Soon after, that curiosity took a visual form.
 
For six years, I worked on cruise ships as a photographer and photo manager, capturing portraits, studio sessions, and everyday moments of people on their journeys. Living and working at sea meant constant movement, new faces, and fleeting encounters. It taught me how to truly observe — expressions, pauses, and details most people pass by. Those years trained my eye and my patience, and they shaped how I approach visual work to this day.
 
Life eventually carried me to Germany.
 
There, I studied, worked, and raised my daughter, navigating change the way many creatives do — by learning, adapting, and choosing new directions when needed. One of the most formative chapters of my professional path was my internship at Roland Berger. After the internship, I continued there as a Junior Art Director, working in a fast-paced, demanding environment that sharpened my strategic thinking, collaboration skills, and sense of responsibility in design.

When the structure around me changed, my path shifted as well — this time into freelancing.

Since then, I’ve built my work across digital design, UX/UI, brand systems, websites, and creative direction. Freelancing taught me flexibility, continuous learning, and the importance of thoughtful, ethical design that works in real-world conditions — with real deadlines, constraints, and people involved.

Today, I live between Germany and Romania with my daughter — and a small but very opinionated household made up of a dog, two cats, and a turtle. They remind me daily that patience, curiosity, and a sense of humor usually solve more problems than perfection ever could.

Through backend-design, I focus on structure, systems, and clarity — building digital experiences, brand foundations, and solutions that are reliable, accessible, and meaningful. Alongside this work, my more artistic and experimental projects live under my studio, studio-ak.de, where visual exploration, photography, and creative expression take center stage.

What design means to me
For me, design is never just about visuals. It’s about trust, clarity, and human connection — whether through a website, a campaign, or a single well-considered detail. Much like in my early days with the camera, the best work happens when you slow down and pay attention.
 
Outside of work, I draw inspiration from drone photography, voluntary community projects, reading, politics, and time spent in nature. These experiences keep my perspective wide and my work grounded.
 
If my story resonates with you, I’d be happy to connect and explore how we can create something meaningful together. For a more artistic and experimental side of my work, you can also explore studio-ak.de.