The Story Behind Sixtine’s Favorite SI Swimsuit Image From Belize

The two-time brand model was photographed by Derek Kettela for the 2024 issue.

Sixtine was photographed by Derek Kettela in Belize. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

SI Swimsuit model Sixtine returned to the fold this year for her sophomore feature with the magazine. She says it feels like just yesterday she was a rookie learning the ropes for the first time. The body neutrality content creator made her debut with the brand in 2023, traveling to Dominica with photographer Yu Tsai. The 26-year-old worked with Derek Kettela for her appearance in the 60th anniversary issue, and had a total blast while on location in the idyllic Central American country.

“It’s good to be back. [Seeing my photos] was so exciting. I knew they were going to be good. Derek is so fast and he’s just like ‘I know what I want’ and he can see the shot,” she tells us while celebrating the launch of the 2024 issue in Florida last month. “We got one shot in particular that I’m obsessed with, it’s one of me floating in the water and the water is really blue. We got it from above.”

Sixtine was photographed by Derek Kettela in Belize. Swimsuit by PARAMIDONNA. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Sixtine admits that she has tried to capture an overhead, floating photo of herself like that before, but has never been successful.

“It’s never worked. It always looks I’m like borderline drowning,” she recalls with a laugh. “That one, we got it, and [Kettela] was like ‘It’s amazing’ and [SI Swimsuit editor in chief] MJ [Day] wanted to try to do it again and he was like ‘Nope. It was one of those moments where the light hit perfectly. [Sixtine] was in the moment. We got it. We can’t recreate it.’”

Sixtine was photographed by Derek Kettela in Belize. Swimsuit by PARAMIDONNA. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

View Sixtine’s full 2024 SI Swimsuit gallery here.