Meet Jonathan Ducrest | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jonathan Ducrest and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jonathan, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
It ended up deciding to move back to my Switzerland where I was born and raised. I had left the country for America when I was 21 and spent my adult life between New York and Los Angeles. I loved California for its lifestyle and making my childhood dream of working in Hollywood come true but when I decided to launch my own business as a photographer, I realized that the market was too saturated where I was. It was spending 3 months in Zurich in the summer of 2020 that made me realize that moving back, though daunting, was the right move if I wanted to succeed.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As an award-winning photographer, my expertise lies in capturing the essence of architecture, travel, and hospitality. While portraits are a part of my repertoire, they do not constitute my primary focus. What distinguishes me is my exceptional compositional skills and keen eye for detail.
I have had the privilege of exhibiting my work at the Royal Academy of London and collaborating with esteemed publications or companies such as Monocle, Netflix and Assouline for their Palm Springs book. Achieving these milestones has not been an easy journey, and like many artists, I have grappled with moments of self-doubt and imposter syndrome.
Throughout my artistic journey, I have learned valuable lessons that have shaped my approach. Firstly, I would emphasize the importance of networking and actively seeking opportunities to expand your professional circle. Secondly, I encouraged you to embrace rejection and silence as stepping stones to growth. Thirdly, I would advise you to minimize comparisons with other artists, particularly in the digital age where social media can create a distorted perception of success.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am based in Zürich and the best time to visit is the summer. I always take them to the local public bath at Utoquai. It’s the best place to lounge in the sun, enjoy some rosé (you can even bring your own) and dive in the pristine waters of Lake Zurich. Stopping by the Monocle Café is always at the top of my list, along with lunch or dinner at Cantinetta Antinori, an old-school Italian restaurant in the heart of the city. For aperitivo, my go-to spot is the rooftop bar of the Mandarin Hotel. If they visit for a week, I usually take them to the Alps to either St Moritz or Vals where you’ll find one of my favorite spas in the world.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Some of my friends who started collecting my work early on but especially my mom who has always supported me in my decisions. If there is one book that I often go back to, it’s “Damn Good Advice (for people with talent)” by George Lois.

Website: https://jonathanducrest.com

Instagram: @jonathanducrest

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-ducrest-418531180/