About me
Hi, I’m Sven.
I live in Dresden, I’m married and I’m a father of three. At home, family life is as much a part of my everyday world as working with a camera.
This photograph is a few years old now. My children have grown a lot since then, which makes me appreciate pictures like this all the more.
A familiar face
When I spend time with your family, I want to talk with you and get to know you. That’s why I visit the day before a full-day documentary. It gives your children a chance to meet me before I join you with my camera.
I follow what’s happening in your home. Sometimes I’m right in the middle of the bustle; sometimes I notice a small gesture off to one side. That’s how I photograph your relationships and the things that make your family your own.
“We all loved having him there. It wasn’t tiring at all — it simply felt as though a good friend was visiting.”
My path to family photography
I started taking photographs at school. But it was only after my daughter was born that photography became increasingly important to me.
At first, I tried all sorts of things. Sometimes I asked my children to pose or tried to stage particular pictures. Eventually, though, I realised those weren’t the photographs that really interested me.
I remember an outing with a friend who was a photographer. She kept asking the children to stop, look somewhere or do something in particular. All I could think was: “Just let the children get on with it.”
I wanted to see what happened when no one told them what to do.
I think that was when I realised how I wanted to photograph.
That’s what matters to me today: observing rather than intervening. Photographing the relationships, the small gestures, the mess and the quirks that make each family who they are.
What began with pictures of my own children has grown into my passion for documentary family photography.
Working with “Memories for Families” was also a particularly meaningful experience for me. The initiative offers photography to families facing difficult circumstances.
Let’s get to know each other
Wondering whether a family documentary with me would suit you? Tell me about your family and ask whatever’s on your mind.