She sat on the floor of a market; developed blisters on her feet after trawling in five-inch heels through the streets of Medina, Tunisia’s old town; shivered through blustery cold winds at the beach in the early morning; and even braved a hard stomp, resulting in a bruise on her foot, from an anxious stallion—but in her own words, it was all “a unique experience”.

Such is the amazing spunk of our July cover star Sharel Ho, who gamely takes surprises and adventure in her stride and still manages to work the camera like a professional without a single complaint.

Braving crowded market floors...

...and blustery winds, Sharel keeps her poise and pose

While wearing DeFred jewellery, no less

Whether posing calmly in Givenchy while standing in the marketplace with grouchy merchants shouting at the tops of their voices, or working Michael Kors in the village while trying to ignore crowds of curious male onlookers who wanted pictures with her, she’s always smiling calmly through it all.

Her love for animals shines through, whether canoodling with horses...

...in Louis Vuitton heels

...or posing with camels – the icons of Tunisia

It was a shoot that took tenacity, speed and the faith of a dedicated crew to pull together. Never before had we planned a whirlwind shoot of such multitude and distance from home, ran into so many logistical issues (even on site!) or worked with two different animals on location, but with Sharel’s determination, the crew’s focus, and a bit of good luck, we managed to pull it all together.

Maintaining a sunny disposition at The Residence Tunis' indoor pool

Sharel’s sunny attitude was perhaps our biggest blessing of all—for not only did we overcome some of the most challenging conditions of an overseas shoot, it likely brought us good weather throughout our days there as well.