“As long as I can remember, I’ve always loved to observe the world around me,” says photographer Anna Neubauer to the Phoblographer in an interview. “I would often spend hours sitting in one spot, watching the light change and the colors shift. I loved the way the leaves on the trees danced in the breeze.” We can almost hear romantic music playing in the background when she describes this. Anna has always embraced the dream so many of us put to the side for life. And part of this comes from the unique way that she sees life.
This article is presented in partnership with Leica. All images by Anna Neubauer. Used with permission. Please follow her on Instagram.
“I would marvel at the way the sunlight would stream through the windows, illuminating the dust motes in its path or I would listen to the sound of rain hitting my windowpane for hours. I think my curiosity and fascination with the beauty of the world led to my deep love for art that incorporates water, sound and light.”
Anna Neubauer
The Creative Side of Anna Neubauer
Anna’s roots start out in a small town in Austria, where she was surrounded by stunning mountains and lakes. Like most others looking for joy in their lives, she spent lots of time outdoors. With an affinity for the arts as a child, she eventually realized that she liked the technical side of things. After playing with DSLR she was gifted, she taught herself — just like so many other photographers around the world today. Back then, she mostly took self-portraits because it was easier for her to build her own model. Eventually, she shared them on Flickr and Facebook and forged creative friendships with folks.
These days, she is mostly equipped with a Leica M11 and Leica D-LUX 8. She loves the 28mm focal length, natural light, and the joy she experiences as she’s shooting. “These are the core tools that allow me to capture the world as I see it and focus on capturing the natural beauty of my subjects and their surroundings, relying solely on the available light to tell my story,” Anna tells us. “By working within these constraints, I find endless opportunities for creativity and expression.”
Why Leica? Well, she really likes the sharpness and clarity she gets in every shot. Anna gets overwhelmed easily — and she equates Leica to a bit like therapy because she can be creative without getting distracted by all the complex stuff found in most cameras.
The Leica D-LUX 8, announced this year, is perfect for Anna in so many ways. It’s small while still being big on image quality.
In my opinion, the D-LUX 8 is quite simple to use, making it great for capturing beautiful moments without having to stress about settings. Plus, its compact size lets me take it anywhere, so I never miss a spontaneous moment. I’ve worked with quite a few cameras over the years, but none have impressed me as much with their low-light performance as this one. Overall, I think the D-LUX 8 is an incredible camera for any skill level.
Anna Neubauer
Anna doesn’t do much in the way of post-production, either. In fact, it’s mostly only a bit of color correction and occasionally removing a background object. She finds AI-generated images lacking the genuine emotion and authenticity that you get from real human interactions. However, she admits that some are getting close. Still, she finds that the subtle things she looks for are things that AI can’t quite replicate yet.
The Look of Classic Paintings
When we peer into Anna’s photographs, we’re reminded of several great British photographers and paintings. Everything from the colors, the way the shadows look like a cloud-covered day, the intimacy, etc. Lots of folks grew up looking at magazines like National Geographic. But Anna’s images look like some of the best contemporary photography to grace the British Journal of Photography we’ve ever seen. Today, you’d probably see her work in Huck or AnOther.
The intimacy Anna creates in her photographs comes from her love of listening to people and their stories — to the point where people sometimes say that the shoot feels like a hangout. In a former life, she was more of an extrovert. These days, she claims to be more reserved — which is also one of the reasons why she loves the art form. To Anna, photography allows her to tell stories of people who are often unheard. So, she’s used her voice to amplify others.
“After experiencing the narrow beauty standards in the fashion and advertising industries, I decided to use my photography to promote a more open, diverse, and inclusive society,” she states. “I feel incredibly fortunate when people share their personal stories with me, allowing me to capture them in a raw and honest way. It really is a privilege when someone feels entirely themselves and confident in front of my camera.” All of this, again ties into the diversity that we’ve seen in British photography.
I’ve received messages from strangers saying my photographs make them feel seen, give them a sense of belonging, or boost their confidence. Some have even shared that my images changed their perspectives. For me, this is the most amazing reward, as it shows the power of an inspiring story told through a powerful image. By highlighting strength in vulnerability and beauty in imperfection, I aim for my work to be a bold statement against the confines of beauty standards.
Anna Neubauer
Anna is aware of the cultural richness that British work possesses — and she tries to incorporate the style into her own. Often in her portraits, a diversity-first mindset shapes her creative vision. “I also think that there is a strong sense of community and local identity in British photography,” she states. “Using their work to comment on social issues, many photographers focus on their local areas, capturing the essence of their towns, villages, and neighbourhoods. This localised approach provides an intimate and authentic view of life in Britain, highlighting the diversity and character of different regions.”