beyond beauty

Elena k Photography

by Kim Malakowsky • Photography Provided by Elena K Photography

Elena Kannenberg’s 15th birthday marked a very special occasion. It was the day she held her first camera in her hands. It was exactly the one she had hoped for, with detachable lenses and the ability to capture the images she had imagined for so long.

Her grandmother, knowing she could not afford the camera on her own, had lovingly reached out to relatives asking if they would join her in giving this gift to Kannenberg. This act had a profound influence on the young girl. It was the beginning of understanding women’s relationships with one another and the beauty of women inside and out.

Twenty-six years later, Kannenberg owns her own photography business―Elena

K Photography. She has evolved into an award-winning photographer shooting in her home country of Russia, the United States, Germany and Taiwan. Kannenberg offers three specialties: contemporary female portraits, senior portraits and fine art family portraits on location.

The Elena K Photography studio is minimally furnished, lending itself to the contemporary European style Kannenberg favors. Clean lines and lack of props gives focus to the subject with nothing distracting the eye.

The photographs are stunning. Kannenberg expertly captures both the physical beauty and the essence that lies beneath. “Every single woman is beautiful” states Kannenberg, “I have to dig through her uncertainty and show it to her.”

Near to her heart are the contemporary portrait sessions done in her studio. “I don’t take pictures; I create an experience for a lifetime,” quips Kannenberg.

And it’s clear this is no ordinary sitting. Kannenberg starts with a consultation, recommending what to wear and often going through closets or sending her clients shopping. “I ask my clients where they like to shop. This tells me something about their style,” explains Kannenberg. Always in the forefront of her mind is capturing the personality of her subject. Her approach is like that of a great artist, studying every aspect before the first brushstroke.

When it comes to makeup Kannenberg says “trust me.” She knows from years of modeling what works for the camera. She