Using a journalistic approach, she realizes long-term projects on social and geopolitical topics, with a focus on identity, belonging and power structures – as well as their influence on individual life realities.

A particular focus of her work is on Eastern Europe, where her current series »It’s my wound because it’s pain for me« is located. This will be shown in July as part of the laif group exhibition at the Arles Photo Festival.

In addition to her freelance work, she also works in the editorial field, including for Süddeutsche Zeitung, ZEIT online, ZEIT Magazin, Der Spiegel, Focus, Fluter, FAZ Magazin and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

My interest in the Caucasus region deepened during a longer stay in Georgia. There I experienced how strong the desire for democratic participation is, despite political uncertainties and authoritarian tendencies. The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the effects of which have reached as far as Armenia and Georgia, has also influenced my perspective on Eastern Europe.

Armenia is currently at a turning point: the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh, political isolation and the fear of a new war are shaping the lives of many people.

With »It’s my wound because it’s pain for me«, I want to show how deep this shock goes, but also how people are countering it. I am moved by encounters with people who, despite all the uncertainty, do not give up but look for ways to make their voices heard, offer resistance and help shape their own reality.

Unfortunately, this experience is not new. Many conflicts quickly lose media attention as soon as they disappear from the headlines. As a photographer, however, I see it as my job to look beyond the fleeting topicality. The impact of such events on local people is long-term, shaping identities, realities of life and hopes for the future.

I have been working on this project since the end of 2023, deliberately as a long-term examination of the situation in Armenia. I am not just interested in reacting quickly to current events, but in gaining a deeper understanding of the social consequences of this conflict. It is precisely because Armenia is often overlooked in the global discourse that it is important for me to maintain a continuous perspective. I therefore measure the relevance of my work not only in terms of media attention, but also in terms of its contribution to understanding this conflict-ridden region.

At the end of last year, I met a family with three children who had fled from Nagorno-Karabakh. They lived in a small village near the Azerbaijani border, with an elderly woman who hardly had anything herself but had taken in several refugee families. She showed me how much strength there is in quiet gestures and everyday solidarity and how people take responsibility for each other even under difficult conditions.

This is not easy to answer, especially for long-term projects. There is rarely a clear end point for me. I often notice in phases that my perspective changes when I have the feeling that I have understood something better or look at the topic differently with a little distance.

At some point, the desire then arises to give the project a form, for example as a book or exhibition. Even if this is not always a final conclusion, it helps me to record an interim status and share the work. After some time, I can then approach the topic again or pursue other aspects.

I weigh up very carefully what I show and how I show it. For me, it’s not about amplifying emotions, but about showing situations as they are without dramatizing them. Especially in sensitive contexts, it is important to me not to reduce people to their vulnerability. I try to treat them with respect, both when photographing them and when selecting the images. I take this responsibility very seriously and it accompanies me right through to publication.

For me, a portrait is a form of mutual attention. It’s about creating a moment of pause and a space in which someone can show themselves without having to portray anything. You leave the observational stance and enter into a more direct exchange.

With commissions, the time, place and setting are usually predetermined and you work with what is there. Compared to documentary work, the process is more controlled. In both cases, I try to create a concentrated atmosphere and get involved in the situation.

more photos by Jana

book Jana