FROM THE FIELD
PEOPLE
AWARDS
GEAR
My name is Marek Jackowski. I live in Poland.
A big part of my life involved working with the machines for the bakery industry. Though a successful business it certainly was, since my childhood days, often spent exploring the woods and waterways around my home in Poland, a deep connection with nature seemed to be pulling me steadily toward the possibility of an entirely new career. In 2018, I made a big change and fully embraced the art of wildlife and landscape photography. It was a bold move, full of uncertainties and required a considerable financial investment. But this was a chance to fulfil an explorer’s lifelong dream. For me nature photography was truly a path with a heart.
Photography helped me to achieve profound understanding of the importance of nature. It has taken me all over the world – as seen in the variety of photo archives. I combine aesthetic beauty with species portraits, depicting the unique behavior and/or habitat requirements of each species, in some cases, beautiful creatures rarely photographed in nature.
I have a strong interest in nature conservation and often address important ecological topics to increase public awareness. I photograph wild animals and birds, avoiding captive subjects and the implied support of ecologically harmful activities. I aim to use my passion for photography as a medium to bring this hidden wildlife beauty to a wide audience, fostering an appreciation of our natural world, as opposed to habitat destruction for further development, amusement and convenience.
Nature & wildlife photography is a major part of my life now. Every living subject -- its behavior, environment, angle and lighting, is an unforgettable, moving experience. There is always something new and exciting to discover in the natural world, when observed closely through the lens of a camera. It all comes together when a particular image or series of images, sometimes only one frame in a thousand, leaves me smiling and saying quietly to myself, “Yes, this one.”
Photography for me is a combination of travel, practice, patience, passion, love, care, friends and gear. And, as every nature photographer knows well, this line of artwork involves a good measure of inconvenience, discomfort, pain and disappointment. Nearly every one of my finest photographic images includes an untold depth of personal experience that now defines my life.
Finally, I leave the images herein as encouragement for you to return to nature and experience it firsthand. And, along the way, please remember the naturalist’s axiom,
When in the wilderness, take only pictures, leave only footprints.
I thank you for visiting my website and I hope that you enjoy it. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.