A visit with photographer Maya

Photographer Maya shows us her flat 

Photographer Maya Claussen has accompanied onomao with her images from the very beginning. Her clear yet atmospheric visual language also reveals her sense for aesthetics. Her passion for creativity runs through her life and living spaces. And since we not only appreciate her, but also her creativity and style, we visited Maya in her apartment in Cologne where she lives with her family.

Her interior style appears to us as a successful blend of clarity and coziness. Loving details make the consistently reduced rooms homely. The kitchen - the centerpiece of the old apartment - radiates liveliness and hints at the residents' cooking skills.

You have accompanied onomao with your pictures from the beginning. What brought you to photography?

For me, photography has been only one of many possibilities. I have the urge to express something and  for that I need a medium. But I could just as easily have lost myself in theater or architecture. But I think I'm lucky that I've always stuck with photography. There are so many different areas, so much to explore, and it never gets boring.

Your images consistently reveal depth, or a second layer. Also, there is so much attention to detail. What requirements do you see as a guarantee for a successful picture?

Just like buying a house, where it's " location, location and location," in photography you can sum it up with "light, light and light..." 

I prefer to work with natural light, which does not skew the authenticity of the objects and yet can direct what I see into all different moods.  

Is there anything that particularly inspires you?

I am always inspired by other people. People who have made something big out of something very small, people who shine from within, people who swim against the tide and don't take the easiest path. I could get lost in their faces and I would love to be able to read all their stories in their eyes.

Your home reveals your joy for interior design. Do you have a favorite room and if so, why?

My favorite room is definitely my kitchen. For one, I'm passionate about cooking and for another, I'm an absolute family person. We have a big apartment and if I’m being honest: we all just live in the kitchen. We use it to work, to cook, to do homework, with friends, to make plans... Luckily, we all make it to our rooms to sleep.

What does a coherent interior trigger in you?

I love empty spaces that are still cozy. Actually, according to the principle "less is more". When a room is decorated in a reduced way, every single piece has a special meaning. It helps if only one or two colors stand out from the rest, but then they are repeated again and again in small details. For example, I have sofa cushions that match my kitchen tiles that are the same color as my candles. Maybe a bit quirky? Most definitely! ;-) My coffee table books are also sorted by color, not by theme. I definitely am a little nerdy in that way.

Do you have a weakness for certain furnishings and if so, which ones?

I have a weakness for materials. I love real stone like my kitchen table and countertop in the kitchen. It's so great that it just can't break. There's something comforting about the stability. I also love items made of alluvial wood, like my bench in the hallway. It's a material that has only become really beautiful through weathering.I find the architect Peter Zumthor inspiring in this context, everything he chooses to use is allowed to age. I love longevity, that's why I never try to be too hip with my furnishings, so I can still love the furniture years later.