SIYU personal

Aargau-based photographer Susanne Bär (born 1983) has been working as a freelance photographer in Strengelbach (AG) since 2012. She completed her training at the Cap Photo School in Zurich in 2012 and then set up her own studio. She took her first photographs with her father's camera. Today, she is self-employed and combines her freelance work with her family life as a single mother. In this interview, she talks about how she organises herself.

What fascinated you about photography back then and now as a professional photographer? As a child, I loved discovering inconspicuous details through the viewfinder. It felt like I was diving into my own little world for a moment. And I was excited every time the envelope with the developed pictures came back – that moment of surprise was magical because I never knew exactly what to expect.

Today, many things have become more technical and everything moves faster. But my core remains the same: my love of detail accompanies me to this day. Sometimes I immerse myself so deeply in the moment that I even forget to breathe. The fascination of looking through the viewfinder has remained – only today I no longer choose my image section at random, but very consciously.

How did your focus on architecture, food and reportage develop? Was there a specific event or encounter that tipped the scales, or...? In recent years, my focus has increasingly shifted to architectural photography. Through my collaboration with an interior design firm and my intensive exploration of space, materiality and light, demand in this area has grown, expanding my customer base accordingly.

Food and reportage currently only feature in my work occasionally, but I always enjoy the change of pace. My focus today is on architectural photography, where my photographic orientation and fascination have become most firmly established.

What fascinates you about architectural photography? I love graphic forms, colours and lines – and the creative interplay of light and shadow, perspective and framing. In architectural photography, I find the opportunity to reinterpret and combine different materials, structures and surfaces – always with a focus on a reduced, calm and at the same time expressive visual language. This creative, sometimes almost meditative process inspires me every time anew.

You have been self-employed for 13 years. Have there been difficult times? Yes, definitely. It wasn't always easy, especially in the early days of my self-employment. As a single mother, times when I had few commissions were a real challenge, as money could be tight at the end of the month – it took a lot of strength to endure these moments and still keep going. And today I can say that it was absolutely worth it: I love my job and the freedom that comes with being a self-employed photographer.

You are a family woman – how do you balance the two activities? My daughter is now 19 years old. Looking back, having my studio in our home was the best decision. When she came home from school, I was always there. In the evenings, I could continue working after she went to bed. I was also able to plan my assignments so that they mainly fell during her school hours. This flexibility was a huge advantage of being self-employed – and it allowed me to combine family and career well.

You are a SIYU member. What do you expect from the association? I hope that SIYU membership will bring me inspiring encounters, interesting offers and new contacts that will enrich and expand my everyday professional life.

Has your view of photography changed over the years of being ‘close to photography without being a photographer yourself’ and, if so, how? As a journalist, I not only have to deliver the text, but also the pictures, so I am a part-time photographer. Over the course of my time at NL, my view of my own photography has changed and, hopefully, improved. Looking through countless photos for the NL illustrations has certainly helped! 

Through my work at NL, I have gained a deeper insight into the work of professional photographers and their daily challenges.