Wow – what a week! photoSCHWEIZ 2025 was a complete success and I am still completely blown away by all the impressions, the great encounters and the many exciting conversations.
This year, the event took place for the first time in the Zurich Kongresshaus – a new location, a new organization, and of course lots of creative minds under one roof.
Skylum booked me for three days and I was excited to be on site for three days to present Luminar Neo, talk to many interested people about digital image processing and hold my three workshops to a full house . But that was only part of the whole thing - here's a look behind the scenes of this great event!
The magic of photoSCHWEIZ: So many people, so much inspiration
To be honest, I didn't expect so many people to come on weekdays. But on Thursday evening, at the exhibition opening, the congress center was already full of visitors, including press representatives, professionals from the industry and, of course, lots of photography enthusiasts.
I found it particularly shocking that some people just approached me - they knew me, but I didn't know them! Social media seems to have more of an impact than I realized. These personal encounters made me extremely happy and showed me that all the effort is worth it.
Three days full of workshops, Luminar Neo & creative energy
From Friday to Sunday I was at the trade fair for Luminar Neo and held numerous discussions, answered questions and showed Luminar Neo in action. The enthusiasm for the tool was huge - and my three workshops were almost completely full every time!
The most common questions I received:
✔ Is Luminar Neo really that easy to learn?
✔ What can Luminar Neo do better than Lightroom or Photoshop?
✔ How can I make my pictures look more professional?
✔ What techniques do I use to create my minimalist composites?
My conclusion: There is a huge interest in creative image editing – and it is simply incredibly fun to pass on my knowledge!
The new location – a successful new start with small initial hurdles
This year, photoSCHWEIZ was held for the first time in the Zurich Congress Center . This brought with it some organizational challenges - at the beginning there were small difficulties with orientation and procedures. But from Saturday onwards everything ran much more smoothly .
What was particularly good:
✔ Lots of space, pleasant atmosphere
✔ Very good lighting conditions for the exhibited works
✔ Well-attended lectures & workshops
I found room for improvement:
❌ Food & Beverage options
❌ Organization with the wardrobe
❌ Information about the exhibitors on the photoSchweiz website
I'm excited to see what the next photoSCHWEIZ will be like. Who knows, maybe I'll take part after all.
photoSCHWEIZ 2026 – How can you apply?
If you would like to exhibit at photoSCHWEIZ, here is some important information about the costs and the application:
✔ Application costs: Before you are even admitted, you must apply. The application fee is currently 75 CHF . (In the event of rejection, the application fee will not be refunded.)
✔ Costs for the exhibition space: If you are accepted, you can book a cube for the presentation of your works. There are two different cube layouts, the cost is currently 390 CHF per cube .
✔ Additional costs for prints & frames:
Of course, the images must be presented professionally.
Recommendation: Frame pictures without glass – this prevents reflections and ensures better visibility.
Printing and framing can vary depending on the format, material and provider – so you should take this into account.
📌 Tip: Plan your budget carefully in advance – the exhibition space is only part of the costs. However, a high-quality portfolio and a professional presentation can be worthwhile in some circumstances.
Conclusion: An event full of highlights & new possibilities
photoSCHWEIZ 2025 was an inspiring experience for me. Not only did I meet a lot of great people, but I also gained valuable insights. It was great to see how enthusiastic the community is about creative image editing and photography.
For all those who couldn't be there: I will continue to give online workshops and share my experiences. If you want to join in or stay in touch with me, here are my links:
📌 Luminar Neo Workshop: https://en.kathrinfederer.ch/workshops#luminar-neo
📌 Further workshops & coaching: https://en.kathrinfederer.ch/workshops
📌 Presets, LUTs & digital assets: https://en.kathrinfederer.ch/creative-resources
I am already looking forward to the next event – maybe we will see each other at photoSCHWEIZ 2026 !