Angie Schiess: Fashion Meets Fitness Studio Shoot, Miami Fashion Photographer

Angie Schiess walked into our Miami studio in Summer 2024 with a pageant walk, a competitor’s focus, and the kind of presence that reads perfectly on camera. This was a fashion-meets-fitness shoot, part portfolio, part campaign, to document her journey to the WBFF stage and showcase her at her best as she transitions from pageants to bikini modeling competitions.

We shot in Miami, working fast and intentionally, because Angie had a tight window and a competing schedule. The vibe leaned equal parts pageantry, polish, and athletic power: sculpted lines, high-shine makeup, and editorial lighting that reads like a magazine and a stage all at once.

Concept: Pageant Polish Meets Competitive Fitness

The brief was simple: translate Angie’s pageant experience into a fitness-model story that works on stage, in a portfolio, and across social. We blended polished beauty portraits with high-impact athletic poses so each image could live as a competition promo, social content, or commercial asset.

1. Purpose: Document Angie’s WBFF prep and build a versatile model portfolio.

2. Vibe/Aesthetic: Fitness + Pageantry, fierce, poised, editorial.

3. Target uses: model portfolio photoshoot, social promos, stage intro slides, agency submissions.

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

Studio, Lighting, and How We Lit a Pageant-Ready Look

Shooting in a controlled Miami studio let us sculpt every shadow. Our lighting language is bold and punchy, think editorial contrast with a cinematic rim.

• Key setup: a single large softbox as the main, a hair/hard rim with a Profoto or Godox strobe for separation, and a 1/4 CTO on an accent light for warmth when needed.

• Background: neutral, seamless to keep the focus on shape and silhouette; occasionally, we used a textured backdrop to add a gritty fitness edge.

• Why this worked: Pageant-trained competitors benefit from crisp, three-dimensional light that reads onstage and in print. The rim light preserved the sculpted lines of Angie’s physique while the softbox kept skin tones flattering under studio strobes.

Explore our Miami swimwear shoots at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/swimwear

Gear Notes (so other creatives can nerd out)

We shot on the Sony A1, primarily with the 24-70mm G Master for versatile framing and the 70-200mm GM for compressed, cinematic head-to-toe portraits. Profoto/Godox strobes gave us the punch and reliability we needed in a short window.

Direction & Posing: From Pageant Walk to Bikini Stage

Angie’s pageant background made direction faster; he already understood how to present. Our job was to translate that training into tighter, fitness-forward poses.

• Warm-up: quick movement sequences, walks, hip sways, and shoulder rolls to loosen muscles and get natural expressions.

• Posing cues: shift weight to the back leg for a long line, micro-tilt the chin for a camera-friendly angle, and small torsions to show the obliques.

• Expression work: we dialed between a regal pageant gaze and playful, competitive smirks, both read well on social and on stage.

See how we blend portrait techniques and athletic direction in our Lifestyle & Fitness work at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/lifestyle-fitness

The 20-Minute Challenge: How We Built a Complete Set Fast

Challenge: We had roughly 20 minutes with Angie between prep and another appointment. That constraint forced wise choices.

1. Pre-light: We set the whole kit the night before and dialed in base exposure for two hero setups, beauty, and a full-body athletic setup so that we could switch quickly.

2. Quick transitions: two outfit changes max. We shot multiple frames per pose and asked Angie to hold peak positions so the camera could capture the range.

3. Efficiency tactics: minimal lens swaps, on-the-fly tweaks to modifiers, and a clear shot list prioritizing hero images.

Result: a gallery of editorial portraits and full-length competition-ready frames in under 30 minutes of camera time.

Key Moments & Highlights

1. Standout: Angie’s walk translated into a series of motion-still frames where the hair rim and body line hit like a stage photo.

2. Pageant performance paid off: her confidence on set mirrored her outstanding WBFF stage presence; she read the camera like a veteran.

3. Versatility: we created images for headshots, athlete promos, and social reels, content she can use for agent submissions or sponsor pitches.

View more commercial work at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/commercial

Why Professional Photography Matters for Models & Competitors

When you’re building a competitive brand, whether for pageants, WBFF, or influencer work, you need imagery that reads onstage, in a feed, and in press kits. Professional lighting, high-res gear, and experienced direction turn potential into content that converts: more bookings, more sponsors, sharper agency interest.

Explore portrait and headshot options for your brand at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/portrait and https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/headshot-photography

Final Thoughts & How This Helps Angie

Angie left the studio with a set of editorial fitness portraits she can use across platforms, including stage slides, Instagram reels, and competitive submissions. Her pageant poise amplified the work; our lighting and direction translated that into images that read like both magazine editorials and competition promos.

See our glamour work for competitors who need a polished portfolio at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/glamour

Ready to look stage-ready, grid-ready, or brand-ready?

If you’re a model, pageant competitor, fitness coach, or South Florida brand that wants bold, editorial photos that work across platforms, let’s plan your shoot. We know how to light muscle, sculpt profile lines, and direct performance into imagery that wins. Book your South Florida photoshoot at https://www.dstnctartmedia.com/contact