On assignment as well as in her free projects, the portrait of the human being is the focus of Sibylle Fendt's work. Respect and mutual appreciation are the basic prerequisites for the creation of the portrait photographs, which sometimes develop from very spontaneous and entertaining encounters and sometimes require intensive collaboration. Thus, Sibylle Fendt regularly realises freelance projects, usually lasting several years, in which she often accompanies people in elementary crises. With these works she has received numerous national and international prizes and recognitions. In 2003, she was a member of World Press Photo's Joop Swart Masterclass, in 2008 she was nominated for the KLM Paul Huf Award, in 2012 she received the German Photography Book Award in Silver and in 2015 the Lead Award, among many others. Her work is regularly shown in exhibitions around the world.

Sibylle Fendt teaches photography at various German universities and since 2008 at the Ostkreuzschule, Berlin. She organises and moderates panels and talks on current photographic topics.

She lives and works in Berlin.