There’s something magical about my hometown of Hollywood, Florida at sunrise. The sky is still waking up, the air is cool, and the Broadwalk has that perfect hush — except for the hardcore joggers and cyclists who treat it like their personal Autobahn.
This IAC adventure started when Juliana’s agent, Molly, reached out. Juliana, an agency model, needed fresh lifestyle and fitness images to update her portfolio. We locked in a sunrise shoot, because nothing beats that golden hour glow — especially on the Broadwalk.
So, at an hour when most sane people are still asleep, my assistant Tommy and I rolled out of Fort Lauderdale in the dark. By the time we arrived, the horizon was just starting to warm up. We scouted our spots, set up the cart with my trusty Pelican case (loaded with cameras and lenses), a couple of reflectors, and a beach bag stuffed with towels and enough water to hydrate a small army.
It was windy — the kind of wind that makes hair a challenge but gives action shots a dynamic edge. The beach was covered in seaweed, which, let’s be honest, wasn’t part of the plan. But when you’re shooting on location, you adapt.
We kicked things off with Juliana in rollerblades, gliding down the Broadwalk. Those shots? Pure lifestyle gold — wind in her hair, morning light catching just right, and Tommy playing traffic cop as we danced dangerously close to the bike lane.
Then came the swimwear. Sure, the ocean was rough and the seaweed was a bit… enthusiastic, but we made it work. I broke my own rule about props and grabbed a conch shell I’d spotted. Normally, I steer clear of anything that screams “stock photo cheese,” but this time it clicked. We balanced shell shots with clean, no-prop portraits, and Molly, Juliana, and I all agreed: it worked.
Somewhere along the way, my board shorts became storage containers for half the beach’s sand supply. Occupational hazard, I guess. Tommy kept the cart moving and even grabbed some behind-the-scenes shots while I was waist-deep in the creative zone.
By the time we wrapped, the light had softened, the joggers had thinned out, and we knew we had a gallery full of portfolio-worthy images. Wind, seaweed, sand-filled shorts — totally worth it.
Another great Hollywood morning in the books.
