About
Michelle Aimée was born in 1986 and grew up in a small town at the foot of the mountains in the southeast of Switzerland. After completing her studies in business school and the preparatory art course, she pursued her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art Photography at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) from 2008 to 2012. During her exchange year at RMIT, Michelle Aimée won the «Picture This Photography Prize 2011» Brunswick Street Gallery in Melbourne, Australia, for her portrait series «King».
Following her graduation in 2012, she began working as a scientific photographer at the Veterinary Faculty of the University of Zurich. Her daily assignments supporting veterinary research, communications, and educational practices piqued her interest in solving questions through photography. She found that the projects at the faculty often raised more questions than answers. This accumulation of unanswered questions regarding the use of photography in science motivated her to pursue a master’s degree in Visual Communication and Iconic Research at the fhnw, Basel, in 2017. Here, she learned to conduct her research. In 2020, she graduated summa cum laude with her master’s thesis: «Exploring the Image Esthetic in Scientific Photographs of Anatomical Specimens,» where she collected the numerous factors influencing a photograph’s visual appearance.
In addition to her role at the University of Zurich, Michelle Aimée has taught photography and related subjects at various institutions and continues to offer courses and lectures on topics related to photography in scientific and medical praxis.
In recognition of her approach to photography of anatomical specimens, DGPh-Wissenschaftspreis in 2021. Furthermore, in 2023, two of her photographs of embryos were appointed the prestigious «Gold Award» of the Institute of Medical Illustrators, UK.
Michelle Aimée currently resides and works in Flims and Zurich, Switzerland. She is an appointed member of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Photographie (DGPh), an affiliate member of the Institute of Medical Illustrators UK (IMI), and a member of the Same Kollektiv, Switzerland.
1993 – 2002
Primary school, Vilters–Wangs SG, CH
2002 – 2006
Business school, Sargans, CH
2007 – 2008
art preparatory, ZHdK University of Arts, Zurich, CH
2008 – 2012
Bachelor in Fine Art – Photography, ZHdK University of Arts, Zurich, CH
2010 – 2011
Exchange year, BA Photography, RMIT Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, AUS
2011 – 2013
Egyptian arabic A2 (2×2 months) , ILI International Language Institute, Cairo EGY
2017 – 2020
Master in visual communication and iconic research, HGK fhnw, Basel, CH
2011 – 2013
photography teacher, creative vocational baccalaureate BM2, BzB, Buchs SG, CH
2012 – now
scientific photographer, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, CH
2013 – 2017
teacher for photography and image editing for the web, Webprofessionals, Grabs, CH
2016 – 2018
teacher for macro photography, photo school Bauer, Bülach, CH
2014 – now
clinical photography teacher, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, CH
2018
«Wenn Fotografie mehr können muss als gefallen“, Kunsthalle Zürich, CH
2021
“Forschung naturgetreu fotografieren», Scientifica ETH Zurich, CH
2021
«The potential of photographers in the sciences», PHOTOPIA, Hamburg, DE
2022
«The significance of scientific photographers», Conference of the Institute of Medical Illustrators, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
2009
«What we don’t see» – group exhibition, BCAM09, brest clinics Zurich, Basel, Bern, CH
2010
«King.» – Solo Show, Owl and Pussicat, Melbourne AUS
2013
«Collection – Scale 1:4.5» – solo show, Museümli, Buchs SG, CH
2016
«Axis» – Photo16, group exhibition, Maaghalle Zurich, CH
2016
«Paws» – permanent exhibition/commission for the waiting area of the small animal clinic of the Vetsuisse Faculty of the University of Zurich, Zurich, CH
2017
«Paws» – Photo17, group exhibition, Maaghallen Zurich, CH
2020
Masterthesis exhibition, Freilager, Basel CH
2022
“Hintergrund”, Photo22, group exhibition, Halle 550 Oerlikon, CH
2009
«What we don’t see», nominee, BCAM09, Zurich
2011
«King.» 1st prize, Picture this 2011, Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne AUS
2011
«What we don’t see», Nominee, Head on Portrait Prize, Sydey AUS
2019
Appointed member of the German Society for Photography (DGPh), D
2021
Lauret Science Prize 2021 of the German Society for Photography (DGPh), D
2023
«Gold Award» (2x), «Silver Award (1x), «Bronze Award» (2x) Institute of Medical Illustrators (IMI), UK
2020
Jury member for the IREM photo competition at the University of Zurich, Zurich, CH
2021
Juror for the “Fotomarathon» at the Global Science Film Festival, Zurich, CH
2023
Jury member for the University Animal Hospital staff photo competition, Zurich, CH