What followed was a tender and gorgeous chronicle of teenage life and love unfolding against the fairytale backdrop of their home. The house is centuries old, the family are prominent antiques collectors, and von Buedingen believes Sofie has absorbed all of that atmosphere into who she is. The scenes in the photos came from simply immersing herself in Sofie’s world and watching her actions and reactions to things unfold. “Everything plays a role,” she says, “Sofie’s mood, her surroundings, what’s happening in her life at any given moment.” She spent lots of time with Sofie at the swimming pool, which is her main occupation in the summer, von Beudigen says, and tagged along on a trip with her then-boyfriend too. Most of the time she chooses her own clothes. “I really like the unusual clothing combinations she creates,” von Buedigen smiles. “Very stubborn, very Sofie.”
