Photo Finish - Casandra Madero

Tonight I had the pleasure of shooting with Casandra Madero, a relatively new but very talented fitness model from Miami. And when I refer to her "talent", I'm not just talking about her stunning good looks and great physique, because this girl is not only walking wikipedia, but she's also one of the funnier people I've ever been around. I haven't been around too many people that in one breath can tell me how mangrove trees help to sustain life in the Everglades, and then turn around and crack a joke about — well, I don't know if I can even repeat it on here. But trust me, this girl is funny, smart, and good looking. I'm pretty sure that's the best three traits a person can have.

Oh, but it doesn't stop there. Casandra also knows how to put together a hell of an outfit. Just look at the photo above — that bikini alone would be good enough for most people, but she was able to take it to another level with the green sash, the belt, the necklace and the bracelets. Plus she hired a MUA to come to the shoot to help her with her hair and makeup, which was a huge help as well. It's very cool to see someone go through so much effort to want to create the best photo possible, because it makes me want to work harder to make that happen.

We shot down in Key Biscayne, which is an odd little place with manatees swimming off the coast and iguanas running across the streets. Not the same kind of scene that I normally see in San Diego. And although I didn't get the ideal location I was looking for, we still were able to work the area pretty well and capture the light at key times. I liked how the photo above turned out because the background is split 50/50 with the sky and the earth, with the tops of the palm trees adding a spikey, abstract transition between the two.

Oh, and the fact that Casandra looks amazing helps the overall image as well.