Cornelia B Bienz · Winner Collectors Art Prize
Cornelia B. Bienz is a contemporary photographer whose work explores the delicate intersection of emotion, light, and movement. Her journey with photography began in her school years with analog courses, where she discovered the joy of both capturing images and developing them in the darkroom. Later, as a flight attendant, she photographed everyday moments and travel experiences, cultivating an early appreciation for spontaneous beauty and fleeting impressions.
In 2015, a pivotal moment arrived when she discovered the course “ZEN Photographic Art – Shaping Emptiness” by Jo Fahl. Drawn by the philosophy behind the course, she followed her impulse to enroll, an experience that solidified her commitment to photography as a lifelong passion. Seeking to deepen her technical knowledge and artistic understanding, she enrolled in the part-time Photography and Image Editing program at the European Photography Academy in Rastatt under Matthias Gessler. Her time at the academy, combining online seminars, on-site sessions, and project-based practice, provided a foundation for her evolving artistic voice.
Over the years, Cornelia B. Bienz has developed a distinctive approach that combines macro and ZEN photography. Macro photography allows her to reveal the extraordinary beauty of everyday objects from fresh perspectives, rendered in both color and black-and-white. ZEN photography, in contrast, embodies a philosophy of presence, mindfulness, and meditative creation. Her images often emphasize emptiness and stillness, inviting viewers to pause, breathe, and escape the constant rush of daily life.
A defining evolution in her work came with the discovery of Intentional Camera Movement (ICM), inspired by a desire to “photograph as Claude Monet painted.” She has long been captivated by the Impressionists and the Romantic works of J.M.W. Turner, drawn to their nuanced play of light, color, and form. ICM offered her a way to translate these painterly qualities into photography, a method she calls heart photography. Through this technique, she captures emotions and sensations rather than literal representations, creating images that feel dreamlike, fluid, and often magical.
While she initially believed that historic cities such as Venice, Rome, or Paris were especially suited for ICM due to their sense of timelessness, she now embraces urban environments, landscapes, and human subjects alike. Her guiding principle is that the perfect image is created in-camera. Beyond using an ND filter, she avoids additional tools, special camera programs, or heavy post-processing. Minimal editing is applied only when absolutely necessary, ensuring that each photograph reflects an unfiltered emotional and visual experience.
Cornelia's work invites viewers to linger, reflect, and immerse themselves in the fleeting beauty of a moment. Her images, sometimes reminiscent of Old Master paintings, emphasize sensation, mood, and essence over literal representation. They offer an escape into a world of light, color, and emotion, encouraging a pause in which the observer can experience the present fully.
Through her ongoing exploration of ICM, ZEN, and macro photography, Cornelia continues to push the boundaries of visual expression. Her work has been shown internationally, and she remains dedicated to creating images that enchant, move, and inspire, offering a contemplative glimpse into the harmony between observation and feeling.
Canal Grande, 2022, Canvas, 80x60 cm
A Summer in Provence I, 2025, Canvas, 80x60 cm
Pia dances in Venice, 2023, Canvas, 80x60 cm
A Summer in Provence III, 2025, Canvas, 80x60 cm
