International Education Photography: Capturing University Life in Geneva

I was contacted by Elena Panizza, head of Brain Bazaar about this job. The opportunity sparked immediate interest – it combined travel with proper compensation, a refreshing change from Barcelona’s freelance landscape. Living in this picturesque city has its undeniable charms, but the local market’s reluctance to invest in professional photography when amateurs work for free creates a challenging environment. But this isn’t a lament about freelance struggles in Catalonia.

Our Geneva assignment spanned roughly a day and a half at UBIS, a Business University with newly established premises. The work divided neatly into two components: an impromptu studio setup for formal portraits, and weather permitting, more candid captures of authentic student life unfolding across campus.

Stock libraries overflow with generic university imagery, but there’s incomparable value in creating bespoke visual content. The goal was capturing something less anodyne, more particular to this specific institution. Frankly, if I encounter one more image of bland, preppy models masquerading as students, I might trade my camera for Gossip Girl DVDs, embrace Ralph Lauren’s entire collection, and seek a lobotomy to enjoy the experience without creative guilt.

Working in international education photography requires balancing formal portraits with authentic campus moments that truly represent the institution’s character. The UBIS team proved exceptional to work with, making the entire shoot genuinely enjoyable. There’s something invigorating about collaborating with an institution undergoing reinvention – their approach carried a freshness unencumbered by rigid corporate identity constraints. This flexibility allowed for more authentic visual storytelling that captured the university’s actual personality rather than forcing it into predetermined visual templates.

The assignment yielded approximately seventeen portrait and group compositions. I also ventured into video production – a first for me and a welcome opportunity to develop new skills. The photography landscape continues evolving, and embracing video capabilities represents an important adaptation for photographers seeking to remain relevant in an increasingly multimedia world.

Unfortunately, our tight schedule and uncooperative weather prevented capturing those spontaneous student moments that bring educational institutions to life visually. The formal portraits certainly fulfilled their purpose, but those candid environmental images often communicate the authentic energy of a university most effectively. With luck, future assignments will provide opportunities to complete this visual narrative with those more informal perspectives.

The Geneva experience reinforced why international education photography remains valuable – these assignments combine cultural exploration with creative problem-solving in environments where professional work still commands appropriate value. Working internationally reminds me why I became a photographer – these assignments combine cultural exploration with creative problem-solving in environments where professional work still commands appropriate value.