It's a hard life for Alessandra Ambrosio as she larks around on the beach for Victoria's Secret bikini shoot

She's one of the top supermodels in the world, taking home $5.5million over the past year. But surely Alessandra Ambrosio would agree it's easy money starring in the latest Victoria's Secret campaign. Dressed in a variety of skimpy bikinis, the Brazilian model looked in her element as she frolicked on a Caribbean beach

Ambrosio looked in high spirits as she danced about on the sand

The 5ft 10in beauty was making one of her several trips a year to star in the Spring/Summer 2011 swimwear shoot. Photographed by Russell James, the mother-of-one praised him for his 'hard work' on her Twitter page, adding, 'so hot in here'.

As well as the more traditional standing by the sea shots, Ambrosio injected some fun into the shoot as she danced and high kicked for the cameras. Ambrosio has been a Victoria's Secret model for 10 years and her svelte figure and youthful looks show she is expected to remain a face of the American lingerie firm for many years to come.

The mother-of-one enjoyed some high kicks as she

larked about on the beach

Despite looking incredibly slim and toned, with not an inch of fat visible on her lithe body, Ambrosio sees herself as a curvier model compared to the size zero ones on the catwalk.

She said this year: 'I’m very lucky to work for a brand (Victoria's Secret) that wants women to be healthy. You need to be able to fill out the bra and the panties, so yes, I’m a curvier girl.' Ambrosio admitted she felt pressure to be thin when she first started modelling at 15.

Ambrosio jumps for joy

She explained: 'In the beginning of my career I really felt the pressure to be thin - but one thing I always said was that if I had to stop eating to work then I would have to switch careers. Compromising my health to be a model was never an option for me.' Ambrosio, who gave birth to daughter Anja in August 2008, uses a combination of workout techniques to keep in shape for her frequent lingerie and swimwear shoots.

She said: 'I have a personal trainer who created the Brazilian Butt Lift class that mixes capoeira and samba. It's fun but you're still doing squats and getting exercise. 'I did cardio after I had my daughter to get in shape again, but I usually don't do cardio other than walking on the beach. I'm not a fan of going into the gym and running on a treadmill. I would rather go for a hike.'

Alessandra's skimpy black and leopard-print bikini gave a glimpse of

her star and crescent moon tattoo on the lower park of her back

The Brazilian beauty is said to wear dress size six (US size two) and has a 34-25-34 figure. Ambrosio started her modelling career in her native Brazil as a teenager and went on to win the Elite Look Of The Year competition in 1996.

As well as Victoria's Secret, Ambrosio is well known in Britain as the former face of high street store Next. Earlier this year, she came number six in Forbes magazine's list of the highest paid supermodels in the world, taking home $5.5million.

A crewmember holds up a light reflector as Ambrosio works her magic