What is Delicious? Besides my mom’s spaghetti sauce, Delicious is the smile I flash at the 6’6” middle hitter on the other side of the net, after I lay out and dig her hardest hit. Delicious is my blood soaked shoe at the finish line of my career best race. Delicious is my skin, covered in sweat and sand after hours of training on the beach, and the tanned six pack I have to show for it. Delicious is a feeling, it’s a flavor, it’s an all over sensory stimulating moment and it is NikeWomen’s new line of training apparel.

The Nike Delicious photo shoot was held in Santa Monica, CA where, for four days, roughly 50 people buzzed around set, like a hive of pollinating bees. Beside the obvious, a photographer and models, other members of the hive included photographer’s assistants, producers, production assistants, set designers, location managers, stylists, hair & make up artists, an RV driver, a caterer, a trainer and of course, the NFR crew!

The Queen or, should I say King, Bee of the shoot was Ben Watts. He is to photography, as Nike is to footwear, an industry mogul. Originally from London, Watts has shot every big name brand, designer, band and celebrity you can imagine.

And with one simply catch phrase, Watts got a glowing grin out of every girl. “It’s your birthday!” he’d exclaim in his charming British accent. Even I couldn’t help but smile, cupcakes and candy? Now that is Delicious.

-Meghan