2018.
How to even make a review of 365 days of a life? Well...
January - April
In the first third of the year I spend a lot of time in nature and with beloved people. I gave some talks about photography, shot a campaign for Artemide in Venice, went snowboarding in the Alps, went to Italy again to be part of a campaign for Levissima, spoke at the Photography Show, applied for the Adobe Creative Residency and explored the south of Germany and the North of Austria and Switzerland with Anthony.
May - August
In the second third of the year I actually got accepted for the Adobe Creative Residency and started my one-year-project Beauty of Age for it. Right away we went to New York for 99U and get started at the Adobe Office. Then we went to Berlin for for TYPO Berlin 2018. Followed by a short stop in Barcelona for OFF. After that I gave some talks at Foto Meyer's Schau2018 at Lette-Verein.
In May I watched my younger sister singing a big male(!) role in an opera and bursted with pride.
Then we went to Forward Festival in Munich, and to Cannes Lions Festival where I shot a diversity series for Adobe. Before we went to Forward Festival in Hamburg. That was followed by some weeks of time to photograph and interview elderly people for my project, seeing my family and making some big goodbyes to beloved in my life.
In May I watched my younger sister singing a big male(!) role in an opera and bursted with pride.
Then we went to Forward Festival in Munich, and to Cannes Lions Festival where I shot a diversity series for Adobe. Before we went to Forward Festival in Hamburg. That was followed by some weeks of time to photograph and interview elderly people for my project, seeing my family and making some big goodbyes to beloved in my life.
In July the Adobe Residency family met in San Francisco for some talks, events, dinners and fun time. Back home I had a german tv broadcaster filmed a little video about my project. Then I joined Nadine on her Adobe Residency project event in Frankfurt and we did a collaboration piece. After that I had a lovely little holiday in the Netherlands and left my heart there before traveling to Munich for a video-shot with Belvedere in a crazy beautiful stone quarry.
September - December
The last third of the year started with reminding me that my eyes are my biggest treasure but at the same time the weakest part of my body. Retina holes aren't fun, especially if normally only elderly people experience that.
But the months also offered good surprises: A Format Magazine article was published about my project, I did a three-day Adobe Live Stream and went to Unseen Festival in Amsterdam. I also overcame a big fear and did live photoshoots on stage at the Photokina in Cologne and met photo-friends again.
But the months also offered good surprises: A Format Magazine article was published about my project, I did a three-day Adobe Live Stream and went to Unseen Festival in Amsterdam. I also overcame a big fear and did live photoshoots on stage at the Photokina in Cologne and met photo-friends again.
In October I was involved into a nightmarish car-crash and saw two human beings die right in front of me. Physically I was 100% fine but the images of that night still haunt me. It made me realize brutally how fragile life is.
Maybe that's why I got a super spontaneous tattoo some days later when I was in Berlin for an Adobe Creative Jam.
Right after that Adobe MAX happened and I had no time to think anyway. No need to say it but still: it was crazy! Best surprise was my work popping up in the main keynote presentation in front of a really big audience. Also it was nice to meet so many creatives I wanted to meet since years. From there I went to San Francisco to meet friends, and elderly people for my project, to fracture my arm while driving on a boosted board on a really fun day with role model Ben von Wong, and do a great photo walk with Creative Mornings. I was so happy to find a way to combine Beauty of Age with my Laura Zalenga style: have a look.
Maybe that's why I got a super spontaneous tattoo some days later when I was in Berlin for an Adobe Creative Jam.
Right after that Adobe MAX happened and I had no time to think anyway. No need to say it but still: it was crazy! Best surprise was my work popping up in the main keynote presentation in front of a really big audience. Also it was nice to meet so many creatives I wanted to meet since years. From there I went to San Francisco to meet friends, and elderly people for my project, to fracture my arm while driving on a boosted board on a really fun day with role model Ben von Wong, and do a great photo walk with Creative Mornings. I was so happy to find a way to combine Beauty of Age with my Laura Zalenga style: have a look.
During these months I also photographed a documentary portrait campaign for Facebook Official that was exhibited in Berlin in the Reichstag which was a pretty big deal for me.
On one of my visits to the Netherlands Sony send a team to film a video about me shooting in the dunes.
In the very end of the year I decided to ignore my to-do-list and spend time with family, friends and my love. We celebrated New Years Eve in a little stone house in the middle of nowhere in Belgium and it was just so right.
On one of my visits to the Netherlands Sony send a team to film a video about me shooting in the dunes.
In the very end of the year I decided to ignore my to-do-list and spend time with family, friends and my love. We celebrated New Years Eve in a little stone house in the middle of nowhere in Belgium and it was just so right.
So I don't even know how to properly summarize 2018. It truly was intense and a rollercoaster and really made me excited for the things that lay ahead of me. Mostly I am thankful for how 2018 went. One thing is for sure: I am incredibly thankful for the people in my life. My family and my love, my friends, my clients and all the people out there who support my work. Thank you for making me that happy girl I am.
Yes, YOU!
Yes, YOU!
