5 Stunning Photos of Swim Search Finalist Raine Michaels in the Bahamas

The feature brought both nerves and excitement for the young model.

Martha Zaytoun | Sep 26, 2023

Raine Michaels was photographed by Yu Tsai on Paradise Island, Bahamas.

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

In 2019, Raine Michaels made her debut as one of the finalists for the year’s Swim Search open casting call. She traveled with photographer Yu Tsai to Paradise Island, Bahamas for her photoshoot.

The trip was a new experience for the young model. Though she deemed herself “an independent person,” she found that “not having your family around you all the time when you’re used to seeing them everyday is definitely difficult,” she told the SI Swimsuit team while on location.

The newness of the experience brought both nerves and excitement, but, in the end, she was “so grateful that Sports Illustrated has welcomed me into their family with open arms,” she remarked.

As the daughter of American musician Bret Michaels and actress Kristi Gibson, the 23-year-old wasn’t unaccustomed to the spotlight. And her time in front of the camera with Yu Tsai proved that she had real modeling talent.

These days, Michaels continues to model, having signed with Ford Models. Additionally, she works as a sideline reporter for professional lacrosse team the San Diego Seals. Both were passions that she explored while also pursuing her college education at Arizona State University, where she graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism last year. Her time in front of the camera certainly makes her a good fit for a broadcasting career, and we’re excited to see where her career takes her.

Below are five incredible photos from her photoshoot in the Bahamas.

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Published Sep 26, 2023

MARTHA ZAYTOUN

Martha Zaytoun is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit in 2023, she worked on the editorial board of the University of Notre Dame’s student magazine and on the editorial team at Chapel Hill, Durham and Chatham Magazines in North Carolina. When not working, Zaytoun loves to watercolor and oil paint, run and water ski. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a huge Fighting Irish fan.