Amanda Lim: Fashion‑Meets‑Fitness Editorial, Why You Need a South Florida Fashion Photographer
- Jean Paquingan
- Dec 10, 2025
- 4 min read
Amanda Lim walked onto the Atlantic City boardwalk in winter 2022 like she owned three time zones. She flew up for a Fashion Meets Fitness shoot to document her run to the WBFF stage, bold, sexy, edgy, and 100% herself. We’re a Boca Raton photographer team, so this one was a road trip from South Florida to the Jersey shore: gear packed, playlists queued, and a plan to get Amanda camera‑ready and confident.
As a South Florida photographer team known for editorial fashion photography and fitness lifestyle work, our goal was simple: create high‑impact images that show Amanda’s journey, strength, and personality, images she can use for model portfolio photoshoot updates, pageant prep, and social media that convert followers into bookings.
Concept: Fashion Meets Fitness with a Boardwalk Edge
We treated the shoot like a mini editorial spread, think high fashion meets gym power. Wardrobe ranged from luxe athleisure to structured editorial pieces that read equally strong in a gym or in front of a casino skyline. The vibe: sexy, edgy, and fun, no cookie‑cutter poses, only movement and intent.
Purpose: document Amanda’s journey to the WBFF stage and give her a bank of images to express herself.
Vibe: bold, high‑contrast, a little rebellious.
Deliverables: hero images for her portfolio, social content, and stage promo.
See more of our fashion photography at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/fashion
Location & Creative Approach: South Florida Precision, Shot on Location in Atlantic City
This session wasn’t about battling boardwalk winds or neon reflections; it was about bringing South Florida’s clean, high-end studio aesthetic into an indoor Atlantic City environment. Instead of relying on ocean light or city clutter, we shaped every frame with controlled lighting, polished posing, and a fashion-forward mood that feels unmistakably South Florida: bold, glossy, and editorial.
Even though we traveled up from Boca Raton, we approached this shoot the same way we handle our Miami and South Florida fashion photography sessions: crisp key light, sculpted shadows, and movement that showcases the physique, confidence, and wardrobe details. The neutral interior architecture let us create modern, magazine-ready frames while keeping attention exactly where it belonged: on her lines, expression, and energy.
Clients come to us because we bring that South Florida standard anywhere, whether we’re shooting in Boca Raton, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or transforming an Atlantic City ballroom into a runway-ready studio. It’s proof that with the right team, the environment doesn’t limit the imagery; it elevates it.
Explore our Miami swimwear shoots at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/swimwear
Gear & Lighting: Sony A1, Fast Glass, and Punchy Strobes
This was a Sony A1 day, paired primarily with the 24‑70 GM for versatility and the 70‑200 GM for compressed, cinematic portraits. We ran a mix of on‑camera and off‑camera strobes (Profoto/Godox) to get the high‑contrast, punchy editorial look we love.
Lighting choices:
Rim/backlight to separate Amanda from the skyline and wind.
Key strobe with a soft modifier for skin texture and power.
Hard kicker for muscle definition, important for fitness photography.
High‑speed sync and negative fill when we had brutal mid‑day or reflective conditions.
On location, we balanced strobe power against the overcast Atlantic City sky and used fast sync to keep ambient blues while freezing hair tosses and movement. Those lighting decisions are what make images scream “editorial” rather than “snapshot.”
View more commercial work at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/commercial
Directing & Posing: From Warm‑Ups to Stage‑Ready Presence
Amanda is a powerhouse; her energy is infectious, but even pros need rhythm and confidence on set. Here’s how we built the session:
Warm‑up: music, dynamic stretches, and a few walking sets to get movement fluid.
Micro‑direction: minor adjustments to hips, weight distribution, and shoulder line to read strong in camera.
Expression coaching: we use playful prompts, language switches (I dropped a few Portuguese lines, always a win with Brazilian clients), and scene direction rather than static poses.
Momentum blocks: short 5‑minute sequences where we pushed speed and intensity for the fitness imagery, then slowed down for intimate editorial portraits.
We treat portrait and fitness photography like choreography, every angle and breath has intent.
See our lifestyle & fitness work at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/lifestyle-fitness
Challenges & Solutions: Lights, Luggage & Logistics
Traveling from South Florida to Atlantic City meant bringing a complete studio look on the road, and doing so intentionally. Instead of hauling our entire Miami toolkit, we streamlined the gear list to the most efficient lighting modifiers and compact support systems, making sure every piece we packed earned its place. Battery-powered options and backups ensured we could achieve South Florida–level polish without relying on the venue's power setup.
The challenge wasn’t the weather; it was transforming an indoor space into a clean editorial environment. We adapted by reworking light angles, tightening setups to fit the room, and using sculpted, directional lighting to showcase physique and texture. That’s the value of a South Florida fashion photographer on location: we bring the same precision, versatility, and problem-solving mindset we use in Miami studios to any room, anywhere.
Key Moments: Energy, Laughter, and Real Connection
Two moments stuck with me:
A candid series where Amanda laughed between takes, shoulders relaxed and genuine, those frames will anchor her social content because they’re real.
A high‑compression portrait from the 70‑200 where the skyline compressed behind her and the strobe mugged the cold into polished, magazine‑ready skin tones.
Small touches matter: I learned a few Portuguese phrases before the shoot, a quick “Vai, manda ver!”, and she smiled in a way that flipped the session into high gear.
We also produce headshots and glamour work that transition perfectly for models and pageant competitors. See our headshot and glamour pages:
Why This Matters for Models, Brands & Influencers
Amanda needed content that did more than look pretty; she needed imagery that supports a brand, tells a competitive story, and converts scouts and sponsors. High‑end photography turns gym reps and runway walks into narrative frames, usable for portfolios, stage promos, Instagram campaigns, and commercial pitches.
If you’re a model, pageant competitor, fitness coach, or brand in South Florida (Boca Raton, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach), you deserve a photographer who brings editorial lighting, on‑set direction, and production know‑how. We travel for projects and deliver the same punchy, cinematic style whether we’re shooting Miami swimwear or an Atlantic City editorial.
Book your South Florida photoshoot at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/contact
If you want images that feel like a headline, whether for the WBFF stage, a model portfolio photoshoot, or a commercial brand launch, let’s make something loud, polished, and undeniably you. We shoot fashion, fitness, and lifestyle with the precision of a commercial photographer and the
