Julien Vonier doesn’t simply take photographs – he builds them. For him, photography is not a fleeting instant but a deliberate act of creation: the transformation of an idea into a precise visual statement. His work bridges craftsmanship and imagination, turning light itself into language.
Raised in a family of artists, his creative path seemed predetermined: the talented young draughtsman was expected to become a graphic designer. But Julien wanted something more tangible – a craft with substance and unpredictability. While assisting in a darkroom, he witnessed for the first time how an image slowly emerged on white paper. In that moment, in the glow of red light and chemical scent, he found his calling – the art of shaping with light.At sixteen, Vonier began his apprenticeship in what was then the largest photo studio in Europe – an experience that would define his artistic foundation. Under E. T. Werlen, he learned the discipline of outdoor photography: capturing natural light, motion and authenticity. The atmosphere was relaxed, almost anarchic – sometimes too much so. Yet that looseness sharpened his sensitivity for timing, for the balance between precision and chance.A year later he joined H. P. Mühlemann, one of the leading fashion photographers of the era. It was a shift from spontaneity to rigour. Mühlemann was a perfectionist, a visionary who orchestrated every detail of his sets. From him, Vonier learned discipline, the mastery of light, the dialogue with models, and the endurance to pursue the perfect frame. Long nights in the studio became the new normal – an initiation into the rhythm of professional photography.He then assisted the legendary Peter Forster, a pioneer of automotive imagery. Here, Vonier refined his technical precision: mastering reflections, surfaces, metal and glass under complex lighting. This phase deepened his understanding of structure, material and the subtle choreography of illumination.
After completing his training, he worked in several major advertising agencies before establishing his own studio in 1988.Even early in his career, Vonier was drawn to experiment. Long before digital photography became standard, he began combining still and moving images – a hybrid he named Videography. Through reflections, overlays and colour shifts, he explored visual effects that were revolutionary at the time. The process was technically demanding and costly, but it expanded the vocabulary of photography. What once required elaborate set-ups can now be done with a click – yet the pioneering spirit remains unmistakably his.
Vonier refuses to be confined by genre. He works across small-, medium- and large-format photography, capturing fashion, portraiture, food, animals, landscapes and automobiles. What unites his work is intention: the drive to create imagery that communicates, surprises and endures. Collaboration with clients is central to his process – a dialogue that often sparks unexpected ideas and results.His studio is both workshop and stage – a space of concentrated energy where planning meets intuition. Nothing is left to chance: every light source, every lens, every material is deliberately chosen. Yet his photographs, though meticulously constructed, retain a sense of spontaneity and movement – precision without rigidity.Beyond commissioned work, Vonier continually develops personal projects. His artistic range spans large-scale landscapes of meditative depth, sensual urban sequences and intimate portraits of animals. Each series reflects the same curiosity and control – the constant pursuit of a new visual truth.Julien Vonier’s photography speaks of discipline and discovery, of technique and emotion. Above all, it reveals an enduring fascination with the moment when light meets vision – and becomes art.
| Julien Vonier | |||
| 1957 | Born in Zurich, Switzerland | ||
| 1961 | The family moves to Northern Germany | ||
| 1963 | Primary schooling in Itzehoe near Hamburg | ||
| 1964 | Return to Switzerland | ||
| 1973 | Photographer apprenticeship at Maur Photo Studio under E.T. Werlen and H.P. Mühlemann | ||
| 1976 | Assistant to Peter Forster | ||
| 1977 | Graduated in Photography Class at the Zurich Kunstgewerbeschule | ||
| 1978 | Photographer at the Advertising Agency Gisler & Gisler, Zurich | ||
| . | Awarded Swiss Art Directors Prize for pictures for the Swiss Cheese Union | ||
| . | Poster accepted into the permanent collection of MOMA Museum of Modern Art New York | ||
| 1983 | Photographer at the Advertising Agency Marsden Hartmann NCK/FCB/Leo Burnett | ||
| . | Awarded Swiss Art Directors Prize for pictures for Migros Supermarket chain | ||
| . | ADC Award for TV spot featuring animated photography for VISA Credit Cards | ||
| 1988 | Established Vonier Fotografie | ||
| . | Awarded various prizes by ADC Switzerland and New York | ||
| . | Awards from ADC/Eurobest | ||
| . | Assorted posters accepted into the permanent collection of the Kunstgewerbeschule Zurich | ||
| . | Assorted posters accepted into the permanent collection of the Swiss Federal Institute of Culture | ||
| . | Inclusion in Award "200 best AD Photographers Worldwide". - Lürzer's Archive 2004/05 | ||
| . | EPICA Award 2006 | ||
| . | Inclusion in Award "200 best AD Photographers Worldwide". Lürzer's Archive 2006/07 | ||
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Julien Vonier phone +41 44 463 80 10 mail@artefakt-das.ch www.vonier.ch |