TOP TEN MIAMI LOCATIONS FOR FASHION PHOTO SHOOTS

After working in Miami as a swimwear and fashion photographer for almost 10 years, I thought I’d share my favorite locations - and try to convince you to come create here this fall/winter season! Hope this list is helpful! 

MIAMI BEACH LIFEGUARD HUTS

No list for swim and resort wear shoot locations is complete without the Miami Beach lifeguard huts. Did you know that there are over 30 different towers and all have unique designs and colors so you can probably find the exact color scheme you’re looking for? Pair these with pristine powdery white sand and a turquoise ocean and you have a dream location.

NYC photographer Tommy Kwak created a Lifeguard Towers: Miami photo book which may come in handy when researching colors for your shoot.

If you also want that vibrant turquoise of the Atlantic Ocean in your images, afternoon shoots are better than mornings due to the position of the sun.

VIZACAYA

The Vizcaya in Coconut Grove is an incredible Italian-style mansion on Biscayne Bay. This, in my opinion, is THE location for high end resort wear shoots. Shooting in the mansion itself is allowed but more expensive, but the grounds and waterfront are even better and there is an infinite number of structures and settings. The mansion does charge a feebut it’s more than worth it! 

ESPANOLA WAY

This area sandwiched between 14th and 15th Street in Miami Beach has rows of brightly colored hispanic-style buildings with outdoor restaurants and cafes. It is quiet in the early morning but the terraces buzz with visitors in the afternoon and evening which may also work well for your photos. 

The street is home to the Esme Hotel which has multiple picture-perfect outdoor whitewashed alleyways lined with tropical plants and flowers at street level that are usually quiet and a nice place to shoot when the street gets too crowded. Permission from the hotel is required and may involve a fee.

SOUTH POINTE

If you’re looking for a more neutral color palette with soft light, shoot in the early morning at this most southern tip of South Beach. I particularly love the grey rocks of the pier as a backdrop. Right behind the beach there’s a beautiful dune-like area with tall grass for a different feel. 

KEY BISCAYNE

One of my favorite beaches is on the island of Key Biscayne, which lies just south of Miami Beach. The best part (and this is Miami’s best-kept secret) is the southern part of Crandon Beach. 

Come here for a beach filled with shady palm trees and rustic wood-colored lifeguard huts. Neutral tones galore. Don’tcome here for the South Beach turquoise ocean water because for some weird reason the color is completely different here. Sometimes there is quite a bit of algae at the water’s edge but it gets cleaned up every day. During the week this place is almost always quiet.

DESIGN DISTRICT

The Miami Design District is home to all the haute couture houses. Each store front is unique and cool (I have found tree bark walls here, hot pink benches and arches in all the colors of the rainbow). Shoot early here - later in the afternoon it’s a bit tough when the place is crowded with visitors. 

Oh and here you also find the very cool museum parking garage with pink and yellow floors and walls. Only shoot here if you want a ton of bright pink in your shots!

WYNWOOD

This is the artsy area of Miami full of wall art and graffiti. So if you want a more edgy feel, this is the place to shoot! The murals may change yearly (artists stay after Art Basel to create new work, sometimes painting over older well-loved work - ugh!), so a bit of scouting right before the shoot is a must. 

HOMESTEAD

This area is a bit of a drive south but if you’re looking for a farm-like feel, Homestead is your place. Here you find scenic apple orchards, strawberry fields, farms, plant nurseries and tropical fruit gardens. 

REDLAND EQUESTRIAN CENTER

I bet you didn’t think of shooting with horses when you’re thinking of a Miami shoot but I recently visited this place and couldn’t stop dreaming of doing a resort wear shoot here. It really is a very photogenic rustic place and the staff is very helpful to arrange photo shoots. It’s about an hour drive south of downtown Miami. Don’t be put off by their websitedesign or photos (they’re pretty terrible :-) - the right photographer can create magic here. 

ART DECO HOTELS

Many of Miami Beach’s historic art deco hotels have been lovingly restored and updated over the past 5-10 years, resulting in a treasure trove of unique locations. It’s not always easy to get access but worth a try!

IF YOU FOUND THIS HELPFUL…

And you missed my last newsletter on my 7 favorite Miami hotels for fashion shoots, you can access it  here.