About

The curiosity has remained – the love for imperfection has grown.

— The Beginning —

In 1997, I completed my apprenticeship as a professional photographer, and two years later I earned my master craftsman’s qualification. Building on this foundation, I opened fotografa, my first portrait studio, in Berlin’s Lottumstraße in 2002. In 2010, the studio moved into the Goldleistenfabrik, then a vibrant hub for creative businesses. The daily exchange with publishers, designers, and software developers sharpened my understanding of visual communication—and, above all, of what it takes for trust to emerge between two people.

That question has stayed with me ever since. For many years now, I have devoted my work almost exclusively to photographing people. And the longer I did so, the stronger my desire became to truly understand the people standing in front of my camera. In 2022, I therefore completed my training as a Certified Master Coach.

 

— A Turning Point in South Africa —

This search also led me down a second path. In 2024, I began exploring the human condition through street photography as an artistic practice. In Istanbul, I was captivated by the unposed moment—that brief instant when a person is completely immersed in themselves.

In April 2026, I travelled to South Africa with the same intention. But I found that I could no longer work as I had two years earlier. What had once seemed entirely natural in Istanbul was no longer compatible with my own values: capturing the “souls” of strangers without their consent.

In the middle of that work, I realized that photographing people without asking crosses a boundary of personal integrity—even when it is justified as art. Looking back, I would say that in Istanbul I crossed a line I simply could not yet see. Since then, I have only exhibited street photography with the full consent of the people I portray. I have also revisited my Istanbul series, editing the images to protect the identity of every individual shown.

 

— My Philosophy Today —

This ongoing reflection on both my own boundaries and those of others now shapes everything I create. What began as an artistic search has become a way of working grounded in connection, freedom, and human dignity. True presence grows from trust, attentive listening, careful craftsmanship, and the space to simply be.

My guiding principle is simple: Depth over volume.

 

— Why My Portrait Sessions Take Time —

My approach is intentionally different from what has become the norm. When people ask why my portrait sessions require more time, my answer is always the same: because trust has no shortcut. A meaningful portrait cannot be forced by deadlines or the pressure to deliver. That is why we begin by developing a shared concept before either of us steps in front of—or behind—the camera. Many of my portraits are used for years because my clients genuinely like seeing themselves in the images and feel confident sharing them. More often than not, those photographs emerge only once the pressure to “perform” disappears. My role is to create a space where you can simply be yourself—with ease, without performance, and without posing.

When I see how heavily photographs are still being retouched today, I often experience it as a kind of lifeless perfection. If we keep erasing every trace of being human, do we not also risk forgetting how to truly see one another? My aim is the opposite: an aesthetic that feels truthful and alive—a portrait in which the person you have long been on the inside becomes visible on the outside.

I invite you to an encounter from which portraits of timeless elegance and natural presence can emerge.

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You can discover my personal artistic work at www.tabea-marten.com.