Juleah Claar

My name is Juleah Claar, but please call me Leah. I am an American photographer who has been living in Switzerland for the past 10 years. My photography journey began about 30 years ago in my high school darkroom. I eventually set photography aside to attend university, build a career, and raise my children. When my family moved abroad in 2016, I picked up my camera again as a way to explore, understand, and document my new surroundings.

My series In Passing, And Gone was born from my love of capturing fleeting moments while photographing everyday life in Zurich. I often photograph instinctively, sometimes shooting from the hip, and when I look back through my archives, I notice recurring patterns in the way I see and capture people: blurred figures, gestures, fleeting encounters, and moments that feel like they are disappearing as I record them.

The heart of this series is my desire to hold onto moments that exist only briefly before they disappear. I love discovering new ways of seeing the city around me. One of the greatest compliments I receive from locals is when they tell me that I have photographed familiar places in a way they have never seen before turning everyday scenes into something mysterious and unexpected.

When I look at this series, I feel a sense of melancholy. Perhaps it comes from the black-and-white treatment, or from knowing that these exact moments will never happen again. The anonymity of the figures also plays an important role. I rarely ask permission because I want to preserve the honesty and spontaneity of the moment. I prefer to photograph people as they are and allow viewers to create their own interpretations, memories, and emotions.

My approach is very organic and intuitive. I try not to interfere with the scenes I photograph. I am usually walking, observing, and shooting quickly, often from the hip. I rarely stay in one place for long—I prefer to keep moving.

Before I go out with my camera, I often set myself a personal challenge. One theme I return to frequently is anonymity: hiding faces, using motion blur, cropping figures, allowing objects or shadows to obscure identity, or using light and composition to create a sense of mystery. I am fascinated by how much can be communicated without revealing everything.

I wouldn’t say that I focus on specific social issues. I am more interested in observing life as it unfolds the small, often overlooked moments that happen every day. Some people may see these moments as ordinary, but I find them endlessly fascinating. There is something deeply rewarding about finding beauty, emotion, and mystery in everyday life.

I am drawn to work that embraces imperfection, ambiguity, and the unexpected. While there are photographers I admire, my inspiration does not come from simply following the usual list of names. I am more influenced by everyday life the overlooked gestures, fleeting moments, and imperfections that make a place feel human.

Living in Switzerland as an American has shaped the way I see and photograph Zurich. I was recently told that my work gives locals a feeling similar to what Robert Frank’s The Americans gave Americans a familiar place seen through a fresh perspective. That stayed with me. I think I am always searching for the mystery and poetry hidden in ordinary moments.

This recognition means a great deal to me, especially because photography has been a journey that I returned to later in life. After many years away from the camera, I rediscovered photography as a way of connecting with the world around me. Being recognized for this work gives me encouragement to continue exploring, experimenting, and sharing the way I see everyday life.

The advice I would give other photographers is the same advice I give myself: don’t overthink it. Put together a cohesive series, or look through your archive and pay attention to the images that immediately catch your eye. Choose photographs that create a feeling whether through the story, composition, color, light, shadows, or emotion.

Entering competitions has changed my photographic journey over the past few years. It has opened doors to unexpected opportunities, including exhibitions, travel, networking, and a deeper understanding of the photography world.