Kia ora. I'm Sophie Merkens – a freelance photographer, published author, food stylist and recipe developer. Yes, quite a mouthful. Basically I am a creative storyteller with food at the centre of my work.

I specialise in documentary photography, capturing moments in their authenticity, working exclusively with natural light. I buzz on using these creative skills to tell local and empowering stories.

Food, people, place – it’s all connected. I thrive when photographing that connection. Whether it’s harvesting straight from the garden, foraging in a forest, beekeeping for the freshest honey possible, or charring smokey vegetables on a fire – I’m happiest when capturing it all. 

My backstory… I was born in Devonport, Auckland, and raised in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Cook Islands (yes, a very idyllic childhood). After a stint living in Oaxaca, Mexico, as a teenager, where I learnt to cook, I was completely engulfed in wanderlust. Upon completing a Bachelor of Visual Arts, majoring in photography and media arts, I hit the road. First, backpacking and volunteering my way from Mexico to Bolivia, then by cycling across South East Asia, Western Europe, and Central Asia. In between, I worked as a baker in Denmark, lived in a cave in the Spanish Canary Islands, and began publishing these adventures in various magazines.

Foodie stories snuck their way into my every day. Whether making tortillas with my family in Mexico; appreciating local farmers and their goat cheese in Gran Canaria; drinking coffee every day (every day) in gorgeous locations; or learning to love kumis (fermented horse milk) whilst staying with a semi-nomadic family in the Kyrgyz mountains – these food moments connected and inspired me.

Nowadays… I’m settled at home in Piha (a pinch-myself wild place), Aotearoa New Zealand. Story is still at the heart of my work. Whether it’s celebrating epic foodie wāhine in my published book ‘Grow – Wāhine Finding Connection Through Food’, photographing seasonal and delicious fare in the ‘Ripe Recipes – Thought for Food’ cookbook, or styling and photographing vibrant kai in the ‘Plant-Based Goodness‘ cookbook, I thrive on storytelling.