A photographer’s unique perspective on the underwater world of Lake Geneva is currently on display in Switzerland.
Michel Roggo, a photographer specializing in aquatic environments, has been documenting the life beneath the surface of Lac Léman, too known as Lake Geneva. His work is featured in the exhibition “Dans les eaux du Léman” (In the Waters of Lake Geneva) at the Maison de la Rivière in Tolochenaz, Vaud and will be on view through March 23, 2025.
Roggo, who began his career as a fisherman, has completed over 150 photographic expeditions around the globe, exploring freshwater ecosystems from Canada to China and Antarctica. However, he recently turned his lens closer to home, spending considerable time exploring the lake and its tributaries.
“I went photographing about fifty times in Lake Geneva and its tributaries. And it’s a fantastic experience,” Roggo said in a December 3, 2024 interview. “I was thinking, ‘what am I doing in the Amazon?’ when I can discover fantastic things right near my home.”
The exhibition showcases approximately seventy previously unseen images, capturing a range of aquatic life, including minuscule crustaceans, schools of fish, and rarely observed insects. Roggo even managed to photograph green hydras, organisms specific to certain ecosystems. The photographs offer a glimpse into a hidden world, highlighting the biodiversity of the lake and prompting reflection on the importance of conservation.
Roggo’s work is also featured in two other exhibitions: “L’eau du Léman” at Haute Ecole HEPIA Genève, on display until March 6, 2026, and “Des glaciers aux Bains des Pâquis” at Les Bains des Paquis in Geneva, running from March 12 to April 15, 2026. His exhibition “Die Aare” is on display at Schlossmuseum Münsingen until March 29, 2026.
More information about Michel Roggo’s work can be found on his website, roggo.ch.
