Two teams. Two cities. Two ends of Lake Geneva.
One visual story.
To mark a series of internal promotions, Berney Associés wanted to celebrate the people taking the next step in their professional journey within the firm.
Working together with the Communications team, we looked for a way to create these group portraits without simply gathering everyone in a meeting room or placing them in front of a neutral background.
The idea came quite naturally: leave the offices behind and use Lake Geneva as the visual connection between the Geneva and Lausanne teams.
Two cities, one corporate photography concept
In both Geneva and Lausanne, we looked for locations that would immediately connect the portraits to each city without simply reproducing the familiar postcard view.
The surroundings became part of the portraits. They place each team within its professional environment and give the two photographs their own distinct identity, while maintaining a consistent visual language across both Berney Associés offices. Two different teams, photographed in two different cities on different days, but conceived as one photographic series.
We were also remarkably lucky with the weather. On both days, less favourable conditions were approaching, yet our timing gave us exactly the calm window we needed — including almost no wind. Sometimes careful planning meets a little luck.
Photographing a company over time
There is another aspect of this project that is particularly important to me. I have been photographing Berney Associés and its people for several years. Through corporate portraits, events and different assignments, many of these faces have become familiar.
I have to admit that I am sometimes considerably less reliable with names. Show me someone I photographed a couple of years ago, however, and I will often remember exactly which portrait we created, where we photographed it, what the light was like and sometimes even what that person was wearing.
Fortunately, they usually remember my name … it may sound anecdotal, but in corporate photography this familiarity has real value.
Trust changes what happens in front of the camera
When someone has already worked with their photographer, much of the uncertainty disappears. They know how I work. They know I will guide them through the session. They understand my approach and have a good idea of what to expect from the final images. We don't have to rebuild that trust from zero every time.
People tend to relax more quickly, the process becomes more efficient and we can concentrate on what really matters: expression, presence and creating an image that represents them well.
For a company, a long-term relationship with its photographer offers another important advantage: visual consistency.
Corporate photography is part of a company's visual identity
A corporate portrait rarely exists in isolation. Executive portraits, employee headshots, team photographs, internal promotions, corporate events, LinkedIn content, annual reports and press communications gradually become part of how a company is seen by employees, clients, candidates and the wider public.
When these images share a coherent photographic direction, they begin to work together. The style can evolve. Locations can change. New people join the company and others move into more senior roles. But the overall visual identity remains recognisable.
That is one of the aspects I value most about long-term corporate photography partnerships: not simply returning to make another set of photographs, but helping a company's visual communication evolve alongside the organisation and the people who make it what it is.
Seeing people I have photographed at different stages of their careers now move into new positions gives these two photographs an additional significance. Congratulations to everyone taking this next step, and thank you to Berney Associés and its Communications team for their continued trust.
Patric Pop is a corporate photographer and portrait photographer based in Geneva, Switzerland. He works with companies, executives and teams in Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich and throughout Switzerland, creating corporate portraits, executive headshots, team photography and corporate event photography with a consistent visual approach.
