Amanda Maria, Fashion Meets Fitness Editorial with a Fashion Photographer in Los Angeles

Jean Paquingan
18 hours ago
4 min read

Amanda Maria came to set with a mission: document her road to the WBFF stage and show the world who she is off-stage. The shoot was Fashion Meets Fitness, sexy, edgy, and fun, shot on location in Los Angeles in Summer 2024. Even though this session happened in LA, we approached it with the mindset and polish of a South Florida photographer, bold, punchy, and editorial, the same way we shoot in Boca Raton, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale.

Amanda was sweet, super fun, and resilient. She’d been deep in competition prep and was exhausted, but she still brought energy, expression, and a magnetism that reads instantly on camera. This is the kind of model portfolio photoshoot and fitness lifestyle photography work that brands, agents, and pageant coaches use to elevate their presence.

Woman in a sparkling silver gown and white fur stole, smiling confidently against a gray backdrop. Elegant and glamorous mood.

Concept: Fashion Meets Fitness, The Narrative

We treated Amanda’s story like a short film. One minute she’s a sculpted athlete; the next, she’s runway-ready in latex, denim, a sports bra, and heels. The goal was content that works across platforms: editorial fashion photography for portfolio and press, fitness-focused imagery for sponsors, and lifestyle portraits for social.

We leaned into bold contrasts, athletic lines, + high-fashion attitude to create images that can live in a competitor reel, a brand campaign, or an influencer grid. See more of our fashion photography at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/fashion and our lifestyle and fitness work at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/lifestyle-fitness.

Woman in black patterned outfit and sunglasses poses confidently outdoors, holding gold chains. Background features greenery and house.

Woman in black satin outfit and heels poses in a corner with gray walls. Art with red and gold pattern partially visible on wall.

Location & Environmental Notes

Los Angeles gave us cinematic backdrops: sun-baked concrete, palm silhouettes, and skyline shifts as the light fell. Shooting on location means adapting fast; what looks perfect at golden hour can blow out midday. We treated each patch of light like a set: find the shadow, push the rim light, or flip it and make the sun the hero for dramatic backlight.

Even though we often work in South Florida, Boca Raton photoshoot locations, Miami Beach shoots, and Fort Lauderdale hotspots, the workflow stays the same: scout, visualize, and be ready to pivot when the weather or venue throws curveballs. If you're searching for a Miami fashion photographer or a West Palm Beach photographer, our approach is identical, cinematic, editorial, and commercially minded.

Woman in a white dress poses confidently in a garden setting with villas in the background. Lush green and purple plants surround her.

Woman in black satin outfit leans against a corner with confident pose. Gray textured wall, abstract art in background.

Lighting: How We Made It Pop

Gear: Sony A1 with a mix of lenses, primarily the 24-70 and the 70-200 GM lenses. We paired the bodies with Profoto-inspired modifiers and on-camera flashes when mobility was king.

Lighting choices:

Golden hour backlight with a single strobe in a softbox for punchy rim light.
Harsh mid-day fixes: negative fill to deepen shadows, flagging to control spill, and a high-speed sync strobe to freeze muscle and motion.
Nighttime editorial: a compact head with a grid to model Amanda’s angles and add cinematic contrast.

Our lighting philosophy is punchy and editorial; we don’t shy from contrast. It’s what makes fitness lines and fashion textures read with authority.

Posing & Direction: Real-World Coaching

Amanda warmed up like a pro: dynamic stretches, a few squat jumps to wake the muscles, then close-in mirror work to find the micro-expressions that sell a frame. On set, we used:

Short, directive cues: “Arch through your lower back, press the heel, eyes soft, chin down one click.”
Movement loops: a 10–15 second run of motion so that we could capture natural transitions between poses.
Micro-adjustments: minor changes to shoulders, hands, and hips to bring editorial polish without overdoing it.

For pageant-focused content, we dialed in posture, line, and face angles that translate to stage presence. For commercial potential, we emphasized versatility, candid shots, posed hero shots, and product-friendly frames.

Woman in a patterned black jumpsuit and boots sits on a crosswalk, holding sunglasses. Urban setting with a confident expression.

Woman in black patterned outfit and high heels reclining on yellow chair, holding sunglasses. Modern, minimalistic gray background.

Woman in black satin outfit and heels lounges confidently on stairs in modern interior. Monochrome image conveys relaxed, stylish vibe.

Challenges & Solutions

Challenge: Amanda was exhausted from competition prep; shooting before a show is never easy. Solution: we leaned into short, high-impact sets. Quick outfit run-throughs, immediate playback for feedback, and prioritized hero shots first so she didn’t need to give full energy the whole time. We also scheduled breathing breaks and kept the mood light with music, snacks, and quick pep talks to maintain her confidence.

The result: Amanda knocked it out of the park despite fatigue. Those authentic, slightly worn, fierce expressions are the ones with the most character.

Key Moments & Highlights

A silhouette series against a palm-lined sunset, balancing athletic form with fashion attitude.
A gritty urban sequence where Amanda traded gym shoes for stilettos, a juxtaposition that reads strong on editorial and social.
Candid behind-the-scenes laughter shots that humanize a competitor who’s typically seen only on stage.

Amanda’s fun energy translated into content that’s immediately reusable: social posts, sponsor pitches, and portfolio additions for future bookings.

Elegant woman in a fur stole and sequined gown poses gracefully in a studio. The black-and-white setting adds a vintage feel.

Woman in a sparkling gown lies on a furry rug, holding a glittery clutch. White heels nearby. Glamorous, elegant setting.

Woman in elegant pose wearing a glittering gown and white fur shawl, eyes closed, hand raised gracefully, against a dark backdrop.

Why This Content Matters

For models, pageant competitors, and fitness athletes, quality images do three things:

Establish professional credibility for agents and sponsors.
Convert followers into clients or bookings with disciplined, high-end visuals.
Provide multi-use assets: reels, static posts, press kits, and campaign imagery.

If you’re a professional looking for a high-end commercial photographer, a portrait photographer for lifestyle portraits, or a swimwear and resort wear photographer for editorial campaigns, we craft content that sells.

See more of our swimwear and resort shoots at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/swimwear and view more commercial work at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/commercial.

Ready to Book?

If you’re a model, influencer, fitness coach, pageant competitor, or brand in South Florida or beyond and you want images with editorial impact and commercial usability, let’s plan your session. View our portrait and headshot services at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/portrait and https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/headshot-photography, or explore our glamour offerings at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/glamour.

Book your South Florida photoshoot at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/contact. Whether you’re in Boca Raton, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach, or flying us to Los Angeles, we’ll create photos that move people.