By Shawn Petrovich of Totally Ripped of Los Angeles, which specializes in photography and video of fitness models.
During a 154-mile drive through the Florida Keys, a photographer saw many potential shooting locations. Then he arrived in Key West to hold a week of photo shoots. When it came time to depart Key West, the photographer decided to take advantage of all the great locations he previously noticed. So, he planned multiple photo shoots during the return drive.
To pinpoint locations, a crew member obtained a map of the Florida Keys that showed all the interesting site-seeing spots throughout the Florida Keys. They also asked locals if they knew spots where the models and crew could stop for quick photo shoots.
The trouble with his plan is that he did not consider how a week of partying in Key West would exhaust all involved. Plus, driving long distances and the heat of the midday sun can quickly wear down models.
Their first stop was at Bahia Honda State Park 34 miles north of Key West. The crew parked, and unloaded their equipment, eager to begin shoots.
However, the crew and models had to find a secluded spot on the beach, which meant carrying equipment a long distance in the sun.
By the time the crew walked to the end of the beach, everyone was getting cranky. They also had to walk through water infested with bugs that crawled up everyone's legs. Bugs immediately make a shoot unpleasant!
Too many models were scheduled to shoot; therefore models who were not being photographed had to sweat in the sun while they waited for their turn to pose.
The worst time to hold beach shoots is when the sun is directly overhead. Departure from Key West should have been scheduled so the crew did not arrive in the midday.
Here are models waiting under a photography umbrella to avoid the sun.
Models started complaining. The photographer started shouting at models and crew. The result was that many photos were created at Bahia Honda, but few photos were good.
After the shoot, the group walked back to their van, which was filled with hot air, because it had been sitting in the hot sun for hours. It takes time for air conditioning to cool a hot van, so models had to sit inside a hot van on the road. More discomfort!
By the time they got back onto the highway, nobody was in the mood to stop at any more locations. However, this was the only time they would drive through the Florida Keys. So, they cut down the number of shooting locations during the rest of the trip.
They stopped to hold a photo shoot at Pigeon Key - used in the movie True Lies and at a tourist trap resort called Holiday Isle. By the time the van arrived in Miami, all involved wanted to quit the production and go home.
Travel on the road and walking long distances can wear people down. Models will not be in optimal condition to pose. While there may be 50 perfect spots to hold shoots, people can only endure so much discomfort. It is only feasible to make one or two stops for photo shoots during a single road trip.
If you are headed to Key West, we encourage you to book your snorkeling trip through a reputable service. If you are looking for lodging, we sugest you consider the Hyatt Key West Resort.