Photoshoot with an author - Johanna Kramer

WI can’t express how excited I was when I received an email from Johanna, a German fiction-author whose new book is about to make people fall in love with Edinburgh even more.

Johanna told me in her email that she enjoys writing about deep emotions, searching for answers in life and finding answers to the most difficult questions.

Her first novel is called “Wir können alles sein” and is about a love story between two women.

Portrait photoshoot with book author in Edinburgh

Since we wanted to reflect her personality in our photo shoot, we decided to start with taking some photos in a café, as Johanna is a massive coffee lover. As a place we chose Thomas J Walls near the Meadows in Edinburgh, one of the most beautiful and atmospheric cafés in Scotland. Whenever I’m in the area I cannot resist getting a flat white and a sweet treat there.

Also, we decided to incorporate writing tools such as pens, laptop and notebook to truly show the details of writer’s life. To sum up, I was incredibly happy that Johanna loved my ideas for the shoot and locations and that together we managed to create something so magical!

Dare to dream – Johanna’s story

When I turned thirty I reached a point in my life where I was pretty desperate. I had little self-confidence and was very sad because I thought that there was nothing that I was really good at and what fulfilled me. Back then I was studying International Business Communication and was promoted to Area Sales Manager in a large corporation. But the problem was that I was totally unhappy. My work didn’t feel fulfilling, I didn’t enjoy it and it didn’t come from any inner drive. I felt completely out of place.

Strangely enough, this job was exactly what I was always working towards and everything I had identified with until then. I wanted to study and then travel around the world for work. But the euphoria that I felt during my first trips was overshadowed by strenuous routines, bad mood when working and a professional life that did not suit me at all. I was lacking creativity, self-realization, sense. In short: this job was not me.

And even though I felt that life had more to offer and I firmly believed that every person has a very special talent with which can give their life meaning… I wasn’t considering any alternatives for myself until then. I was leading that kind of orderly life that society and those around me thought was good for me. I only sometimes thought about what I could achieve in life. I didn’t dare to think about alternatives. I didn’t dare to dream.

When my mother died of cancer, everything changed. That was a painful reminder that life is so fleeting. Life is all the plans that we have been postponing until later. Also, that you can wake up tomorrow and suddenly have no time left. So, losing my mother made me realize two important things.

This life is too short to fill it with meaninglessness.

Also, that I want to spend time creating something really great and meaningful.

Finding the courage to achieve your dream

So I quit my job. I needed distance to find myself. To find out what I really wanted to do with my life. I read a lot, looked for intense spirituality and spent a while working on my creativity in different ways. A year and a half later I took my first writing class and I finally found something I had been looking for so long. Writing became my life. So I took the courage and wrote a book. I will never forget what it was like when I published my first novel in 2018.

I felt it for the first time in my life. I did it, I achieved it. But more importantly, I felt that I found my destiny. I was flooded with happiness because what I was holding in my hands was not just my first book. It felt like it was my courage, my happiness and my freedom. And I had created it myself.

So, knowing what you don’t want is a much bigger driving force than knowing what you want. The pain that you have suffered and that you never want to experience again is an unimagined engine for the realization of dreams.

What I am sure about is that everyone has a certain talent, a passion with which they were born. Anyone can find it if they start looking. You can be everything you have always dreamed of. Because our dreams and desires, which really stem from a strong inner longing, naturally correspond to our talents and abilities.

We can never find out who we really are if we don’t dare to listen to ourselves. And we can never be who we want to be if we don’t give ourselves the time and the peace to reflect.

We can never get out of our hamster wheel unless we find the courage to outgrow ourselves.

Because in the end it’s all about your heart’s desire and not what others think of it. Please, don’t you ever forget: you can be anything you want in life.

Edinburgh photo shoot with an author – Johanna Kramer

It was so amazing to work with such a great, creative and inspiring clients but also gain a new friend. We had so many interesting conversations during the day of our shoot! And many more cups of coffee. We ended up having a pint of beer and haggis, neeps and tatties to warm ourselves up after spending a few hours outside creating images for Johanna. I have to say, it was a wonderful and a memorable day. I feel honoured that I could publish Johanna’s story on my blog.

For more information about this amazing lady and her books visit her website.  I’m so proud and happy to see my photographs on her beautiful website right now!

If you feel inspired by my photo shoot with talented Johanna and are looking for a similar vibe in your photography session, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me via contact from on my website.