Cinematic Magic: A Viral Golden Hour Session with Riya
There are some sessions where every element—the light, the location, and the subject—aligns to create something truly transcendent. My recent shoot with Riya, a talented model based in Dallas, was exactly that. Check out Riya’s Instagram {@riyavarmaa}
Taken in October 2025 at the picturesque Breckinridge Park in Richardson, Texas, our goal was simple yet ambitious: to create a photoset that didn’t just look like a series of portraits, but felt like a sequence from a lost indie film.
The Vision: Film-Inspired Nostalgia
We wanted to lean heavily into a dreamy, film-inspired aesthetic. To achieve this, we focused on:
Rich Textures: Using a heavy grain to emulate vintage 35mm film.
Golden Hour Brilliance: Timing the shoot perfectly to catch the long, honey-hued shadows of a Texas autumn.
Storytelling Poses: From Riya lounging on a picnic blanket to her wandering through the tall grasses of Breckinridge Park, every frame tells a story of quiet reflection.
A Career Milestone: 1.7 Million Views
I am still pinching myself over the response this session received online. After sharing a glimpse of this gallery on Instagram, the post went viral, amassing over 34,000 likes and more than 1.7 million views.
It is officially the highest-viewed content of my professional career so far. Seeing so many people connect with the "movie-like" atmosphere we worked so hard to create is incredibly rewarding. It’s a testament to the fact that when you prioritize mood and emotion, the work resonates on a much deeper level.
Why Breckinridge Park?
For photographers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Breckinridge Park is a hidden gem in Richardson. In October, the foliage begins to soften, and the open fields provide an unobstructed view of the sunset. The lake served as the perfect reflective backdrop for Riya’s white dress, adding to the ethereal, "cottagecore" vibe of the afternoon.
Whether you are a model looking to build a cinematic portfolio or someone wanting to capture a special moment in a timeless way, I would love to work with you. My 2026 calendar is beginning to fill up, and I’m always looking for my next "movie-inspired" project.
Are you ready to create some magic?
