Words: Tina Edward Gunawardhana
Photographs: Courtesy of Indi Herbst
Indi Herbst is an immensely talented multi award winning photographer based in Germany. Fiercely proud of her Sri Lankan heritage, Indi spent her formative years in Sri Lanka where she ended up working at the Lanka Oberoi hotel before taking wing to Germany where she got a job working as cabin crew for British Airways and also running her own wedding planning agency while being a mother to three children. During her career as a stewardess, Indi realised she had a flair for photography. She changed her career to photography and is now considered one of the finest portrait photographers in Germany.
How old were you when you realised you had a knack for photography?
I realised it while I was working for British Airways but at that time it was on an amateur level.
What sort of photography do you specialise in?
I would define it as timeless legacy portraits photographed in a very painterly style.
Why did this particular genre appeal to you?
Because it is not a modern picture you take quickly which ends up in a drawer or a photo album in a cupboard. My photography session itself is a memorable event. The portrait is always presented on stretched canvas. The portraits I take are a blend of modern and vintage aesthetics and has a timeless appeal.
Have you had any formal training in photography?
I am totally self-taught but I did join a Portrait Programme in 2019 to learn and gain experience in the industry.
What role does photography play in your life?
I love it! It’s a special connection that I am allowed to share with those I photograph. The moments of emotion when the client is free to be herself/ himself are priceless. During the session I often find my clients opening up to me and they can get quite emotional. I even trained for three years as a psychological coach so that I am equipped to guide the photography session because of the raft of emotions my clients feel. The look or expression on the client’s face can not be reproduced so it is important that I capture the images during those vital seconds while I am talking with my client. I don’t direct the shoot with phrases like smile, laugh, look etc. It all happens during our conversations.
Which photographers are you inspired by or consider as role models?
Oh so many, but I’m more inspired by painters like Rembrandt - I love to recreate the light in my studio as you can see in most of my works. It’s not easy. It is an actual calculated amount of light and angles that are needed to get that special look that I want. That’s my niche.
What are some of the awards that you have won?
Many! The competition within the portrait industry is very tough. I won the Portrait Master in 2019, the IPA -International Portrait Award in 2021, Shine 2020 and many more Bronze and Silver medals in many different International Portrait Competitions.
If I were to put a figure, I would say I have won 70 awards altogether. Some of my works were even shown in the museum in Innsbruck, Austria.
