The Best BTS Content From Brittney Nicole’s Rookie SI Swim Photo Shoot in Portugal

The model enjoyed a dreamy experience in the European country.

Brittney Nicole was photographed by Ben Watts in Portugal / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Brittney Nicole’s rookie SI Swimsuit photo shoot was a dream in every sense of the word. Of course, it was an accomplishment worth celebrating for the model, who was a co-winner of the 2023 Swim Search. But the photo shoot itself was likewise an absolute dream.

Don’t believe us? All you need to do is take a brief look at the highlights from her trip to Portugal with the team and photographer Ben Watts. From the photos, you would never know that Nicole is relatively new to the modeling industry. For eight years, she served in the U.S. Navy. Now, she’s pursuing her dream of modeling, a passion that—combined with urging from her sister—brought her to the SI Swimsuit set.

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Nicole is relishing her status as a new rookie, and the chance to share some of the content that she’s been keeping under wraps since the photo shoot. In a recent Instagram post, the Georgia native shared some behind the scenes content from her trip to Portugal with the team. “Couldn’t wait to finally share these,” she wrote. “Some BTS of that one time I went to Portugal to shoot for @si_swimsuit as a 2024 rookie of the year!! What an incredible experience.”

Between photos posing in the rain and beautiful snaps of the verdant scenery, the post really confirmed the dream-like quality of her rookie feature. The carousel also included a sweet snap alongside editor in chief MJ Day and fellow rookie Sharina Gutierrez. To learn more about Nicole’s story, be sure to check out her full reveal.