Interview: Yoga photography with Bérénice Knöß

On the websites of yogis you can see them in all variations: pictures of yogis in various asanas and while meditating. There are countless Instagram and Pinterest series that are dedicated to nothing other than the visual representation of yoga.

These yoga photographs are very aesthetic to look at and are almost small works of art; sometimes they are completely natural; In some photos you can also feel the fun. But what actually makes a good yoga picture? We spoke to the yoga photographer Bérénice from Munich about:

Yoga photography

Find your yoga: How did you get into yoga photography?

Bérénice : Basically, my life goes according to the motto: Always follow your nose. So I go wherever passion and curiosity take me more or less by chance. I never planned to be a photographer. But I started taking photographs very early. Maybe at 13 or something. There were no smartphones yet, everything was still analog. Only those who really enjoyed it took photos on film. So I would say that I realized quite early on that I enjoyed photography. From then on, photography has always accompanied me through my everyday life.

I've been doing yoga for about 10 years. I completed my 200h yoga teacher training in 2016. That and the fact that I practice a lot myself help me incredibly with my photography. This way I can make corrections directly while taking photos. This is what yoga photography makes possible for me. I never learned photography as a profession, so I have to adapt to the technology and rely on my talent. But I have yoga training and I use that when I take photos. Things became more professional when I started blogging. First I photographed friends to have a larger pool of images for my posts. Then the first requests for jobs came through recommendations and I thought why not.

(Photo: Bérénice Knöß)

What is important to you in a photo?

Bérénice: In a yoga photo, the person is important to me. Of course, it also depends on what exactly the photo is for. Is it about explaining an asana? Is it about introducing a yoga teacher or is the image supposed to express a mood that accompanies a yoga retreat post? Those are very different things.

When I photograph yoga teachers and yogis, the people, i.e. their personality and their attitude to life, are in the foreground for me. I try to see them and empathize with their personal yoga. Then I really enjoy taking photos. I'm not trying to immortalize myself as an "artist" in the picture. If so, more as a psychologist. I want to understand and show the people in the picture.

"I'm interested in people and their personality. If that comes across in the picture, it's a good photo ."

What makes a good photo?

Bérénice : It’s very individual. Some people think that the poses should be executed “perfectly” to provide a good role model. Whatever that means. Everyone has a different idea of ​​that. But if you can show exactly what you want with such a picture, then that is a good picture.

Yoga teachers often say, “But in this pose you can see that I’m not that flexible,” then I say, “So much the better.” Then more people can learn from you how to do something good for their bodies.” But I would also photograph a hypermobile yogi. Why not? There is nothing and no one I would exclude. I love diversity.

Some people get upset when very flexible people do asanas that are impossible for many people. I do not care. I'm interested in people and their personalities. If it shows up in the picture, it's a good photo.

You can work in photography just like you do in yoga. Based on Patanjali: Sthira Sukham Asanam. I try to catch the person at the moment when they are at the point in the asana where they can be powerful and relaxed at the same time. But I'm not a typical yoga photographer. My answer cannot be generalized and only applies to me personally. If you're a technical whiz or have an artistic vision, you can also take great pictures. It's just a different way.

(Photo: Bérénice Knöß)

Do you have idols?

Bérénice : Not in a concrete sense. I never have direct role models in the things I do. I studied art history and could now name you photographers that I think are great. I love Edouard Boubat, for example, or Man Ray and Magritte. In general, I'm a big fan of surrealism. But they are not direct inspiration for my yoga pictures. And I may be digressing from the topic.

I get my inspiration from sources other than the ones I draw from. I love literature and art. I love intensive conversations with people and am interested in psychology and philosophy. This is pure inspiration for me and affects everything I do. In the field of photography I have fewer aesthetic role models than my interest in philosophy makes it easier for me to deal with a wide variety of people.

This is also the case with my blog. I don't read any yoga blogs at all. I don't even read magazines. Except for Psychology Today and sometimes Brandeins. But I actually prefer reading books. And I don’t know a single yoga photographer! But not because they're bad or anything. It just doesn't make sense to me, I function differently. I'm reading a brilliant book and have 10 ideas for blog posts. I walk across the street, see a shopping cart in front of an old garage and have an idea for a photo. And then of course the people I'm photographing are my role models and sources of inspiration.

Dear Bérénice - thank you very much for the interview.

You can find all interviews on Find Your Yoga here . In addition to yoga, we present you with reading tips and let yogis describe the values ​​of our society and our coexistence in the series Yoga and Values . Enjoy browsing!

And if YOU have something exciting to tell about yoga and would like to write a blog article for us, then write us an email to mail[at]findedeinyoga.org . We look forward to hearing from you!