Model Ewa

swimwear photographer pete springer

Lil’ story behind this photo. I was shooting straight into the sun and focus is always a challenge when you’re doing that. It’s also tough to see a models face so there’s an element of shooting and hoping the photo turns out. Then there’s lighting. The wind was really gusting during this shoot so a friend of the model had to hold the lightstand and softbox to keep them from blowing over.

Finally, there’s the retouching. This photo is actually a composite of two photos. I basically cut and pasted my favorite expression/face onto my favorite body pose. Whew! That’s a lot of work for one photo but worth it!

Model Sonny

swimwear photographer pete springer

Haven’t posted in a few days because I was in Miami, Florida working hard to update my swimwear portfolio this past week. Literally did six shoot in four days! Lots and lots of updates coming soon so please check back. I’ll try to post more frequently now that I have access to a solid internet connection and something other than a laptop to edit on.

model Ewa, location South Beach, Miami, photography assistant Jonathan Gonzalez

miami swimwear photographer pete springer

The light really is unique in Miami. I’ve shot in a lot of places and for sure, the golden hours in south Florida are just some of the best natural light possible. There was a gold reflector used here, but it’s fairly subtle.

Model Selena, photography assistant Jonathan Gonzalez

* unretouched photo

miami (sometimes) swimwear photographer pete springer