Photos © Olivier Evard
By Eugénie Rousak
With 35 years of experience, Olivier Evard began working in photography when it was still an analogue medium. As the industry became increasingly digital, he opened up to a wider range of disciplines. After spending most of his career in professional and press photography, he now works in his own photo studio, which he founded five years ago. Located in the centre of Nyon, it is a multifaceted space where the photographer can carry out studio shoots, teach classes and even host exhibitions. Meeting with Olivier Evard.
Monde Économique: You have been in the business for 35 years. What has your professional journey been like?
Olivier Evard: I started with an internship with a photographer and a graphic designer in Porrentruy, and at 17 I had the opportunity to help organise an exhibition. And not just any exhibition: one featuring Magnum members, one of the world’s leading photographic press agencies, in Paris! Putting together that event, which was a resounding success, I was impressed by the work of these great artists and decided to dedicate my life to this medium. After studying photography at the Vevey school, I set up my own business. For 10 years I worked as a professional photographer in Biel, specialising in watchmaking and jewellery. Gradually, I developed an interest in press photography, which offered greater freedom and, above all, the chance to leave the studio and meet people. This allowed me to contribute to L’Illustré and Bilan, among others. In 2012-2013, I felt the winds of change blowing through the press industry and, at the same time, I wanted more independence. So I decided to open my own studio, strategically located between Lausanne and Geneva, in Nyon! I have, however, maintained a regular collaboration with Le Monde Économique magazine.
Monde Économique: You offer everything from the typical services of a studio to printing and retouching. Why this diversity?
Olivier Evard: Throughout my photographic career, I have been fortunate enough to try my hand at many different fields: architecture, lab work, fashion, artistic portraiture and watch photography. Today, I keep those skills in my studio while broadening them to meet more local needs, such as passport photography, professional portraits and printing/mounting. I’m a true neighbourhood photographer!
Monde Économique: You also offer courses. Why is that?
Olivier Evard: I started teaching photography 25 years ago at a school in Yverdon and then moved to the Migros Club School, where I taught in both French and German to students aged 12 to 80. I’m fortunate to have a profession people love, and I can talk about it for hours! In my studio, I offer one-to-one, tailored learning sessions. This format makes it possible to focus on a specific issue, such as framing or lighting, and examine it in greater depth. Recently, I set up an analogue darkroom again to (re)introduce people to photography the old-fashioned way.
Monde Économique: One area of your studio is fully set up to host exhibitions. How do you select the artists?
Olivier Evard: Organising exhibitions is another of my passions; for example, I was the initiator and co-founder of the Biel Photographic Days in 1997. Today, I am involved in organising Nyon’s Fine Arts Day, by making my gallery available. In general, I host 5-6 artists a year, whom I choose by searching websites or who come to me directly. For example, I have exhibited the portraits of Xavier Lambours, the work of the Lundi13 photography agency, and even a guided tour of the natural history museum by Daniel Mueller.
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