I am a professional photographer based in Zurich, Switzerland. Originally from Australia, I relocated to Zurich in 2005 and have spent the past 20 years building a portrait/commercial/interior photography business that spans various styles of portraiture, including corporate portraits, Ceo portraits, Executive management and board level portraits, advertising campaigns as well as interiors, and travel photography. My work spans across Switzerland from Zurich, Basel, Zug, Lausanne, Geneva and Luzern as well as throughout Europe.
My clients include some of the most recognised companies in Switzerland — Novartis, Sika, GE, Takeda, Tetra Pak, Viollier, Neho, Sulzer, Sunrise, and WSA — as well as shooting portraits and branding for international publications and agencies. I’m also a contributor for Getty Images, supplying portraits and corporate photography to the Swiss market. I am used to working under time pressure and in difficult and demanding locations.
Corporate & Portrait Photography is the core of my commercial work. From CEO headshots and leadership team portraits to large-scale employee branding programmes, I photograph people in a way that reflects the culture and values of their organisation. I work on location across Zurich, Basel, Zug, Geneva and pretty much the whole of Switzerland, bringing a portable studio setup to your offices when needed or can shoot in a studio images in Zurich.
Commercial & Advertising photography has taken me from pharmaceutical campaigns for companies like Novartis and Takeda, to product and industrial photography for engineering firms like Sulzer and Sika. I work individually and on location to keep the budget within reason but when needed I also work with art directors and marketing teams from brief through to final delivery.
Interior Photography is a significant part of my workflow. I shoot regularly with architects, interior designers, and real estate clients — including WSA, whose projects have included eBay, Microsoft, Bank of China, Die Mobiliar, and Migros as well as designers Lilarosso in conjunction with llb, Morgan Stanley, Nvidia, Mobilezone, AB InBev, Kabi and Pernod Ricard. Shooting clean, well-lit, technically precise interior photography is something I love as a complement to my portrait commercial work.
Travel & Personal photography has been part of my DNA since long before I picked up a camera professionally. Originally a backpacker who travelled the world in search of experiences that would challenge and inspire me, photography became the most important skill I developed along the way. That curiosity and appetite for discovery still drives me today.
As a regular contributor and photographer for Seazen Magazine — a luxury Swiss travel magazine — Justin has documented expeditions to some of the world’s most remote and demanding environments. Recent assignments have taken him to Antarctica, Angola, Costa Rica, Namibia, and Greenland, among others.
This body of travel work complements his commercial and portrait work.
Two decades of commercial photography has taught me that the best results come from preparation, communication, and trust. I work collaboratively with clients throughout the entire process — from location scouting and pre-production through to final retouching and delivery. The shoot day itself runs smoothly because of everything that happens before it.
Whether I’m photographing a CEO in a boardroom, a pharmaceutical team in a lab, or an architectural space that took three years to build, I bring the same level of care and professionalism to every job. That consistency is what keeps clients coming back, often for years at a time.
I’m based in Kreis 3, Zurich, Switzerland, and work on assignment throughout Switzerland and across Europe. If you’d like to discuss a project, you’re welcome to get in touch via the contact page or reach me directly at justin@justinhession.ch or +41 79 742 62 28
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Justin Hession stand out from other photographers in Switzerland?
With over 20 years experience as a portrait and commercial photographer in Zurich, experience matters as much as style.
Justin has a distinctive visual style — modern, clean and graphic, using precise lighting and strong lines to create portraits with real visual impact. Whether it’s a CEO for an annual report or a celebrity for a magazine, the approach is always creative and considered rather than formulaic.
An ability to work with people at every level. From Novartis executives and international celebrities to strangers encountered on the streets of Kigali or the plains of Angola — every portrait matters equally. That consistency of intent is what gives the work its character.
The ability to put people at ease quickly. Most subjects aren’t comfortable in front of a camera. Creating the right atmosphere, building trust fast and capturing someone’s genuine character — often within minutes — is a skill that comes from thousands of shoots across two decades.
A genuine curiosity about the world and the people in it. That curiosity drives everything — from stand up paddling through the icebergs of Greenland to photographing tribes in Angola or gorillas in Rwanda. It’s the same curiosity that makes every portrait session interesting, regardless of who’s in front of the camera.
And perhaps most importantly — reliability and loyalty. Working with Justin is uncomplicated and straightforward. Many client relationships have lasted over a decade, with companies like Sika, GE, Takeda and Viollier returning year after year. That kind of long-term trust isn’t built on great photos alone — it’s built on being easy to work with, delivering consistently and genuinely caring about the outcome.
How do you approach a corporate portrait or executive shoot?
Preparation matters but so does adaptability. Before any shoot the brief is clear — what the images are for, who they’re for and what they need to communicate. On the day the priority is creating an atmosphere where the subject forgets there’s a camera. Executives are busy people with limited time and often limited enthusiasm for being photographed. Getting a genuine, characterful portrait in a short window is a specific skill — one built over thousands of shoots with everyone from CEOs to heads of state. The result is images that feel real rather than performed.
What kind of commercial and advertising projects do you take on?
Campaigns, annual reports, brand imagery, pharmaceutical and industrial photography, employee and corporate lifestyle work. The common thread is working closely with art directors, marketing teams and agencies to deliver images that serve a specific commercial purpose without sacrificing visual quality. Long-term relationships with clients like Sika, GE and Takeda — some spanning over ten + years — are built on understanding what a brand needs and consistently delivering it.
Do you shoot in a studio or on location?
Primarily on location. Bringing the environment into a portrait — whether a corporate office, an industrial space or somewhere more unexpected — adds context and depth that a studio backdrop rarely can. A portable professional lighting setup means full control over the final image regardless of weather, time of day or available light. It also saves time for busy executives and corporate teams who don’t need to travel anywhere. The shoot comes to them, the results look like the images were made for them specifically, not taken in a generic space.
How does a shoot typically begin?
With a conversation. Understanding the brief, the audience, the intended use and the visual direction before picking up a camera. Whether it’s a single executive portrait or a multi-day advertising campaign, the approach is the same — thorough preparation, a clear creative direction and understanding builds a good photographic working relationship.
What types of companies and clients do you typically work with?
Primarily mid to large Swiss and international companies — pharmaceuticals, finance, technology, industrial and consumer brands. Also editorial travel clients including international magazines and news publications. The mix keeps the passion alive, as every shoot feels varied. The unifying factor is a requirement for imagery that goes beyond the generic — clients who understand that photography is an investment in how they present themselves to the world.