Behind The Swim Special: Journey to La Mina Falls
One of our favorite things about filming the Victoria’s Secret Swim Special was our “set”—the stunning, lush backdrops offered by Puerto Rico! When photographer Jerome Duran heard about the breathtaking natural beauty of La Mina Falls in El Yunque National Forest, he jumped at the chance to stage a photo shoot with his longtime friends, Adriana Lima and Candice Swanepoel.
Candice, Adriana and Jerome are practically family. They’ve known each other for years and share a passion for photography that goes beyond commercials and editorials—it’s a love of making beautiful photos.
Trekking through the rainforest was so exciting—it was a thrill for everyone to be around nature, and a refreshing change from working in the studio. Jerome relates, “Nature on an island is very different from a continent—it holds a special place for me.”
And of course, it wasn’t just Candice, Adriana and Jerome making the trek—our whole film crew traveled with them to capture the moment!
“I don’t know what it is, but there’s something very magical about a waterfall,” says Jerome, and we totally agree. But while that waterfall may look warm and tropical, the water was actually extremely cold! Good thing Candice & Adriana handled it like pros.
Candice, Jerome and Adriana are all smiles after a long day’s work!
Don’t forget—you can see this full story come to life on the Victoria’s Secret Swim Special, airing Thursday, February 26 at 10/9c on CBS.
