We’re looking forward to introducing you to Angie Mandl. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Angie, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Good morning, Mike, and thank you for having me! Losing track of time is a beautiful thing! Aimless photo walks – just me and my camera – have a meditative quality that lets me lose track of time and reconnect with myself. The moment I look through the viewfinder, the noise of the world fades away, and a calm settles over me. It’s a walking meditation, a quiet search for beauty—in objects, in light, and in the quiet stories unfolding around me.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a mom of two young adults and a professional photographer calling Vienna home. Growing up with language and cultural barriers, photography became my favorite way to communicate, capturing what words sometimes couldn’t.
My career has taken me from documentary work in urban India to fashion photography in the U.S., including bridal couture and fine jewelry—each step sharpening my eye for storytelling, detail, and beauty.
I’ve recently added wedding photography to my portfolio, blending my documentary and editorial experience to capture love stories with authenticity and elegance. You can follow this work on my dedicated wedding account: @angiemandlweddings.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
For many years, admittedly outlasting my childhood, I believed I do not have adequate words – I grew up in a home with language and cultural barriers, and have moved with my own family across three continents. While both my boys speak German, their first language is English (which is my second). I have put this belief to rest, and replaced it with the understanding that I have the ability to ask/clarify/further explain, and I have my many teachers to thank for that.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
For the longest time, I struggled with the fear that what I have to offer isn’t enough—that I couldn’t succeed on my own. I often found myself “rescuing” others, stepping in with my skills to fill gaps, and carrying more than my share of responsibility. This year has been a revelation: I’ve learned that I not only can thrive independently, but that I am also a better listener, collaborator, and guide when I’m not carrying the weight of others. By stepping back and allowing others to grow at their own pace, I ultimately help them—and myself—more than I ever could by trying to do it all.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Social media naturally shows us all a curated version – in my case the wins, the beautiful moments, the polished frames that made it through culling, not the hundreds that didn’t. I share glimpses of my personal life too, though always with intention. It’s important to me to offer something genuine, without oversharing, and I am mindful of respecting the privacy of my family members (except for my little dog Sophie, whom I also always ask before posting, but she seems to always agree with me).
That said, I think I’m quite easy to get to know—what you see is truly what you get. If someone takes the time to look beyond the surface, they’ll find the same person behind the lens as in front of the screen: curious, open-hearted, and doing her best to capture beauty and kindness wherever she finds it.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
Having lived in many different countries and photographed people from all walks of life, I’ve come to understand deeply that there is far more that unites us than divides us. Over the years, society has made great efforts to acknowledge our differences—and while that awareness is important and necessary, I sometimes feel it has also, unintentionally, deepened the sense of separation between us.
When my boys were in elementary school at an international school, they were both given the same assignment: What makes us different, and what makes us the same? That simple question stayed with me. It made me consciously observe the balance between difference and connection—and I’ve realized that most of the time, what we share as humans—our hopes, fears, kindness, and longing for belonging—far outweighs what sets us apart.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.angiemandl.com & www.angiemandlweddings.com
- Instagram: @angiemandl & @angiemandlweddings
- Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/angelikamandl
Image Credits
First photo (portrait of me) by Dawn Bowery (@dawnboweryphotography).
All other images copyright @angiemandl, taken on my LEICA cameras.
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