Hi, I’m Michaela Hayn.
I’m 33 years old, born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa, and now living in Germany. My father is German, and when I was 16, my family and I moved from South Africa to Germany.
Photography was, in a way, part of my life from the very beginning. Through my father, I grew up around cameras and the world of photography. After graduating from high school, I studied photography in Cologne and then spent eight years working as a fashion photographer at Esprit.
Children’s fashion was a big part of my work from the very beginning. My open and calm personality, combined with my enjoyment of working with people, allowed me to quickly develop a natural connection with children and families. Over the years, I also worked extensively in women’s and men’s fashion, collaborating with models from all over the world. This time not only shaped me as a photographer, but also taught me how different people and cultures can be – and how beautiful it is to capture that individuality.
The birth of my daughter in 2025 changed the way I see photography once again.
Suddenly, I became even more aware of how quickly those little moments pass and how precious our memories can be. Today, I want to capture those special moments for other families.
That’s why I decided to take my career in a new direction and become a self-employed photographer. My focus is now on family, newborn and wedding photography – creating natural images, capturing genuine emotions and preserving the little moments that you’ll love looking back on for years to come.
At the same time, I don’t want to limit myself to a specific type of photography. I love variety and I’m always open to special ideas, unusual projects or photoshoots that don’t necessarily fit into a traditional category.
Have an idea? Tell me about it. I’d love to hear from you and see what we can create together.