This cover shot was actually a collaboration with my friend and photographer John Sticklin. We work so well together that we've collaborated on several other cover shots since then.

South Mississippi Living Magazine wanted to do a "Christmas Southern Style" theme, so I pitched the idea of Santa on the beach in shorts.  But the catch was that it would part of Santa's Christmas wish in a crystal ball.  Which meant two different location shoots.

But with John's help we managed to get the traditional "rosy cheeked" Santa in a Christmas setting, as well as a Santa lounging on the beach.

John is a great photographer, and often when we're shooting side by side we compare pictures and wind up with same results.  So this cover is as much his as it is mine.  I think the only difference between us is that my sense of humor gets me into a trouble sometimes, which is why I photographed a second cover, knowing the magazine would never go for it.