Hasselblad Heroines shines a light on female photographers around the globe as they make their mark in the photographic industry. Through these spotlights, each Heroine shares their experiences, tips, and inspiration to fellow photographers, encouraging them to bring their creative visions to life.
NINA WELCH-KLING
Street photographer Nina Welch-Kling explores New York City with open eyes, alert for moments of spontaneity where people, weather and architecture converge to create her surprising shots. Nina’s images isolate chaotic, colourful and character-filled New York moments to create minimal and focused compositions. Using framing techniques and manipulating light to show us her viewpoint, Nina’s work is inspired by art of all forms as well as her background in fine arts and architecture and upbringing in Germany.
CELIA D. LUNA
Celia D. Luna is a fashion and portrait photographer, telling stories and capturing what she wants to see in the world. Celia draws on her Peruvian heritage and upbringing, using this colorful landscape and Andean folklore in developing her visual style. Her images also feature diverse cultures and powerful women, often feeding off the vibrancy and multiculturalism in her current hometown of Miami. “I got to explore different towns in Peru throughout my childhood with my mom. I remember being fascinated by artisans and the way they created textiles, embroidery and pottery. I also developed tremendous respect for strong females. Seeing what my single mom was able to accomplish in a male-dominated society affected me in ways that I didn’t even fully realize until much later.”
CHIARA ZONCA
Chiara Zonca is a fine art and landscape photographer who travels the world to capture its wild, natural beauty. Chiara made the change from the city life of London to Vancouver, BC to be closer to nature and better connect with her surroundings.
Taking her inspiration from a wide variety of media spanning books, paintings, and historical work, she allows for inspiration to come from unpredictable sources and meandering paths. In all these things, Chiara persists in challenging herself and developing her skillset, being mindful of the influence of the outside world on her art. “Shutting down the external noise is the hardest thing for an artist as we’re constantly looking for approval. But it is important to be aware of why we create art in the first place.”
SWEE OH
Swee Oh is an internationally acclaimed architecture photographer, originally from Malaysia and currently based in San Francisco, California. Her professional background in architecture combined with her artistic eye create stunning photographs that highlight the boldness of the buildings she captures. Swee’s visual world is deeply influenced by how she uses light, form, shadows, and textures in her work. From traditional cityscapes to abstract breakdowns of skyscrapers, Swee Oh sees the city through a different lens. “My background in architecture influences how I interpret a building through photography. When I am designing I think of space, lines, volumes, positive/negative space, the experience when one moves around and through the building. All of these intuitions help me to understand a building better, and enable me to reveal and highlight its essence in the images I produce.” Swee is the 2016 Hasselblad Master of the architecture category.
