Snezhana von Büdingen ”Meeting Sofie”

Photographer Snezhana von Büdingen, born in 1983 in Perm, Russia based in Germany, focuses on social issues and portraiture in her work. In the worldwide acclaimed series Meeting Sofie we first meet Sofie 2017, an 18-year-old girl who just finished school. She is living with her family, astonishing antic dealers, at a secluded 16th Century farm and estate in the small village Eilenstedt, Germany. The portraits focus on Sofie’s everyday life here, the highs and the lows of a teenager. First love, first heartache. Through that awkward yet beautiful and thrilling phase, many of us go through, a sort of transition from girl to woman.

Sofie was born at home on Christmas night 1998. Three weeks later during a routine doctor’s appointment her mother Barbara found out that her child, Sofie, has Down Syndrome.

With Meeting Sofie Snezhana von Büdingen wants to show the beauty and complexity of “being different”. Contribute to a deeper acceptance, integration and inclusion. Achieve visibility within society, let people into Sofie’s life through the lens, into the very fascinating “Sofie’s world”. Snezhana and Sofie have become dear friends. To this day they keep in touch and they keep working together.

Snezhana von Büdingen studied communication management with a major in journalism at the University of Applied Sciences Osnabrück. From 2013 to 2016 she completed her photography studies at the Cologne Photo academy. Her works have been published in publications such as TIME, Polka, Der Spiegel, 6MOIS among others.