Aftan Noon’s Farm Portraits, Portrait Photographer Secrets from a South Florida Photographer

Jean Paquingan
Dec 6, 2025
4 min read

Aftan Noon is a longtime friend, a country girl with a goofy streak, and the kind of subject who makes a photographer grin behind the camera. This was a portraiture session in Dallas, TX, summer 2023, shot purely for fun at her friend’s farm just outside the city. We went in wanting classic, beautiful frames with a little bit of ranch attitude, and we left with a handful of images that still make us smile.

Even though we’re based in South Florida, our work travels, and this shoot shows how editorial sensibilities meet cinematic lighting, whether you’re shooting in Boca Raton or a pasture outside Dallas.

Person in a white shirt poses dramatically, holding fabric over their head. The grayscale photo gives a strong, intense mood.

Concept & Vibe

We aimed for timeless portraits: simple wardrobe, natural expression, and environmental touches that told Aftan’s story, the sun-faded fence, the barn silhouette, and the soft dust that caught the light at golden hour.

Vibe: classic, beautiful, and slightly playful. Aftan’s goofball energy was our secret weapon. Once she relaxed and started joking with us, the camera loved her. This is what a model portfolio photoshoot looks like when talent and team are on the same wavelength.

A woman in a hat and sheer blouse poses confidently outdoors, framed by trees and a blurred landscape. Black and white photograph.

A woman in a cowboy hat kicks up dust on a gravel path, wearing boots and a dark outfit. Open field in the background, cloudy sky above.

Woman in a black hat and sheer blouse dances on a dirt path. Background shows a rural fence and cloudy sky. Black and white image.

Person in a sheer blouse and shorts poses confidently on a rural road, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and boots. Moody black and white scene.

Location: A Farm Outside Dallas, TX

Shooting on a farm gives you texture: weathered wood, tall grass, roaming animals. We used the landscape to frame Aftan in wide environmental portraits and tighter headshots with shallow depth of field. Outdoor fashion photography in South Florida often leans tropical; here, the rural backdrop offered contrast that highlighted Aftan’s features and personality.

Tip for clients: You don’t need a studio to get editorial fashion photography. Pick a location that tells a story, and we’ll make it sing.

Woman in white blouse poses by metal fence near a farm silo. Wind blows her hair. Overcast sky, creating a dramatic mood. Black and white.

A woman in a blouse and shorts stands confidently on a trailer in a grassy field, under a sky with scattered clouds. Black and white photo.

Lighting & Gear, Why We Chose the Sony A1

Gear used: Sony A1 with a mix of lenses, primarily the 24-70 GM and the 70-200 GM, to move between wide, storytelling frames and intimate compressions.

Lighting approach:

Golden-hour backlight for rimlighting and that cinematic glow.
Off-camera strobe with a softbox when the sun dipped or when we needed to cut through harsh midsummer contrast.
Handheld reflectors for fill on the face when the breeze or angle made a full strobe setup impractical.

We shoot bold, punchy, editorial light, the type that reads well on Instagram and prints beautifully for comp cards or a pageant portfolio. That same aesthetic translates to our South Florida work, whether in Boca Raton, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach.

See more of our fashion photography at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/fashion

A woman in a white shirt holds up a lantern at dusk, casting a glow. Silhouette of a tree in the background. Moody and mysterious.

A person in a white shirt holds a glowing lantern in a dark outdoor setting. The scene is moody, with blurred lights and trees in the background.

Woman in off-shoulder top and denim shorts stands by a fence. Sunlight and trees in background. Black and white image, serene mood.

Woman in a white top and denim shorts leans on a fence in a grassy field. Black and white photo evokes a relaxed, serene mood.

Posing & Direction, How We Warmed Her Up

Aftan is a natural when she’s comfortable, so our first ten minutes were about breaking the ice:

Quick movement drills: walk, turn, laugh, to loosen shoulders.

Three-goal posing: face, hands, and posture. We coached subtle hand placements and shoulder shifts to create dynamic lines.

Playful prompts to bring out her goofy side, “tell us your worst country joke,” and we’d catch the genuine grin that followed.

For model-focused portraits, we mix strong editorial lines with approachable direction. That balance is exactly what both influencers and pageant competitors need to stand out.

Explore our portrait work at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/portrait

A woman crouches on a dark path, illuminated by light, wearing a white shirt. The mood is mysterious and dramatic.

A woman in a white shirt stands outdoors at dusk. She holds her hair, looking pensive. The image is blurred and monochromatic.

A person in a white shirt and dark shorts looks back in a blurred, monochrome outdoor setting with a large building in the background.

The Horse Shot, Challenge & Solution

Highlight: the horse shot was a technical and patience test. The horse was nervous around equipment and strangers. Solution:

We moved slowly, letting the animal acclimate.
Kept our lighting minimal and non-flashy.
Used the 70-200 GM to give distance and compress the background.
Captured a few quiet moments when the horse relaxed; those are the keepers.

Those scenes reinforce why hiring an experienced team matters. We adapt fast, respect the environment, and still get the image you pictured.

A person in a white shirt and leather harness stands beside a black horse in a field, holding its reins. The mood is dramatic and intense.

A woman in a white shirt affectionately touches a horse's face in a field. Black and white photo, creates a serene mood.

A person in equestrian attire stands with a black horse in a grassy field. The mood is serene, with a cloudy sky backdrop. Black and white image.

BTS Moments & Memorable Highlights

Aftan’s laugh after she tried to “pose like a model” and ended up doing her signature goofy face, we turned that into one of the most loved frames.
The sun hits the barn slats just right for a cinematic rim light.
In the quiet moment she shared with the horse, when the animal finally settled, the portrait went from pretty to unforgettable.

That blend of planned setups and spontaneous moments is what separates snapshot content from portfolio-grade imagery.

How This Content Helps Aftan (and How It Can Help You)

Even “just for fun” sessions become tools:

Model portfolio photoshoot material for agencies or Instagram.
Lifestyle portraits that read authentic for influencer branding.
Elegant headshots for pageant submissions or casting calls.

If you’re a fitness coach, brand, restaurateur, or model in South Florida, think about how a single session can produce multiple assets: hero images, social reels, behind-the-scenes clips, and paid ad content. View more commercial work at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/commercial

Woman in shorts and boots poses confidently in front of a large silo. The setting appears rural with a cloudy sky above. Black and white.

Woman in a white top and shorts leans on a metal gate outdoors. Tractor in the background under a cloudy sky. Monochrome image.

Woman in white blouse leans on metal fence in grassy field under cloudy sky. Black and white photo with a serene mood.

Woman in denim shorts and boots poses playfully on a metal fence, set against an open field under a cloudy sky in black and white.

Want This Look (South Florida Clients)

We brought Dallas energy to a classic portrait session, and we do the same for clients in South Florida. Whether you’re searching for a South Florida photographer, Boca Raton fashion photographer, Miami fashion photographer, or a Fort Lauderdale photographer who shoots editorial, we tailor light, wardrobe, and direction to your story.

Need swimwear/resort wear? Explore our Miami shoots at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/swimwear
Looking for glamour or beauty headshots? See headshots at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/headshot-photography and glamour at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/glamour
Want lifestyle & fitness content? Check https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/lifestyle-fitness
Planning an event or food campaign? We cover events at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/event and food at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/food-beverage

Book your South Florida photoshoot at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/contact

If you’re a model, influencer, pageant competitor, fitness pro, or brand in Boca Raton, Miami, West Palm Beach, or beyond, let’s make images that stop the scroll and get results. We’ll bring the light, the direction, and the editorial edge. You bring the personality.