a cnbc original, business model: inside the sports illustrated swimsuit issue . here s darren rovell. welcome to the atacama desert in northern chile. this exotic landscape has been used as a hollywood backdrop and as a nasa testing ground. now it is one of the breathtaking settings for the 2010 sports illustrated swimsuit issue. a franchise that throughout its history has made more than a billion dollars for its parent company. time inc. this isn t just a photo shoot. there s a story unfolding, involving big money and high stakes. everyone hoping beautiful. that the perfect shot will catapult them or their product into fame and fortune. great. here we go. you will be walking straight. it s only 8:30 a.m. but the work day actually began before sunrise. three vans trek by road, then sand to the middle of nowhere. as the sun begins to brighten the skies and warm the chilly air, the crew pulls into death valley. a place most people have never seen until now.