There are photoshoots you plan carefully, and then there are the ones that feel right from the very first message. As a Zurich-based wedding and couple photographer who shoots across Europe, my session with Cornelia in Mallorca was one of those rare ones where everything just aligned.
Cornelia is originally from Moldova, where she had built a career in television before deciding to start a completely new chapter of her life in Mallorca. When she reached out to me, what struck me immediately was how clear she was about what she wanted from this shoot. Not something glamorous or performative, but something true. She wanted images that captured who she really is, romantic and deeply feminine. Just for herself.
The Vision
Cornelia is what I would describe as a classical beauty. Blonde, blue-eyed, soft, and elegant in a way that feels completely natural to her.
When I started thinking about how to style this shoot, I gravitated immediately towards pastel tones, delicate fabrics, and vintage pieces that felt like an extension of her personality rather than something she was wearing for the camera.
She loves nature and water deeply, so I also knew from the beginning that the location would need to reflect that, somewhere she would feel genuinely at home rather than just a pretty backdrop.
The Location - a Cala in Calvià,
Near Santa Ponsa
I spent time scouting specifically for the right spot, and I settled on a quiet cala near Santa Ponsa in Calvià. It is not a hidden secret, but it requires a bit of a walk to reach, which means that by the time golden hour arrives, most people have already left and you have it almost entirely to yourself. That was exactly what I was looking for.
I chose this cala very deliberately because of the way it faces west. At sunset, the water turns a deep, warm gold, and I knew that light would reflect beautifully in Cornelia's blonde hair and blue eyes in a way that no other time of day could replicate. When we arrived and the light started doing exactly what I had imagined, I felt that particular kind of satisfaction that comes from having planned something carefully and watching it actually work.
The Styling
I personally scouted the clothing and vintage accessories for this session, looking for pieces that would feel like a natural extension of Cornelia rather than a costume. We worked with soft whites and delicate, flowing fabrics that moved beautifully in the breeze coming off the water and matched her romantic, feminine energy perfectly.
Throughout the shoot I also used an array of crystals and handmade fabric filters, which I held directly in front of the lens at different angles to bend and scatter the light in ways that create those soft, shimmering reflections you can see across the images. It is a technique I have developed as part of my handmade approach to photography, working with physical objects and natural light to create something that feels organic and completely unrepeatable from one frame to the next.
The Shoot Itself
One of the things I loved most about working with Cornelia was how open and brave she was throughout the entire session. She was still learning English at the time, which meant we spent a lot of the shoot communicating through gestures, expressions, and a fair amount of improvised sign language, and somehow that ended up making the whole experience feel even more intimate and free. There was something really lovely about not being able to rely on words, because it meant we were both paying very close attention to each other in a different way.
She was also fearless when it came to going in the water, which I absolutely loved. Some of the most beautiful images from this session came from those moments when she was standing in the cala with the water moving around her, playing with her veil and letting the reflections do their thing. The sunset colours on the surface of the water that evening were genuinely unlike anything I had seen before, and I think you can feel that in the images.
At one point during the shoot I started laughing out loud, just pure joy at what was unfolding in front of my lens. Cornelia looked up and started laughing too, and that image, both of us completely in the moment and not thinking about the camera at all, is one of my absolute favourites from the entire session and honestly one of my favourite images I have taken so far.
A note on Mallorca
I spend several months of the year in Mallorca because my family lives there, and over the years it has genuinely become a second home for me.
I know the island well, including its light at different times of year, its less visited spots, and the particular magic it has during the summer months when the evenings stretch long and golden.
If you are planning a shoot in Mallorca and are looking for a photographer who knows the island intimately, I would really love to hear from you.
You can reach me at hello@sofiammann.com or through my contact page.
FAQ
Do you shoot bridal and portrait sessions in Mallorca?
Yes, I spend several months of the year in Mallorca and know the island and its light intimately. I'm available for bridal editorials, couple sessions, and portrait photography across the island.
What is a bridal editorial session?
A bridal editorial is a styled, artistic photoshoot that captures the romantic and feminine energy of bridal imagery that can be done before or after your wedding day. It's a personal session aimed for women who want to capture those in between moments, from being an individual to tying the knot with the love of their life, in a cinematic way that truly reflects their personality and who they are.
Where are you based and where do you travel to?
I'm based in Zurich, Switzerland and shoot across the Swiss Alps, Europe, and regularly in Mallorca, Spain.
What makes your photography style different?
I use physical crystals, fabrics, and handmade light filters directly in front of the lens to create organic, shimmering effects that can't be replicated digitally. Every session is entirely handmade and unrepeatable.
