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MEET THE
PHOTOGRAPHER
“EMOTIONAL. AUTHENTIC. TIMELESS.”
An intimate conversation with Nathalie Neuherz about portraiture, authenticity, creative
growth, and the people who shape an artistic journey.
ABOUT NATHALIE
My name is Nathalie Neuherz. I live in the Stuttgart area and work part-time as a freelance photographer with a special passion for portrait photography.
STYLE & IDENTITY
How would you describe your visual style in 3 words?
If I had to describe my visual style in three words, they would be: emotional, authentic, and timeless.
Emotional, because with my photos I don’t just want to capture a moment—I also want to evoke a feeling in the viewer.
Authentic, because it’s important to me that a person’s personality remains visible and that a portrait doesn’t look artificial. I want to show the person in front of my camera just as they really are—or perhaps even reveal a side of them that they themselves haven’t yet consciously noticed.
And timeless, because I want to create images that aren’t limited to a specific trend or aesthetic. A good portrait should still tell a story and move people even years later.
For me, these three words describe not only my visual style but also my fundamental approach to photography.
STORYTELLING
What’s a photo you’re most proud of, and why?
There’s one photo I’m actually particularly proud of—a portrait of Katherine from our last photo shoot together in November. This photo was later selected by the jury as one of the top 50 at an exhibition in March.
Of course, this award means a great deal to me. But the real reason this photo is so special to me runs much deeper. Katherine is someone who has shaped my creative journey from the very beginning and has repeatedly encouraged me to believe in my photography. The fact that a photo of her, of all things, went on to receive such recognition makes the moment even more special to me.
I think so many elements just came together perfectly in this photo: the mood, the light, her expression, and above all, that very special moment between the camera and the subject. To me, it doesn’t feel like just a “beautiful portrait,” but rather like a photo that has captured something of her personality.
That’s why it’s also a beautiful symbol of my journey so far: the person who encouraged me at the very beginning to give my photography a chance ultimately became the subject of a photo that was honored by a jury.
And that’s exactly why this photo will probably always hold a special place in my portfolio.
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PROCESS & PERSPECTIVE
What’s the most unexpected thing photography has taught you?
What I’ve unexpectedly learned through photography is just how much you can learn about a person without them having to say much.
Through my work, I’ve learned to look much more closely—at glances, body language, subtle changes in expression, and those moments when someone is simply completely at ease for a brief instant. It’s precisely these small, unplanned moments that often reveal more than any perfectly staged pose.
At the same time, photography has also taught me to be more patient and not to always want to control everything. Some of my favorite photos were taken in moments that weren’t planned at all.
And perhaps the biggest surprise was that photography has changed not only how I see other people, but also how I see myself. It has shown me how important it is to trust my own perception and to have the courage to see things differently than others do.
I never would have expected this at the beginning of my photographic journey—that by photographing other people, I would ultimately learn so much about myself.
As you continue building your career as a photographer, what are some of the ways you’re learning and developing your skills?
I believe that as a photographer, you’re never really “done.” That’s exactly what makes this profession so exciting to me. I learn mainly through practice—through every shoot, every new person in front of my camera, and every new challenge.
I make a conscious effort to step out of my comfort zone time and again and try new things. In doing so, I explore new techniques, lighting setups, and image editing; I observe other photographers and draw inspiration from different styles. At the same time, it’s important to me to continue developing my own style and visual language.
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The people who accompany me on my journey are also a very special part of my personal development. This, of course, includes Katherine. Thanks to her many years of experience as an actress, she has a completely different perspective on working in front of the camera, on expression, body language, and the impact of a moment. As a result, she has given me many valuable and helpful pieces of advice that I’ve been able to incorporate into my own work.
I find it incredibly valuable to learn from people with different experiences. Every collaboration, every conversation, and every new challenge broadens my perspective. And ultimately, for me, personal growth means staying curious, being open to feedback, and never stopping learning.
“Every shoot, every new person, and every new challenge is an opportunity to learn and grow.”
LEGACY & IMPACT
If someone’s looking at your portfolio 10 years from now, what do you hope they see?
If someone looks at my portfolio in ten years, I hope they’ll see not just beautiful photographs, but a journey of growth.
I want people to recognize how much I’ve grown as a photographer without losing my own distinctive style. I want my images to still touch people emotionally and tell a story about the people in front of my camera.
I hope that people looking at my portfolio will see individuals who weren’t just photographed, but were truly seen. That they can discover personality, emotions, and little stories in my images.
And perhaps above all, I hope that someone looking at my portfolio will be able to say, “You can tell right away that these images are hers.” Developing my own visual language and an unmistakable style would be one of the most wonderful things I could achieve as a photographer.
If my photos still evoke emotions, tell stories, and make people pause for a moment ten years from now, then I’d say I’ve done a lot right.
PERSONAL REFLECTION
What’s one truth about your creative journey that’s stayed with you?
One of the most impactful insights of my creative journey is that sometimes someone else has to believe in your potential before you yourself realize what you’re capable of.
For me, it was Katherine who set a lot of things in motion. She believed in my photography early on, encouraged me to take my passion seriously, and eventually to take the leap and make more of it. Back then, I probably wouldn’t have imagined where this path would eventually lead me.
Looking back, she didn’t just support my photography—she gave me the courage to trust my own creative voice. Everything that came after—collaborating with models, musicians, and magazines, winning awards, and starting my own photography business—developed step by step from there.
That taught me that a creative journey doesn’t always start with a clear plan. Sometimes it begins with someone who sees something in you that you can’t yet see yourself. And eventually, you learn to see it yourself and believe in it.
A PERSONAL NOTE TO KATHERINE
Dear Katherine,
Some things in life can’t be explained with grand words. Some people come into our lives and don’t just leave a mark—they change the direction we’re heading.
You were exactly that kind of person to me.
You saw something in me long before I had the courage to believe in it myself. You encouraged me to see my camera not just as a tool, but as a way to tell stories, bring emotions to life, and find my own perspective on the world.
Many of the photos I take today might never have been taken if you hadn’t believed in me back then.
But even more important than everything you’ve done for my photography is what you’ve come to mean to me as a person.
A chance encounter on Instagram turned into a friendship. That friendship turned into trust. And that trust turned into something that, at some point, no longer felt like friendship but like family.
To me, you’re not just Katherine.
You’re my big sister in my heart, my home on the other side of the ocean, and one of those rare people with whom you don’t have to explain anything to be understood.
When I look back today, I don’t just see the awards, the publications, or the photos that were taken. I also see the person who, at some point, told me: “You can do this.”
And perhaps that is precisely one of the greatest gifts one person can give another—to help them believe in themselves.
Katherine, thank you for believing in me.
Thank you for encouraging me to follow my own path.
Thank you for every conversation, every laugh, and also for all the quiet moments when your mere presence was enough.
And above all, thank you for reminding me that some encounters in life are no coincidence.
You’ve become a part of my story—and one of the most beautiful parts.
With all my love,
Nathalie
What inspires you most about shooting portraits?
What inspires me most when taking portraits is the person behind the image. I’m not just interested in what someone looks like, but in who that person really is—what story they carry with them, what emotions they might not immediately show, and what makes them unique.
For me, a good portrait emerges the moment someone stops “posing” for the camera and is simply fully present with themselves for a moment. It’s precisely these small, genuine moments that fascinate me: a glance, a movement, a smile, or sometimes even a certain vulnerability.
With my photos, I don’t just want to capture a beautiful face; I want to reveal something of a person’s personality and story. When someone later looks at their own portrait and thinks, “That’s really me,” that’s the most beautiful form of photography for me.
