Self-portrait: Photo credit: Monika S. Jakubowska/ msjphotos.co.uk

Sebastian writes 

Slowly but surely, the word about good people does get out. Photographer and graphic designer Monika S. Jakubowska works in a quiet and low-key way, but her work with jazz musicians is becoming better known.

She has done work for Alice Zawadzki, Asaf Sirkis, Shez Raja, Mark Fletcher and Fletch’s Brew (the album 39 & 47), Julian Arguelles (Tetra). “So far, all of my assignments have come via word of mouth and recommendations,” she says.

Monika is originally from Suwalki in North-Eastern Poland and has lived in the UK since 2006, moving here when she was around thirty.

When did the photography start? “My father is a musician and an amateur photographer..I started taking photos at the age of three!” LJN first came across some particularly uplifting work she produced of the skies over West London which we included in our International Womens Day supplement in 2015. (LINK)

Alice Zawadzki Photo credit: Monika S.Jakubowska/ msjphotos.co.uk

The word-of-mouth recommendations of Jakubowska come with the sense of a person of integrity and seriousness. As Alice Zawadzki says about her: “For her, taking pictures seems natural as breathing, She takes photos most days. It is something she has to do .”

Shez Raja says: “Monika has taken some incredible photos at my live shows. She has an amazing talent for capturing the atmosphere, energy and human emotion in her images. I call her ‘the photo ninja’ because I rarely actually see her taking the photos whilst I’m playing!”

Shez Raja Photo credit: Monika S. Jakubowska /msjphotos.co.uk

Jakubowska describes how she likes to work: “With my photographs I can put emotions into images just as writing puts emotions into words. I see stories in people,” she says. And when she describes the purpose, one senses a lack of ego: “ I like being of service to artists – giving back through photography.”

As she demonstrated when working for us recently at a gig by the Skelton Skinner septet – LINK – she is very good at capturing the moment, the musicians in action Alice Zawadzki has also described this:

“She is easy to work with, extremely professional, and she always brings a consistent energy, and pride in doing a good job. Never intimidating or judgmental.”

Artwork for the Julian Arguelles’album Tetra

DETAILS OF PRIZE DRAW: This week’s newsletter prize draw is from Monika S Jakubowska and consists of a photo shoot: portrait/family portrait at a mutually agreed time within London,  and if the winner is a musician, a promo shoot of an artist/band or gig shoot .  (pp)

LINK / CONTACT: msjphotos.co.uk