Public Republic

Jasmina Tacheva Talks with Young Photographer Maja Ita Jankowska

Hello Maja! Would you like to tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

I am a 16-year-old Polish-born photographer, and I currently live in the UK.

At such a young age you already have an incredibly clear idea about what you want to do – could you tell us when you first became interested in photography?

To get where I am today, I had to go through a long journey, from music to painting and from painting to photography. From a very young age, I was interested in various forms of art. But my journey with photography started about two years ago. Obviously I did take photos before, but never took it seriously, until I noticed that it makes me happy and lets me express myself.

Photo: Lost at Sea

What about your path as an artist – how would you describe your development and what techniques and artists have influenced your creative work?

I think the break down moment when I thought, that’s it, I have to do something with my passion, was when I read in some photo magazine about Rosie Hardy, she influenced my work a lot. Also, a photographer that influences me is Tim Walker. I absolutely love the work of both artists.

Photo: The Day I Learned to Fly

There is a lot of tenderness in your photographs but also a lot of energy and mystery – how would you yourself describe your style?

I cannot describe my style, because I do not fit in one style, I go through one, to another. Photography lets me express myself, as a shy person I do not like to show my feelings, but through my photographs people can read me like an open book.

You present your creative interests the following way: “Portraits, High Fashion Portraits, Children Portraits and anything that is worth catching on a photograph”. How does a fashion shoot for example differ from taking a picture of a child? Is the experience for you different in any way?

Fashion shoots let me express myself, but when I take a photo shoot for a child, I have to think about what the parent wants, not me. I think that children do not need any photoshop, they are just magic; however, sometimes, while I edit a children portrait, I turn on the ‘creative mode’ in my head and edit them in a different way than a normal portrait should be edited.

Photo: Blue-eyed

What is the message of your work?

I just want to show people that what is around us is not a grey world, it’s magic in every way.

Providing that photography captures the reality around us, what do you think is the magical element that turns it from a mere representation of reality into an art form that can reveal emotions and messages we normally don’t notice?

The magical element is us and what is around us. I do not create magic, I just catch a moment that seems magical to me, then add a bit of a character to it, to make it more obvious to other people that do not see what I do in my head.

Have you thought of exhibiting your artwork in a gallery?

I’ve never thought about it, and thinking of it now – it’s a long time before I will get confident enough to do it.

Do you think there is such a thing as “the right moment” in photography when it just “clicks” and you know it’s the right time to click the shutter?

Yes, I am sure there is something like a ‘right moment’. I get a lot of moments like that, even when I go to sleep, for example last night I saw my cat staring out the window, watching the stars. It would have been a beautiful picture, if my cat didn’t move while I was getting my camera (laughs)

Photo: Above the Sky

Do you consider photography a way of life?

I don’t and I don’t think I ever will consider photography a way of life, I always wanted to became a journalist and I hope I will. However, photography is always going to be in my life, as a hobby, or who knows, I may became a photo-journalist.

How do you picture yourself in the future in terms of photography?

I do not have any big plans in terms of photography, but I really hope I will improve my skills and finally find time to take some more photos.

Photo: Freedom

What are some projects you currently work on?

My school may be doing a fashion project, so that’s something I will probably concentrate on. And I still have couple of fashion shoots to do.

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Check out Maja’s Facebook page and website