She felt that a model was restricted to listening orders regarding her poses. Hence she held a camera and decided to work behind it since she had gained experience in the field. With this step, she could let the models show some creativity in poses. At this time she was being given essential insight about photography by a photographer whom she was living with. Only after a few years, she came in to the light by doing a shoot for GUESS, Claudia Schiffer as the model. Works by Von Unwerth have been featured in magazines, such as Vanity Fair, The Face, i-D, Interview, Twill, Arena and Vogue. In 1991, she received first prize at the International Festival of Fashion Photography.