THE ART OF CAPTURING TRUTH
She’s famous but modest, punk yet impeccably professional. A selfmade woman who built her career from scratch – twice. Her lens is sincere, instinctive, and shaped by years spent living between continents. Motherhood sharpened her intuition, travel expanded her courage. She rejects “pretty” and “safe” photography, pushing instead for boldness, movement, and emotional truth. And whether she’s shooting intimate elopements or weddings with celebrity guests, Sandra von Riekhoff brings the same thing to every frame: a fearless eye and an unshakeable sense of style.
Sandra von Riekhoff, founder of Divine Day Photography, is an internationally sought-after photographer defined by her cinematic aesthetic and her mastery of capturing raw,
unguarded emotion. Born in Canada and shaped by years spent in Tokyo and London, she weaves a high-fashion vision with a documentary instinct and a punk-spirited
refusal to play it safe. Sandra has become highly selective with her wedding commissions, choosing to focus her energy on a limited number of exclusive projects. This progression
allows her to dedicate more time to her passion for mentoring and professional workshops. She currently lives between Vancouver and Georgia with her family.
Sandra, let’s start with your surname – von Riekhoff sounds distinctly German, yet you’re Canadian and lived in the UK. What’s the story?
Yes, it’s German. My ancestry is German, and I married someone with German ancestry as well. My dad’s side is English and Australian, and then there’s a German grandfather in the mix. My husband’s mother was actually a baroness – not my bloodline, but I kept the name because it’s easier at passport control when you have the same surname as your kids.
How did photography enter your life? I’ve read that you worked as a model when you were younger.
A million years ago, yes. (she laughs) My father was an amateur photographer, so I always had little crappy cameras as a kid. I’d try to photograph butterflies without understanding focal length, and everything came back blurry. I didn’t take it seriously until I started traveling after fashion school. I lived in Paris, then Tokyo for almost two years, and I documented everything on a very basic Nikon 35mm. In Tokyo I’d help friends at my
modelling agency with their portfolios. That was my first taste of directing people.
Did modelling influence how you photograph people now?
One hundred percent. I know how it feels to be the person in front of the camera –vulnerable, unsure, sometimes awkward. I know how to guide people gently, how to make them feel safe, how to coax movement. That empathy is a huge part of my work.
And then London happened.
Yes – I moved to London, worked at Fendi on Sloane Street, became a buyer, managed the flagship store, travelled to Milan… I loved it. Then I was poached by Alice Temperley to help build their retail side. I brought in systems, structure, all the boring but necessary stuff. And one day I realized: I hate this. All these designers upstairs are living their creative dreams, and I’m in an office talking about an EPOS system under terrible lighting. I hit a
sales target, took my bonus, and left.
You wanted something creative again.
Exactly. I didn’t even have a good camera then, but I told my husband: “Give me six months. I’ll make this work.” And within six months I was doubling my salary from Temperley. I coldcalled designers, built a portfolio using models I found on early platforms, styled them with my ridiculous LVMH samplesale wardrobe, and hustled nonstop. This was presocial media – you had to grind. And so, I put together a website and I would just spam people and I would get clients that way
And then the BBC came calling.
You can read more from the interview HERE.
You can also find Sandra in editorial in MILE 27 Sandra von Riekhoff Editorial.
Text: Diana Rykrová | Photo: work of Sandra von Riekhof
