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 froth 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 story: I was born in Devonport and raised in Aotearoa 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 Canary Islands, and began publishing these adventures in various magazines.

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

Now settled at home in Piha (a pinch-myself wild place), Aotearoa New Zealand, stories still drive me. Whether celebrating epic foodie wāhine in my published book ‘Grow – Wāhine Finding Connection Through Food’, or through photographing seasonal, delicious fare with a focus on sustainability in the ‘Ripe Recipes – Thought for Food’ cookbook, I thrive on storytelling.