An eye for design and a love of painting and sculpture paved the way for Ana Gregori? to unlock her passion for photography.

A mesmerising use of light, a scene with a dramatic backdrop, subtle storytelling which transports you directly to the image; wedding and fashion photographer Ana has a portfolio bursting with unique shots.

Today, Ana works on between 40-50 weddings a year in Slovenia and abroad, and she is also regularly commissioned to shoot portrait and fashion images, which have appeared on the cover of magazines including Elle and Grazia. "I have all the publications at home," she says. "When you see your photo in print, or your wedding images in a photobook, I still look at them with amazement. It's really a dream come true; the magic of print will never fade for me."

Growing up, the Canon Ambassador was always drawn to photography. "But it was the 1990s, so it was really expensive, and my mum didn't like me to use the camera too much," says Ana. "So I started drawing instead." It was while studying at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana that the spark was really ignited. "I realised that photography suits me very well. I can interweave reality with imagination, I can explore light, gestures, emotions. I think my academic education helped me a lot because that's where I learned to see light and shape. My knowledge of illustration, painting and sculpture helps me to always find the right light for every face."

After graduating and working as a graphic designer, Ana made photography her primary focus in 2010. "It was a slow transition, but I love it," she says. "With graphic design, you're behind the computer all the time, but with photography, you travel, you meet new people, you make new friends."

The award-winning photographer now works alongside her partner and fellow photographer, Luka Brata?evec. "We have been together for 24 years," she explains. "We don't even need to talk at a wedding. We know each other without communication."

As for the secret to successful wedding photography? Stay curious, and never lose the passion for your work. "The secret is to be interested," says Ana. "You must think on your feet and be fast and decisive. The rest comes with technique and experience. I have seen photographers losing their passion, and my goal at this moment is to stay focused and keep doing what I love."

How would you describe your photographic style?

"My style is photojournalistic but with a dash of portrait and fashion because I love those genres. What I like about photography is that I can mix my imagination with reality. With drawing, you're putting your imagination onto paper, but with photography, it's a mix. When I think that a photo has something more to tell, I try to put it in black and white. Black and white makes you focus on the story and the subject, whereas colours change your emotions."

What's the most challenging element of wedding photography?

"The most problematic element for photographers is the post-production, which is enormous. The way we shoot now, after a wedding we have 8,000-10,000 photos and you have to go through all of them and pick the right ones, and edit them, and this is the part that we all would like to shorten. If you have the will to go out and take the photos, you may not have the will to sit behind the computer and do all the editing. Also, when you're at a wedding, you're there for 10-12 hours, and you're thinking all the time, you're dealing with emotions, the weather – there is so much going on, and then you come home, and you're in the dark behind your computer. So, it's really these ups and downs that are hard to take."

What's been the most valuable lesson you've learnt during your career?

"I never really cared too much about what's going on around me. I always tend to do what I like, no matter what's in fashion now. I have always been this way. I try to go on social media less, because I don't want to see what other people are doing. I try to stay as close and confined as I can to what I really like, and luckily people find me and book me for what I do. My clients trust me all the way."

What's been the proudest moment of your career so far?

"My first magazine cover, the first interview, this Canon opportunity – I am so proud of all these achievements.?It's always really nice when these opportunities come your way. You have to cherish them."

"You must stay true to yourself. I change my style every five years, because I change as a person – it's normal. You have to make these changes because you feel them in you, not because Instagram is telling you to do it. If I look at my pictures from 10 years ago, I am still proud of them because they are true to me. You can lose yourself, and as an artist, that is the worst thing that can happen to you."

Instagram: @anagregoricphoto

Website: anagregoric-weddings.com