SIYU Presidium

The start of 2026 marks the beginning of a new chapter with a new editorial team. As we make this transition, we would like to thank Monika for her many years of reliable service. 

To mark the occasion, we asked her a few questions:

You have contributed to the newsletter with your articles for many years. How did that come about? I slipped into editorial work rather by chance, after a spontaneous request. The then president, Yannick Andrea, wrote in his welcome message: ‘... [Monika Jägggi] is looking forward to taking on the role of editor of SBF INFO and immersing herself more deeply in the subject of photography.’ 

At first, I was rather hesitant – I had to get to know the SBF team from near and far – but the more photographers I met in person, the more I was able to contribute, suggest, decide and write myself, the more fun it became. I also realised that the NL had great potential and was an opportunity for the association. Accordingly, I also felt the responsibility I had as an editor.
 
What has changed most during your time as NL editor, also in terms of topics? Firstly, my role has changed. My job at the time was to edit the texts, i.e. to correct them linguistically. It soon became apparent that the reports didn't just land on the editorial desk. So I wrote texts myself. 

The NL has changed repeatedly in terms of content. We had to abandon some of our illusions: for example, it was too detailed with its sections and exceeded the organisational and time constraints. At the time, the aim was for each section to report on its activities on a monthly basis. This worked for some, but less so for others. I realised that photographers prefer taking photographs to writing.

Which topics do you remember? There were some exciting topics: from 2018 to 2020, for example, the revision of copyright law was a hot topic, with the protection of photographs, which is important for photographers, being a key issue. The NL accompanied this process until the revised Copyright Act officially came into force in 2020.

In this context, I remember the early morning SBF political action in 2018 in front of the Federal Parliament. It was the morning before the vote on the URG revision. It was freezing cold and everything was still dark. But the photographers shivering in front of the Federal Parliament with their photographic protection banner were not deterred by the cold. They stopped the parliamentarians rushing by and drew their attention to the importance of the upcoming issue – with chocolate, among other things. At some point, the police showed up... but that was also part of the plan! The atmosphere was great and the chocolate did the trick!

You have conducted countless interviews and met many interesting people. Can you share an anecdote with us? After 74 interviews, I cannot recall a specific anecdote – each one had its own unique selling point. I need to back up a bit: when I started working with the NL editorial team, there was a section called ‘5 questions for...’. I turned that into the ‘Personal’ section – the monthly photographer interview that went online for the first time in April 2019 and has developed into its current format. 

I was interested in the photographers' different biographies, their approaches to photography and also the diverse subject areas – from prison and underwater photography to plant and architecture photography to fashion and food photography and much more. There is almost nothing that is not photographed – on every continent, locally and internationally, in every landscape, from urban spaces, deserts and mountains to ice landscapes. 
 
I was impressed by how freelance photographers managed to make ends meet. I was surprised by how difficult it was in the early years to find photographers who were willing to be interviewed. And interviews are time-consuming – from searching for photographers and researching their biographies to formulating questions, editing answers, asking follow-up questions and making changes – it takes a while for both the photographer and the editor to be satisfied.

Over the years of being ‘close to photography without being a photographer myself,’ has your view of photography changed, and if so, how? As a journalist, I not only have to provide the text, but also the images, so I am a part-time photographer. Over the course of my time at NL, my view of my own photography has changed and, hopefully, improved. Looking through countless photos for the NL illustrations has certainly helped! 

Through my work at NL, I have gained a deeper insight into the work of professional photographers and their daily challenges. My view of photography has also been sharpened by numerous visits to exhibitions such as Paris Photo, the Vercasca Photo Festival and Photo Schweiz. As my second life is in Toronto, my work for NL has meant that I have been in increasing contact with photographers and their exhibitions there. Keywords: Edward Burtynsky and Sara Angelucci.