Captivating Portraits, Mood Images & Experimental Photography
For Agencies . Magazines . Companies . Artists
Asja.
As a professional photographer with many years of experience in advertisement, corporate and editorial photography I am now working for renowned agencies, companies, fashion brands, magazines and artists.
My studio is located in the heart of Hamburg-Sternschanze, Germany, though I work across Europe and in Latin-America.
Argentina is where I lived for a few years and got my education in fashion and advertisement photography, with a special focus on continuous lighting, as well as an additional training in high-end beauty retouching, most of which I do myself.
Two souls are residing in me: Artist and photographer.
The One : The enthusiastic artist in me is motivated by play, flow, beauty and connection, has the courage to be led by intuition, and loves to create staged experimental portraits and fashion stories that aim to be rich in atmosphere and have a magical lighting.
The Other : The professional photographer in me focuses on the client’s needs, loves planning shoots and working in teams, sees looking behind the scenes of different industries as an adventure, gets all geeky about lighting techniques and photo gear, and genuinely likes people and does everything for them to shine and feel good and seen in front of her lens.
In both roles, be it artist or photographer, I have very high standards for my work, demanding a lot from myself. I don’t like having to do work “quick and dirty”.
Creating beautiful, poetic, powerful, outstanding, captivating portraits is where it all comes together for me. It’s the combination of technical expertise and creative vision that allows the artwork to get to next level. And that’s what drives me.
Foto: Santiago Salazar
Clients
GOOGLE INC., Deutsche Telekom, Johnson&Johnson, dm Drogerie Markt, Procter & Gamble Company, Tchibo, Lanserhof GmbH, Harisch Hotels, SMP - Struktur Management Partner, Raffaello Rossi, zero, Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, ECCO Sko A/S, ARTvergnügen GmbH, Dr. Schnell Chemie, Audi Hamburg, BMW
ROWOHLT VERLAG, Gruner & Jahr, 3Sat/ZDF, dtv Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, KiWi Verlag, Naxos Music Group, Quadriga Media Berlin GmbH, Argon Verlag
SCHOLZ&FRIENDS, DDB Germany, Territory - Content to Results, Die Kameradinnen, Art+Com, Elevate Identity, Von Helden und Gestalten
UMWELTMINISTERIUM NRW, Universität Hamburg / Hamburg Center for Health Economics, Behörde für Wissenschaft Forschung und Gleichstellung Hamburg, igs - Internationale Gartenschau Hamburg
KAMPF DER KÜNSTE / Slam Kultur gGmbH, I.P.O.N. - International Peace Observers Network e.V., Unternehmer ohne Grenzen e.V.
SOPHIE PASSMANN (author/radio show host), Ina Müller (singer/TV host), Michel Abdollahi (conferencier/performance artist/journalist), Eugen Ruge (author), Florence Kasumba (actress), Stefanie Stahl (author/psychologist), Dr. Anne Fleck (author/medical doctor), Sandra Gerling (actress), Anthony Lazaro (musician), Jagoda Marinić (author/journalist)
PLUS PORTRAITS of a wide variety of actors, bands, musicians, artists, entrepreneurs and politicians among other clients
Published
ELLE
L'Officiel China
Brigitte
DIE ZEIT
DB Mobil
STERN
GALA Greece
FACES Magazin
NEON
dm alverde Magazin
Mega Magazine
Bunte
BARBARA Magazin
Lanserhof Magazin
taz
ProfiFoto
digit! Magazine
Photo Presse
alverde Magazin
Jute Magazine
Flanelle Magazine
Spiegel online
Brigitte Woman
Brigitte Leben!
IRK Magazine
Nasty Magazine
Atlas Magazine
Catalogue Fashion Book
Institute Magazine
Szene Hamburg
Commercielle
Observer
Urbanshit
and many more
Exhibitions
"Kapriolen" - BFF
Aufschlag #15
Hamburg, Juni 2024
"12 Seconds" - BFF
Aufschlag #14
Hamburg, Sept 2023
"RUNWAY" - Haus der Wirtschaft Stuttgart,
Sept/Oct 2022
"Bewegung" - BFF
Aufschlag #13
Hamburg, Aug 2022
"RUNWAY" - Frankfurt
Fashion Week, Jan/Feb
2022
"Future Perfect" - BFF
Aufschlag #12
Hamburg, June 2021
"FSK ab 18" - group
exhibition. Galerie
Drewes, Hamburg, 2020
50 Jahre BFF. "Your
signature - Das bleibt."
Stuttgart, Berlin,
Hamburg, 2019
BFF Aufschlag #10.
Hamburg, 04/2018
"Uncommissioned" -
BFF Aufschlag.
Hamburg, 05/2017
"Immersion&Illusion" –
first solo show.
Bonn, 02/2017
"Reduction" -
BFF Triebwerk.
Berlin, 10/2016
"Volcano" – group
exhibition.
Fotodesign
Buenos Aires,
Argentina, 12/2015
Press
I have been featured in the press eight times so far. Click on the image to have a closer look & listen (German only):
Radio Interview
February 2025
The German radio station ByteFM interviewed me LIVE (!!) for one hour about my career. I was also allowed to bring my favorite music. We talked about the book that changed my life and where my courage to start new comes from. (German only)
Podcast Interview
October 2024
Listen to this interview with me if you want to get a boost in motivation to follow your dreams. And to maybe start to experiment with Lightpainting if you are a photographer :-)
You will also get to know me better. (German only)
ProfiFoto - Instax Art Series
November 2024
Publication in the German magazine ProfiFoto.
ProfiFoto had sent me a Fuji Polaroid Instax SQ40 camera. I was completely free in what I captured and they would publish it.
ProfiFoto
May 2022
A presentation of my portfolio on six pages with a short text about me in Germanys reknown photographic magazine ProfiFoto under the title of "Poesie und Euphorie". The cover photo is also by me.
Podcast-Interview
April 2022
If you want to know more about my path from well-paid senior project leader to professional full time photographer, my fears and if I regret it, listen to this 30-minute interview with me on the Podcast of "Montags gerne aufstehen"
(German only).
digit! Magazine
July / August 2020
On eight pages the author writes about my view on photography, my path of becoming a professional full time photographer, presents an excerpt from my portfolio and does an interview with me. (German only)
PhotoPresse PP04
April 2021
In the interview I get to talk about a favorite job of mine from the past, what I liked about it and how we did it.
H.E.I.
January 2018
If you want to know more about my path of becoming a professional full time photographer read this article published in 2018 on the Blog of Hamburger Existenzgründungs Initiative (German only).
Foto: Santiago Salazar
Some biographical fun facts about me
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In my first life I worked for a Federal German enterprise in the field of International Cooperation as project leader. It was an awesome job! I just love photography so much more, so I quit it and started a new life. That career made me comfortable with leadership, handling high budgets, and taught me “corporate speak”.
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I have a master’s degree in Intercultural Communication, Adult Education and Psychology.
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Currently I speak six languages, having lived and worked in many different countries.
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Depending on the job, my sailing & motor boat license, or downhill skiing and horse-riding skills may come in handy.
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I am passionate about many things besides photography. Among them the Tim Ferriss Podcast, personality development, nonviolent-communication, entrepreneurship, romantic comedies, the series New Girl, literature, South America (Argentina & Brazil especially!), philosophy, investing, or rabbits... We will have lots of topics to bond over. Just give it a try ☺
 Konzerthaus Dortmund 25/26 campaign motif |  my pictures and little moving images all over the city of Dortmund for the concert hall campaign 25/26 |  very proud with the dm alverde Magazine Cover, June 2024 edition |
|---|---|---|
 the dm alverde Magazine is travelling with me trough London (June 2024) |  Lightpainting Lovers united in Montreal, Canada |  Auf der BFF Vernissage in Hamburg 2023, die drei Kreateurinnen von "The Art Of Transformation" (Foto: Gulliver Theis) |
 Das New York City Team im Fahrstuhl (2023) ♥ |  behind-the-scenes beim Shooting mit Ina Müller für die GEO Saison |  super stolz ❤️ (Foto: M. Nachtsheim) |
 auch super stolz und glücklich ❤️ Interview mit mir in der ProfiFoto inkl. Titelbild (Foto: Andrea S.M.) |  Ein paar Impressionen von der wirklich einzigartigen Woche in Kitzbühel im Februar 2022, wo ich für die Harisch Hotels Group fotografiert habe. Danke an Andreas & Andreas ❤️ |  |
 Sonnbühel, mit meinem Assistenten David Fischer |  Portraitierung von Dr. Christian Harisch |  Harisch Bar |
 wann liege ich eigentlich mal nicht auf dem Boden? |  |  Für den BFF saß ich auf der Photopia 2021 dem Podium in einer Diskussion zum Thema Sichtbarkeit/ Eigenmarketing |
 Highlight der Photopia: Mein Idol Kristian Schuller persönlich treffen und ihn fast eine ganze Stunde lang ausquetschen wie er das macht mit Kunst und Kommerz |  RUNWAY Ausstellung in Frankfurt 2022; eines meiner vier Bilder |  glücklich nach dem Glitzer Shooting mit der Gang |
 |  Workshop auf Zingst für den Neuen BFF Förderpreis mit meiner Mentee Barbara Haas, die ich im Rahmen der Förderung vier Monate als Mentorin begleiten durfte. |  Für den Rowohlt Verlag habe ich 50 ihrer Mitarbeiter portraitiert. Dort arbeiten die allernettesten Menschen. In meinem nächsten Leben werde ich Lektorin. |
 Das Team beim Dr. Anne Fleck Shooting für die Brigitte Leben |  Mit Dr. Anne Fleck |  Für den Lanserhof auf Sylt. Oktober 2020 |
 Hinter den Kulissen beim Shooting für Raffaello Rossi. Juni 2020 |  Behind the scenes beim Shooting mit Stefanie Stahl |  my dream shooting for Lanserhof (Tegernsee) |
 isn't it beautiful at Lanserhof Tegernsee? |  Hunting all lights and shadows at Lanserhof Tegernsee (photo: Oliver Viaña) |  mit Model Victoria Summer und Stylistin Schmizzi beim wundervollen Lanserhof Shooting |
 Lanserhof Tegernsee |  Meine neuen Visitenkarten sind da! Die Rückseite ist immer gleich aber auf der Vorderseite sind 26 verschiedene Bilder zu sehen. So dienen sie mir auch als Mini Portfolio. |  Stolz und glücklich mit dem Brigitte Beauty Editorial Ausgabe Nr. 28 - Dez 2019 |
 Die Gang beim Shooting mit Sophie Passmann |  Die Crew beim Portraitieren des Erfinders Michael Lutter für das Barbara Magazin |  50 Jahre BFF |
 Interviewt werden weil ich den BFF Award Gold Junior gewonnen habe :-) |  BFF Award Gold Junior gewonnen 2019 |  Aus der Serie "I see you and I will be there for you" |
 last styling touch ups for "Life is tough my darling, but so are you" in London, 2017 (photo: Inna Kirioglo) |  Shooting a beauty series for Atlas Magazine, 2017 (photo: Angela Ohde) |  shooting "Moon Colours" with my analog Pentax 6x7 (photo: Marie Hölscher) |
 at the production of the Cover for a magazine by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit in Bonn, 2017 (photo: Santiago Salazar) |  my job makes me happy :-) (photo: Katrin Schöning) |  Business Shooting in the port of Hamburg, 2017 (photo: Katrin Schöning) |
 behind the scenes for "Urban Leisure", 2017 (photo: Cecilia Aretz) |  shooting "Utopia16", 2016 at Fotofabrique in Hamburg (photo: Daniela Pulina) |  shooting Federico Rosales for Universe Management, Buenos Aires, 2016 |
 Building the set for the series "surrealista", Buenos Aires, 2015 |  shooting Bonner Jazzchor for their new CD, 2016 (photo: Ana Franco) |  with the band "16 Tage" after a successfull photoshoot, Bonn 2016 (photo: Ana Franco) |
 Opening speech at my first solo exhibition in Bonn, February 2017 (photo: Thomas Ollendorf) |  With friends in Epecuén, Argentina, 2015 |  with my long time muse, Fernando, in Brazil 2013 (photo: Aline) |
 Last but not least: Frohe Weihnachten, everyone! |