The Alexander Report

Clearwater, FL, United States (AHN) – “Someone’s got to do it so it might as well be me,” says photographer Dylan Melcher.

Each year, between February and July, Dylan’s 15-hour days are a whirlwind. A typical day goes something like this: wake up in a hotel, gather up gear, rush to a location, preside over an important gathering, then pack. Then Dylan rushes to return a rental car, jumps on a flight; arrives in another city; grabs a quick dinner and maybe a drink in a hotel bar, turns in early and does the whole thing all over again–sometimes up to 30 consecutive days at a time.

Dylan’s lifestyle, while hectic, may just be the envy and dream of most men. In addition to all the running around, he also takes 500 photographs of bikini clad models on an average day. Dylan is the lead photographer of the Hooters Swimsuit Calendar. The calendar is the largest seller in its category. The 2012 calendar, marking the 26th edition, debuts on Oct. 5.

Melcher, 26, once lived and worked in Manhattan and Beijing. He currently is based in Clearwater, FL. Melcher majored in International Affairs at Florida State University and minored in Chinese. He also received his MBA in business at the University of Tampa.

It might be said that Melcher was literally born into his current career. His father, an accomplished photographer, is the publisher of the Hooters Calendar. His mother handled business for the calendar and wrote some of the copy for the early editions. His younger brother is a designer for the Hooters Calendar website, video and iPhone app. Thanksgiving dinner must be a hoot.

Dylan began helping out in the studio at age 12. When he finally picked up a camera he was a natural. The self-taught photographer says he learned by observing, shooting pictures and some great mentoring.

While Dylan may be the envy of his male friends, he says, “The job is not as glamorous as it might appear. Trying to sleep in a different bed and environment night after night can be stressful. The days are long and tiring with automotive drives and flat tires, inclement weather and flight cancelations.” But, the smile that forms as he details his lifestyle is proof he has very few real complaints.

Hooters Calendar Girls are selected from nearly 25,000 working employees of Hooters located in more than 450 restaurants worldwide. The final almanac features about 200 images of bikini clad women. Melcher estimates that about 40,000 photos were shot for the calendar, or about 100 photos per girl.

As for his personal life, Melcher says that he in a relationship, and his model (of course) girlfriend understands his work.

Yes, it’s a tough job, and some lucky guy, Dylan Melcher, gets to do it.

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