A freezing, rainy Sunday morning of walking after only three hours of sleep might sound excruciating, but to me being awake at daybreak on March 26 of last year felt exhilarating thanks to the quintessential charm of Zürich, its magnificent architecture and history enhanced by the calmness of its streets at such an early time and, of course, thanks to the Zürich photographer I got to meet for an amazing photo shoot.
Black hair combed to the right, short, well-trimmed beard, of skinny complexion and with a purple and black flannel shirt similar to the one I wore (though mine was black and green), Lino punctually showed up at 7:30 a.m. inside Zürich HB Station right under the Guardian Angel sculpted by Niki de Saint Phalle to introduce himself with a candid smile. He had that gentle, calm way about him, immune to the rush that a financial hub such as Zürich might impose on others, allowing him to set the tempo for his tour through the city. Curious to learn about his photo shoot experience, I recently asked him some questions on how it all began.
Why did you decide to organize a photo tour?
Lino: During my gap year travels I was on the other side of the table. I joined tours and took pictures with locals who showed me around. So, when I flew back to Switzerland after two months of Asia travels, I thought on the plane that it could be fun to be the local and show tourists my city. It was more about the fun. The Airbnb listing was so cheap that I saw it as a side hustle/fun gap year project at best :).
As a shy, reserved solo traveler, I usually struggle to ask strangers to take pictures of me, which is why I like to book photo shoot tours in order to have a skilled photographer with more knowledge of great places to capture on camera; plus, if I’m lucky, I get to meet someone who shares interests and denotes passion for their hometown. That’s exactly what happened with Lino because, in addition to the spots he recommended for some spectacular pictures, he turned out to be a super friendly, knowledgeable guy with plenty of information to offer on Zürich and its surrounding towns. Far from nervous or timid like myself, Lino’s skills, timing, and familiarity demonstrated that he had done this tour for quite some time already, and knew how to do it confidently.
Do you remember your very first tour? How was it, and how did you feel?
Lino: Yup, for sure, haha. I was thirty minutes early and bought chocolates for the guests. I was super nervous too. But Brittan and Alex were so lovely —they were an expat who had been living in Switzerland for six months and her boyfriend who visited her. After the tour I felt amazing, and I kinda bragged to my family about the great pictures I took and about getting paid for my first photography job!
Yes, on that Sunday morning it was raining and winter still felt strong despite having ended officially just days before, but a good coat and gloves were enough to resist the tough weather. Oh, and Lino’s umbrella as well, because he kindly offered it to me as we walked through town, and even advised me to use it for the pictures considering that it was a very stylish umbrella with the map of Zürich printed on it! I was a bit disappointed about the cloudy sky because I wanted some images with a sunny background next to the Limmat River, but Lino was fully prepared for this and took out his famous Mini-Sun, a portable light bulb ideal to add some artificial sunlight to the photographs he captured, a small but great detail that showed his expertise and that ended up giving my pictures an awesome special effect.
Which was the most memorable tour you did so far? Why?
Lino: Difficult to say because there were so many great ones! Spontaneously I’d say one for an amazing couple from Papua New Guinea. It was the first time I met someone from that country and they were absolutely fascinating! They’d been married for forty years or so and built an impressive company. The mix of discussions about their culture and the opportunity I had to bother them with some questions about entrepreneurship was lovely.
As someone with open friendliness, attentive ears, multiple languages spoken, and a very good background as a business guy, Lino had all the qualities to offer a fantastic tour that not only included phenomenal pictures but also a really cool conversation. After visiting iconic spots such as Lindenhof, Grossmünster, or the Old Town, we shared a hot beverage to shake off the cold weather and talk a little bit more about what makes Switzerland so amazing, his financial and military experience, and some anecdotes from our various trips. Months later, when I got to ask him more things regarding his homeland, he told me this.
In your opinion, what makes Switzerland an unmissable destination?
Lino: I guess we were blessed with landscapes, with nature. It’s one of the most beautiful sceneries in the world. Especially our mountains and lakes. It also comes in handy that Switzerland is right in the middle of Europe —“The Heart of Europe” as I call it. Since the geographical aspect is key for most trips, that’s a big advantage too. Honestly, there’s also a big downside, the cost of living and cost of traveling. With minimum wages around 4k USD per month, it’s one of the most expensive places to visit.
If you could offer a photo tour in another country, which one would you choose?
Lino: Probably Italy or France. Not necessarily because I love these countries but because lots of my guests who visit Switzerland go there as well. It’s super close to get there, so it would make sense to offer tours there, or travel packages including Swiss tours :).
Sure, Switzerland looks and feels like an absolute paradise, but an experienced traveler like Lino most certainly would have some favorite places other than his native country, so I questioned him about that, too.
Favorite destination outside Switzerland?
Lino: Southeast Asia, for example, Bali. Love the different nature, the warm locals, the international atmosphere and the fifteen times lower cost of living there.
Before we said goodbye on March 26 he was kind enough to offer some final tips to enjoy the rest of my stay in the city, and a few days later I received the images I was so impatient to see. Needless to say, they were all perfect, so Lino and his photo shoot tour proved to be a marvelous experience, a top recommendation to anyone hoping to discover the enchantment and magic of Switzerland with the Zürich Photographer.
You can find out more about Lino and his tour on the following links:
Voyassitude 
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