Welcome to a journey through the lens of passion and perseverance, where every frame tells a story of love, authenticity, and artistic vision. Today, we embark on an exclusive interview with none other than Mija Mera, the visionary force behind Mija Mera Photography.

Join us as we delve into the essence of Mija’s artistry, exploring the influences that shape her unique style and the experiences that fuel her creative fire. Through laughter, love and the occasional mishap, Mija Mera reminds us that true artistry lies not only in technical skill but in the courage to stay true to oneself.

So, grab a cup of your favourite brew, settle into the cosy embrace of inspiration and let the magic of Mija Mera Photography ignite your imagination. This is more than an interview; it’s a celebration of the human spirit and the boundless possibilities that await those who dare to chase their dreams…

Mija, your passion for capturing timeless wedding memories is evident. Can you share with us a particularly memorable moment you’ve experienced while shooting a wedding?

Dear Laura, thank you so much for your invitation; it’s a pleasure to meet you. I think the most memorable moment for all photographers is probably their very first wedding. Back then, during the kiss, there was absolute silence, and I stepped on a stone, which made a loud noise on the floor.

Luckily, everyone took it with humour, and I was able to put my biggest fear of embarrassing myself as a wedding photographer aside right away. Since then, I’ve been able to shrug off little mishaps with a laugh, and funnily enough, they happen to me all the time.

Your editorial style is captivating. How do you ensure each wedding you shoot tells a unique and compelling story?

Thank you very much. Due to my background as an editor, the editorial perspective is always the starting point for my work. Couples book me because of my artistic “signature,” so it’s important that my images have the desired recognition value.

Nevertheless, every wedding couple is unique, every bride and groom is individual, and there are all those little unplanned moments that need to be captured. They are what make every wedding a unique story. That’s why I place a strong focus on details and authentic storytelling in my photography, packaged in a fashion magazine-like aesthetic.

Where do you find your inspiration as a photographer?

I have always been fascinated by fashion magazines, which was probably the reason why I decided to study media and economics. Fashion photography is, therefore, my biggest source of inspiration to this day, which gives my pictures their obvious editorial look. But I also find a lot of inspiration in architecture, art, nature, and the great emotions of life. There are also a few role models whom I admire for their photographic work and who also inspire me a lot.

Overall, however, I try not to be influenced too much by other photographers but simply to stay true to myself. I recently read a great poem about this: ‘Your art is not about how many people like your work, your art is about if your heart likes your work, if your soul likes your work. It’s about how honest you are with yourself, and you must never trade honesty for relatability’ (Rupi Kaur).

How would you summarise your photographic style in a few words?

Finding your own style is a never-ending process and certainly one of the most difficult tasks at the beginning of a career as a photographer. My style is still evolving, which is important because only with evolution comes improvement. Overall, however, my visual language is often described as elegant, minimalist, and iconic. It also has a strong artistic flavour, which gives my photos their unique look and has been described by VOGUE as ‘soul-stirring,’ which I think sums it up well.

You mentioned the importance of creating a relaxed atmosphere for your clients. How do you achieve this amidst the hustle and bustle of a wedding day?

As a wedding photographer, you need to understand that people don’t just book photos; they book the experience. Put simply, people book people. That’s why good chemistry with the bride and groom is particularly important to me; then a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere is naturally created – and this is also reflected in my pictures.

Your own wedding taught you valuable lessons. Could you elaborate on how those experiences have influenced your approach to photography?

Of course, but I’ll be brief so as not to go too far. My own wedding taught me that not everything goes according to plan and that you have to remain flexible. I’ve also learned how important it is to have a good relationship with the vendors and to be able to rely on their professionalism.

That’s why I’m available to my wedding couples throughout the planning process to answer any questions and take over on the day of the wedding if we need to improvise. You should simply be able to enjoy your big day so that the beautiful moments and great memories outweigh the negative ones, even if something doesn’t go as planned.

We’d love to hear more about your furry friends! How do your dogs inspire or influence your work, if at all?

Well, my dogs are certainly my most photographed subject. Above all, they are my retreat to relax after a stressful wedding and get back to everyday life. From a photographic point of view, they have taught me that perfection is not always the most important thing in pictures, but that it is above all individual characteristics or everyday moments that need to be captured.

Unfortunately, our four-legged friends won’t be by our side forever, and I already know that these pictures will be invaluable to me one day.

Being an extrovert who also cherishes alone time must offer unique perspectives. How does this balance reflect in your photography?

I love meeting new people or immersing myself in crowds. But I also enjoy the peace and quiet and time for myself, as mental hygiene, so to speak. I also utilise this balance at a wedding: sometimes you’ll find me in the middle of the action, for example, on the dance floor, to capture the atmosphere up close. Sometimes, however, I deliberately take on the role of an observer and capture the events from an outside perspective: all the unnoticed moments, the small details, and the authentic encounters. Because I find that the candid pictures are often the most beautiful in the end – and they also capture the moments that the wedding couple themselves may have overlooked.

The story of how you met your husband sounds like it’s straight out of a romantic comedy! Can you tell us more about that serendipitous encounter?

Yes, that’s right. Our love story is a classic matchmaking story. One day, mutual friends came up with the idea that we might be a good match and told us about their plan. Neither of us was keen on the idea at first. I mean: What are the odds?! Nevertheless, we agreed to meet up with our friends for a night out. We initially arranged to meet at my house for a few drinks, which meant that my now-husband just turned up on my doorstep that evening.

The rest is history.

Growing up in the USA and traveling the world must have been incredible experiences. How do those multicultural influences shape your photography style?

That’s right; my childhood was certainly not normal. I still love looking at the pictures from those trips today, and they have made me a big fan of film photography. Even back then, we always had a camera with us to capture our adventures – and as I was still a child, I would have forgotten many of my memories without these photos.

So traveling has taught me how valuable pictures can be. I also believe that traveling has given me a different perspective on life. I want to make the most of every moment; I like to experience new things, and when a wedding is in a great location or in a different culture, I just can’t say no.

Family seems to be a cornerstone of your life. How do you incorporate the essence of familial bonds into your wedding photography?

Definitely, I am an absolute family person. I have a very close bond with my parents and sisters, and it’s always fascinating to experience this cohesion in other families at a wedding. Because every family is unique, with its own traditions, emotions, and constellations. I love observing them and capturing them authentically. When I photograph a wedding, I, therefore, always keep an eye on the family members to capture their emotional reactions and interactions. After all, they are often the ones who go unnoticed by the bride and groom but are later the most precious memories.

Laughter is such a powerful force. How do you infuse humour into your work to create genuine moments of joy?

Laughter is a constant companion at weddings. So I don’t see myself as an entertainer but rather as a silent observer of authentic events. I’m also a positive person by nature who likes to laugh a lot – and I’m sometimes a bit clumsy, which regularly makes me and others laugh. So humour flows naturally into my work and makes it a fun experience for everyone involved.

Winning the German championship in hip-hop dance is quite an achievement! How, if at all, does your background in dance inform your approach to capturing movement and emotion in your photographs?

Dancing is still a great passion of mine. It has certainly sharpened my sense of posing and expressing emotions, which makes it easier for me to guide my couples or show them my creative vision. I also like to keep my wedding couples moving, which leads to more vibrant images. This automatically makes the groom and bride feel more comfortable, and the images look much more natural.

Being self-employed for over a decade is impressive. What advice would you give to aspiring photographers looking to carve their path in the industry?

Thank you! Well, the path to self-employment is never easy; that should be clear to everyone. Being a good photographer is not enough to turn it into a successful business. There are many impressive photographers out there. Above all, you need to have the right attitude, a strong will, endless discipline, and patience.

A broad network is also helpful. I would, therefore, advise every photographer to set clear goals, build a strong brand from the outset, and focus a lot on business issues such as marketing, not just photographic development. Ultimately, these are different pieces of the puzzle that only work together.

What’s one piece of advice you wish you had received when you first started your journey as a wedding photographer?

I started photography out of passion; it was never about the money. Nevertheless, I encountered a lot of resistance. Be prepared for the fact that there will be a lot of opinions when you go public with your art. You will receive praise, but also unsolicited criticism. You will probably even lose friends. That can be unsettling. But if you stay true to yourself and walk your path with confidence, you will become successful and meet new people who will enrich your life incredibly.

In my opinion, the most important piece of advice would be to be courageous and authentic, don’t let fears stop you, and don’t let opinions influence you. Because your art will never please everyone. There will always be people who love what you do and people who hate what you do. So just stay true to yourself, and the right couples will find you.

Why do you think you became successful in the industry so quickly?

Strong brands don’t chase; they attract. I have followed this principle from the very beginning, and it has brought me to my goal faster than I could ever have imagined. Of course, the basics have to be right first: the technical and artistic understanding of photography itself. The sooner you know where you want to go, the more purposefully you can work towards it.

With two companies under your belt, how do you manage to balance the demands of both businesses while maintaining your artistic integrity?

This only works with very clear priorities and a lot of consideration for yourself. I have been very exhausted in the past and have learnt to set better boundaries and take care of my health. You inevitably reach your mental and physical limits again and again.

But that’s where I’ve grown incredibly as a person, and I believe that this experience has made me the artist I am today and is reflected in my photographic work. At the same time, I have severely limited the number of weddings I take on so that I can photograph each one with full passion and do my best work for each couple. I also allow myself more breaks between weddings, and this helps me to recharge my “creative battery”.

How has being self-employed shaped you as a personality and photographer?

Over the years, self-employment has repeatedly challenged me and pushed me to my limits. But it has also brought me great success and given me a lot of self-confidence. I now know exactly what I can achieve, and I stand up for myself. Because when you’re self-employed, nobody does it for you – you’re basically a lone wolf.

I’ve also learnt to focus on the next step when I’m faced with an overwhelming task – and not be intimidated by the big picture. This attitude also helps me in wedding photography to stay relaxed and positive even in challenging situations, and it’s certainly reflected in my love of detail and minimalism in photography.

Your commitment to telling authentic stories shines through. How do you ensure that each couple’s unique narrative is preserved in your photographs?

Every wedding is unique by nature: its composition, its location, its people, its events. That’s why no two stories are ever the same, and that’s what makes this work so incredibly exciting.

Our readers love to travel; what destination is at the top of your bucket list? And is there a location where you would particularly like to photograph a wedding?

I have a long list of countries I would like to visit for the first time or again. If I had to decide right now, the Cook Islands would be my choice because my husband and I simply love island life. Professionally, I dream of photographing in Quinta do Muro in Portugal. Overall, I currently have a weakness for modern architecture.

And I love love love love Venice… it would be a dream come true to photograph a wedding there.

Lastly, what keeps you inspired and motivated to continue capturing love stories day after day?

The love, the locations, the wedding dresses, the atmosphere, the details… For me, a wedding feels like a real life editorial set where I can fully unleash my creativity. Not only is there one story to tell, but there are so many unique encounters and moments to capture, which always makes it a fascinating experience, both personally and photographically. But it’s also the people who give me so much appreciation and joy every time. I’ve made so many new friends along the way and look forward to every wedding long in advance.

Where can people follow you and find out more?

I am most active on Instagram under @mija.mera. You can find my website at www.mijamera.com. It is currently being updated and will soon be available in English.

Many thanks for the great conversation; I feel honoured!

As we bid adieu to this captivating conversation with Mija Mera, we’re reminded of the power of authenticity, creativity, and unwavering passion. Her journey serves as a testament to the boundless potential that lies within each of us, urging us to embrace our unique visions and pursue them with fervour.

But the adventure doesn’t end here. Dive deeper into the world of inspiration and discovery by exploring more stories on House of Coco Magazine. From captivating interviews with trailblazers like Mija to insightful features on travel, lifestyle and culture, there’s something to ignite the spark of curiosity in every reader.

Meet Qiya Ng, the visionary founder of Kompactfaen, a wedding documentation company like no other. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for capturing the essence of love, Qiya embarked on a mission to redefine the way we perceive wedding photography and videography.

Armed with creativity, empathy, and a penchant for delving deeper into the emotional intricacies of relationships, Qiya and her team at Kompactfaen have been crafting unforgettable moments that transcend the traditional boundaries of wedding documentation.

Join us as we delve into Qiya’s journey, where every click of the camera and frame of the video tells a story of love, authenticity, and the beauty found in the unscripted moments of life’s most cherished celebrations…

What inspired you to found Kompactfaen, and how does its philosophy differ from traditional wedding documentation companies?

There’s a magic about low-key lighting, about the way it showcases details and highlights emotions. It is probably also the reason why we’ve been obsessed with the cinemas (films), and paintings in the Renaissance and Baroque period, where low-key lighting is often used and emulated. We were wondering why something like wedding documentation doesn’t adopt the use of low-key lighting.

Relationships are something so multifaceted, so complicated, with layers and layers of emotions to unveil. Somehow wedding documentation seems largely focused on just the one aspect of love with joy magnified. Nothing wrong with that as love is a wonderful thing and happiness does come from love, but it felt like something in the narrative of wedding documentation was missing.

We wanted to bridge this gap—making wedding documentation creative, non-conventional, raw, and real at the same time. This is where “delving deeper” came about. With the style of low-key lighting and its ability to represent layers of narratives, we wanted to dive deeper into the more complicated parts of a wedding and of a relationship.

Instead of having your wedding works just showcasing the happy, sometimes staged, part of the day, what if they could also represent the relief, the triumph feeling of being through obstacles before the wedding day, and the mixed feelings one actually feels through the day itself.

What if your wedding works could actually encapsulate your real thoughts and feelings at that time, serving as a time capsule in years to come when you need a reminder of what your choice and your relationship were all about?

What if wedding works are not just an immortalisation of a moment, but a portal to promote understanding in your relationship? With “delving deeper,” the wedding works will not just be a recap but an opened door into something deeper that couples can revisit and relive. Wedding works become timeless and way more personal in that sense—a couple’s thoughts and vibe contribute greatly to the wedding works instead of just standard “typical” wedding photos and videos.

Can you share a memorable moment from a wedding shoot that perfectly encapsulates Kompactfaen’s approach to capturing emotions and connections?

It’s difficult to pinpoint one moment as every couple is different and we genuinely do enjoy every shoot that we have. We love seeing people in love, we love documenting love and honesty. Couples that come to us usually want to dig deeper into their marriages, into their relationships, and their weddings.

So, every shoot gives us different insights into different relationships, and we learn so much from all the couples we’ve shot. One of our personal favorites is the first wedding we shot in Hong Kong. It was held in the high school where the couple first met.

Friends and families flew in from different parts of the world for a reunion, for the celebration of the couple. The day wasn’t packed with events after events, but instead, lots of time for friends and families to mingle, to have conversations, to talk about and with the couple, and to simply be present to bask in the love for the pair. Instead of putting thoughts into how the wedding should look, the bride took note to ensure that everything at the wedding meant something to them; jotter books, flowers they love, name tags, old school photobooths etc.

Even the emcee of the wedding was their receptionist back when they were still in high school. During the wedding reception, speeches were given by many of their friends and families to talk about the struggles they overcame and how everyone loves them as a team. Performances were done not by vendors, but by their friends and families.

With a setup that’s simple but so organic and intimate, there were many tears shed and laughter shared that night. Everyone was comfortable enough to showcase their emotions abundantly and poured out their love to the couple. It was truly a celebration of love from deep within, and we felt like we got to know about years of the couple over the span of a few hours.

It was truly delving deeper into how love is not just about two persons, but the people around them. How love is not just good moments, but struggles, support, and triumphs.

How do you ensure that your team maintains sensitivity and empathy while documenting such intimate moments during weddings?

We have two lovely ladies working with us for years, and it’s been such a wonderful journey with them. Before starting to shoot for us officially, we had many chats with the team on the ethos of the company—we’d never want to interrupt or repeat any moments just because we didn’t capture it.

As much as possible, we’d educate ourselves on the proceedings of the wedding, understand the rationale behind every event plan through meeting with the couple, understanding their emotions and objectives of the wedding, and take it upon ourselves to anticipate the moments to come.

Couples should be focusing on each other, on their guests, and on celebrating their love during their big day, not on voices of the photographer and videographer. Being aligned in this manner within the team and with our clients, it helps us observe more, document more, and be more attentive to the littlest moments. We maintain sensitivity and empathy in this manner.

What role do darker and moodier tones play in your visual storytelling, and how do they enhance the portrayal of emotions in your work?

We can always use light to draw focus to a particular scene within a photo. This gives us a little more creative freedom in trying to highlight emotions and/or details we want people to focus on. Darker and moodier photos leave room for imagination. The use of neutral colors also adds elegance and sets the unspoken mood without overwhelming the audience. Interestingly, we’re hence more reflective when looking at darker and moodier images.

When a scene is slightly darker, we can have a peek at how a couple looks and how they are emoting but it’s not exactly shown directly in your face. This leaves room for interpretation, for us to understand an image via our understanding of the world, and that allows us to connect with the images a little more.

Could you walk us through your creative process when conceptualising and executing a wedding shoot?

It often starts with meeting the client. We’ll try to understand their story, observe their interactions, figure out and expand on their objectives for the pre-wedding and/or wedding shoot. With that, we’d roughly have a visualization of how they’d be during a shoot and/or a wedding day, and we work around that. The process is very personal.

Even though the wedding works are consistent in terms of the shooting and editing style, the content (the photos and videos themselves) are not. We’ll never know what we’re going to get with each couple. This makes every set of wedding work unique—we combine our artistic style with the values of each couple. This hence makes the wedding works at Kompactfaen relatable and unique. Every couple is different and has a unique dynamic, no two persons move the same way.

We sometimes get new ideas and/or poses just simply photographing a couple in their most natural state. The creative process becomes a collaborative effort and we’re glad we’ve been meeting great couples who understand that ethos, and work closely with us to make their wedding ideals come true.

In what ways do you strive to make each wedding documentation sincere, personal, and unique to the couple?

As much as possible, unless we’re doing artistic shots purely for visual purposes, we try our best not to pose couples too much. The entire planning process (mentioned in the previous question) is hence really important. We need to be sensitive in understanding the couple, knowing their boundaries and being in tune with their objectives for the union.

Instead of directing the couple on what to do in a straightforward manner, we’d think of activities that can prompt the couple to interact. From there, capture their interactions, conversations, and chemistry. This way, the photos and videos mean so much more to them as well.

How do you balance capturing authentic moments with respecting the privacy of the couples you work with?

When we do feel like a private moment is needed, we do leave the couple alone after notifying them gently. It’s a constant struggle between the need to stay when a moment is really intimate so that we can capture everything, and letting them really own the moment that they’re having.

However, we realized that photos are nothing without having the experience of really being in that moment—that instance when a couple is alone and exchanging intimate thoughts is what makes the photos from the particular hour precious. After shooting weddings for 6 years, we’ve learned to balance our thoughts and stand in couples’ shoes through the day, feeling what they feel, hence knowing what they need; if it’s us being there, or us being away from them for a bit.

It’s about the sensitivity and being in sync with the couple’s thought processes. This is why we do a lot of inner work and prep work before each shoot—it is important to have our minds be clear, focused, and empathetic during a wedding shoot. It is also important to understand the couple’s objective for their wedding, and have the team be on the same page as that.

Can you share any challenges you’ve faced in conveying emotions through imagery, and how you’ve overcome them?

There are times when a couple isn’t as emotive and/or their love language for each other doesn’t compromise physical touch. It can get tough trying to capture their emotions for each other, or to capture interactions between them. We try to give them some space, and figure out a set of activities for them (based on their personalities) to be engaged in while we step away with the cameras so that they feel a little more at ease, and open up to each other a little bit more through the activities, before we slowly step back in with the cameras.

What advice would you give to couples looking to make their wedding documentation more genuine and meaningful?

Don’t overthink it. Be confident in yourself that you, your partner, and your relationship will have an interesting story to tell. Focus on that, and the celebration of that for your wedding, while you find a photographer and/or videographer who understands that. It’s your wedding for yourself, just once in this lifetime, so don’t focus on how it’d look on camera. Leave the job to us while you focus on yourself, and focus on enjoying the whole wedding process.

How do you incorporate storytelling techniques into your visual work to create a cohesive narrative of a couple’s special day?

As how a film has a plot, characters, setting, highlight and resolution, we try to replicate such elements in our wedding works. While taking photos and videos of the day, we always keep in mind these details that we need so that we don’t just shoot the day like any other event. Instead of just a recap, the wedding works instead piece together to form a narrative of the wedding day.

What trends do you foresee in wedding documentation in the coming years, and how is Kompactfaen adapting to these changes?

To be very honest, we don’t really look at trends that much as the way we document weddings are really personal and focused on the craft. It’s hard to create such intimate works if we were to follow trends so this is quite a difficult question to answer! We do notice more and more wedding photographers exploring low-key lighting so we’re super glad to see that! It’s something we really love.

Could you share an example of a project where you’ve pushed the boundaries of traditional wedding documentation to create something truly unique?

More often than not, wedding shoots are very constricted to the locations they’re being shot at. In a city as small as Singapore, everyone ends up going to the same places. However, we always believed that wedding photos and videos shouldn’t be location-based, but the focus should be on the couple themselves. Location does matter to a certain extent, but it’s not everything.

We hence did shoots in the void decks of public housing in Singapore, and unpopular opinion, we really love it. These are areas that the couple walk past every single day—so many conversations and things happened in that space. It may seem unassuming but, the results of shooting in a void deck always surprises us.

How do you approach client collaboration and ensure that their vision is accurately reflected in the final product?

We’d always have a chat either over coffee or a call to see if we can find a common ground in wedding documentation. It’s important that we’re able to chat, and have a conversation with one another so that it becomes a collaborative effort where the couple is the story while we tell it. We also try to understand their thought processes to see what their values and objectives are—this really helps us in accurately reflecting them in the final product.

What role do technology and digital media play in shaping the perception of wedding documentation, and how do you leverage them to enhance your work?

With the usage of social media, and short-form content, it’s definitely easier for us to reach out to the mass in showcasing our works, and our ethos in wedding documentation. It sometimes also gives us ideas on how we can better our storytelling skills.

Instead of just the old school storytelling techniques, which we still love very much and follow thoroughly, it’s good to explore new ways of representing a day (e.g. with an introduction with a hook) to see how we can better our wedding photos and wedding films.

Can you tell us about a particularly challenging or emotionally charged wedding shoot you’ve experienced, and how it impacted you and your team?

There really isn’t a shoot that was challenging per se. The thorough pre-planning gives us a good foundation to anticipate things on the day of, and to maneuver around any possible difficulties. Personally, I’m a very emotional person and I often tear up and/or cry when I see someone being emotional, whether I know them personally or not. It’s hard to keep still while shooting a video, or capturing a moment, while trying to wipe tears off my face.

It’s also slightly embarrassing as guests will see me being all emotional (as I’m standing up and they’re seated down) while trying to be professional and pull a straight face while working. However, this does help me in remembering the moments that I felt the most, and pull these images and/or footages out when I’m editing after the wedding.

How do you maintain authenticity and avoid clichés in your storytelling, especially in an industry saturated with traditional tropes?

Personally, I don’t really look at the works of others or Pinterest. Instead, I visit museums, watch a lot of films and try to draw inspiration from everything else that’s not related to photography and wedding.

What motivates you and your team to continue pushing the boundaries of wedding documentation despite the challenges you may face?

As creatives, it’s always satisfying to know that you’ve created something, and not copied something. Though the process of coming up with new things is difficult, and to be very fair, it takes time for people to accept and to get used to something that’s different.

The process is often tedious with a result that’s seemingly unsatisfying at first. Not everything we create is going to be popular during the first try either. But when you see a new work taking off, that satisfaction is really something we love. When couples come to us, telling how the works are still great after years of looking at them, sometimes even telling us how looking at their wedding works resolved certain problems in their marriage as they remembered a moment and/or a conversation during the shoot, it keeps us going because we know that the work we do matter, and is timeless.

How do you ensure diversity and inclusivity in your portrayal of weddings and couples in your work?

We don’t say no to anyone, unless what they’re looking for in wedding documentation is completely different from how we see and do wedding shoots. To us, love has no boundaries, love is genderless and love is simply, a choice of commitment.

Love is just love.

With this belief, we celebrate every couple as they are and we celebrate love with them. It is evident in the things we post and write on our website and our social media platforms. Couples come to us hoping to get their emotions immortalized and their stories told, we hence have shoots for couple of all kinds and we’re so blessed to have lived through so many love stories as their photographer and/or videographer.

Can you share any upcoming projects or collaborations that you’re particularly excited about?

We’re currently doing a brand refresh, after 6 years! This is to better communicate our ethos to new couples who’ve found us, and also to change the idea that couple shoots can only be done with the event of a wedding. We hope to better communicate the love lessons we’ve learned from each couple we shot, and spread more love to everyone around through our digital presence. We’re really excited about that!

Our readers love to travel, what destination is at the top of your bucket list?

It’s hard to name one country as there are just so many places to travel to. But I’d definitely love to visit the Middle Eastern countries, and even do shoots there if possible. I’m lucky enough to be pretty well traveled, but that’s a part of the world that I’ve not visited.

Where can people follow you and find out more?

They can find us via @kompactfaen on most social platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Also, you can view more of our works at http://www.kompactfaen.com/.

Finally, what do you hope couples take away from their experience with Kompactfaen, beyond just the photographs and videos?

We hope that they find out more about themselves and their relationship through the entire process with us, and always remember how their photos and videos are representation of their promise to each other in their own ways. For us, we always learn new life and love lessons from each of the couple we shoot, and from their friends and families whom we’d meet during the wedding day.

We bask so much in the best parts of humanity during our work and it’s something we truly value. Thus, “delving deeper” became the guiding light of the company—we want to explore more about love, and have couples understand each other’s’ thoughts better through doing shoots with us. We hope each couple end their shoots with us feeling more in love with one another than before the shoot.

As Qiya continues to push the boundaries of wedding documentation, her dedication to authenticity and meaningful storytelling remains unwavering and you can follow her via her personal Instagram too. Through Kompactfaen, she has not only captured countless love stories but has also touched the hearts of couples around the world, leaving a lasting impact that extends far beyond the lens.

If Qiya’s story has inspired you to seek out more tales of passion, creativity, and innovation, look no further than House of Coco. Explore our magazine to discover a treasure trove of inspiring stories from visionary individuals like Qiya, who are reshaping industries and leaving their mark on the world.