SIYU personal

Andrea Wullimann  from Selzach specialises in professional business and commercial photography. Andrea's portfolio also includes architecture/interiors, classic and lifestyle portraits and image photography. The Solothurn native (*1988) began her career with an apprenticeship at Foto Heri in Solothurn as a photo specialist, then worked in the retail trade and in a photo studio for advertising materials. This was followed by training and further education at the Bern School of Design as a photo specialist EFZ Photography 2005 - 2008 and 2014 - 2017 in Media Economics & Management for Visual Communication.
 
At the same time, Andrea set up her own studio with the desire to focus on what she likes and enjoys photographing - and photographed a wide variety of subjects to try herself out: Friends, couples, portraits, nudes, weddings - anything that helped her develop experience and a feel for people and visual language.
 
She has been self-employed since 2015. Her work is characterised by professionalism, empathy and strategic and economic thinking. Andrea sees photography not just as a craft, but as a means of communication that shows attitude and creates impact. In addition to her work as a photographer, she now teaches a small part-time course at the BBZ Solothurn vocational college and passes on her technical knowledge to the next generation.
 
Why do you call your studio ‘Lichtartfotografie’? During my training, there were lectures by external photographers, including from the ‘Lichtschacht’ photo studio. I thought, what a great name, I want to have that too! After that, I spent nights brooding over a name and at some point I came up with ‘Lichtartfotografie’. That was in 2008.
 
From weddings to commercial photography - has your previous focus shifted? As I originally came from a photographic background, I learnt to photograph everything - which can be an advantage. At the beginning, I thought that as a photographer I had to offer as much as possible to fulfil the needs and earn a living at the same time.

After trying my hand at family and wedding photography, I came to the conclusion that these areas didn't suit me. They are too emotionally charged for me and I am less interested in them - also because I have no connection to weddings and family pictures. So I gradually switched to business and corporate photography. At first it was isolated portraits, but later other areas such as architecture and product photography were added.
 
What does being self-employed mean to you? Freedom. Being without dependencies. Being able to plan when and how I want and with whom means everything to me. I decide for myself how much or how little my income is and I don't have to attend Christmas dinners or staff meetings.
 
You wrote a blog: ‘Self-employed, what you need to know’. Why did you share your experiences? I see a lot of people who don't dare to start their own business or don't know how to go about it. That's what happened to me after my training. I wish I had experienced more openness and dialogue with other self-employed photographers earlier on. Maybe then I would have gone my own way sooner.
 
What particularly concerns me: In Switzerland, competitiveness, negativity and secrecy are still widespread - something that I still can't understand. Because nobody wants to take anything away from anyone else. We are too preoccupied with ourselves for that. On the contrary: together we are stronger. It would be easier if we could live that and share it.
 
You also write about posture and non-verbal communication. Why is that? My colleagues know what I'm talking about. Many of us, myself included, sit hunched over like a banana behind a laptop. This posture is neither healthy nor particularly attractive. Or is it? I am convinced that posture makes a significant contribution to a good portrait. Because we read people - always. Especially unconsciously. And that's where the effect begins: in the body, in the posture. That's what I want to convey to people: If they want to have better pictures of themselves, a simple change to a straighter posture will make a big difference!
 
What is a great shooting experience for you and your customers? For me, a great shoot means that everyone involved leaves with a good feeling. Many people generally don't like being photographed - they feel insecure or more comfortable unobserved. So it's all the nicer that around 99% of my customers are pleasantly surprised at the end. They go home with a smile, more self-confidence and a really good feeling - just like me.

You recently became a member of SIYU. What do you expect from the association? I'm looking forward to real dialogue - on topics that affect us all: Contact with customers, communication, dealing with technology, challenges in the legal field or sharing successes and fears. I want to learn from others so that I can continue to develop and offer my customers an even better experience. For me, photographs are not just pretty pictures, they are a visual means of communication for people.