Wrap-Up: Beach Fitness & Lifestyle Photography on location in Manhattan Beach with model Christian Gehring

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While on a shoot a few weeks ago, the model I was working with recommended I photograph her friend, Christian Gehring. This shoot happened as a result.

Christian is an actor with a penchant for fitness and his incredibly shredded physique comes from a disciplined workout schedule. He was in need of images to share on his social platforms and with agents, casting directors, etc. We agreed to shoot a variety of looks in Manhattan Beach. That location is advantageous for its beautiful beach and the urban landscapes perched above the Strand among the million-dollar beach homes. As a location fitness photographer, it’s exciting for me to plan shoots within a dense urban environment because it’s filled with textures and geometric features to incorporate into my photography. Also, the Strand and accompanying wide beaches provide opportunity for shots that show the ocean. This brings greater context and scope to the images shot in that area.

Every photoshoot offers a chance to hone skills and find solutions to challenging setups. If I expect to become one of the best fitness model photographers in the industry, then I have to excel in various unexpected situations from photoshoot to photoshoot. Scenarios presented in this shoot with Christian, offer that repetition and practice.

We set out to capture as many looks as possible within 2 hours; ranging from jogging on the Strand, to sprints in the sand, exercising at the outdoor exercise station, to attacking the surf with his board. Using natural light only and my critically-important circular polarizer, we produced a variety of images that demonstrated Christian’s athletic ability and high fitness level. He gave great effort throughout our session which led to dynamic images that were excellent to capture. The referral paid off and paved the way to deliver some amazing photographs to Christian.


“I would love to work with you and get some shots.”

Christian Gehring

A sampling of the images can be seen below. If you’re interested in commissioning my services and want to learn more, contact me.


Session Details:

  • Time: Afternoon
  • Duration: 2hrs
  • Location: Manhattan Beach 
  • Camera: Canon 5D MkII
  • Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/4 L IS USM

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