Meet the Person behind SaltyFaces
Always on the go, exploring new places and their Cultures.
I am Julia Haaf, a Berlin based creative, explorer and surfer, who fell in love with the African culture, the people and their land, while living in the small surfing village called ‘Santana’ on the island of São Tomé and Príncipe in central Africa. I have been always drawn to the camera since an early age, being fascinated by its ability to freeze unique and special moments or places.
I loved to capture the beauty of the places I visit. Usually I would take a shot of those moments in architecture or landscape, sometimes street photography. For a long time I was looking for my own style and objects that I want to preserve. A style which people could associate with me and my work.
During my time living in São Tomé I found the niché I would like to be working in as well as my own style. I fell in love with capturing surfers and the community in portraits, freezing the uniqueness and beauty of each and every person by doing what they love.
Living, surfing and shooting together created a special bond between us, which made it possible for me to capture the raw beauty of each one of them at their purest.
I tell stories about the people I documented, combined with unedited videos or pictures out of their daily lives. I give my audience the opportunity to get to know the Person behind the photograph as close as I could- In that way the picture becomes alive.
Now, I invite you to follow me on my journey to share more stories about surfing communities around the world, and the proof of the happiness that danced across their faces, united by their love for the ocean and the strong bonds within their communities.
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