Inga van Berkum
“Besides pictorial inspirations, I am also very interested in and inspired by topics such as body positivity”
Intercru: Where are you from?
My name is Inga, I’m 23 years old and I was born in a small town near Cologne in Germany.
Where do you live and work now?
I have been living in Cologne since 2016. I studied Communication Design in Aachen for four years and last year I completed my bachelor’s degree. Now, I would like to concentrate more on my work as a freelance photographer and designer.
How did you get started in photography?
I can’t remember when exactly I started taking photos. But in the beginning, it was mostly just nature photography and spontaneous shoots with friends or family.
I have always been creative- I drew, took photos, designed, and edited short films. That’s why I decided to study Communication Design to focus on all these areas. During my studies, I unfortunately lost sight of photography for a few years and concentrated mainly on my design work. Towards the end of my studies, I rediscovered my passion for photography and since then, I have had many shootings with great models.
What do you do to find creative inspiration?
I get a lot of inspiration from photographers on Instagram, Pinterest, movies, and especially magazines.
Another inspiration is definitely my boyfriend. We exchange our experiences, try many different styles of photography together and often go out to take pictures with our analogue cameras.
Besides pictorial inspirations, I am also very interested in and inspired by topics such as "body positivity." That’ s why I recently created a photo series inspired by this topic in order to create more awareness for it.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
That is a very tough question. I have to be honest and say that I don’t really know. My taste and style change all the time, so I don’t really stick to one source of inspiration. I look at so many different great photographers and I don’t have a favorite. I get a lot of inspiration from all of them.
How would you define your creative style?
I would say my creative style is still a bit mixed. I haven’t found my personal style yet and I’m still trying out different things. It will probably change from time to time, but I especially enjoy shooting portraits. I would like to try more editorial or street photography, but maybe there will be coming more like this in the next few months. I’m definitely looking forward to the future and the chance to keep meeting new models and other great photographers.
Inga van Berkum is a Cologne-based photographer and designer. To see more of her photography, you can check out her website ingavanberkum.com or follow her work on Instagram @some.randomframes.
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