There’s something deeply intimate about the way Jokotade Shonowo sees the world. It’s not just in the way she captures light or directs a frame, but in how she listens. How she holds space. How she tells stories that feel like they’ve been waiting quietly in the background, hoping someone would finally see them.
For over 14 years, Joko as she’s fondly called has built a name for herself as one of the most soulful and intentional photographers in the Nigerian creative scene. Her brand, Poshclick Portraitures, isn’t just a photography business. It’s a quiet rebellion against the fast-paced, over-edited, surface-level way the world often consumes images today. In her lens, people aren’t just clients they’re stories, moments and memories waiting to be honored.
But what makes Jokotade’s work even more powerful is what she’s doing behind the scenes.
While the world sees her stunning portraiture, editorial campaigns, and graceful approach to directing shoots, Joko has quietly been building something bigger, a legacy of mentorship and opportunity for young photographers who, like her want to tell stories that matter.
“Photography changed my life, but I also know what it feels like to navigate the creative world without a map,” she once shared during a conversation. That truth sits at the core of her mission today: to be the guide she didn’t always have.
Through In My Corner a storytelling platform she founded and now co-leads with luxury entrepreneur Ivie Osula ,Jokotade is crafting a new blueprint. She is teaching aspiring creatives not just how to shoot, but how to see. How to notice the nuance in people. How to create spaces of care and respect around the people you photograph. How to build trust with your subjects and in turn, your audience.
It’s mentorship, but it’s also healing. Many of the photographers who gravitate towards Joko are women some fresh out of school, others pivoting into a new season of life. With grace and openness, she welcomes them in. She shares her process. She talks about the fear that comes with freelancing, the cost of building a brand from scratch, and the constant dance between passion and pressure.
And yet, even with all she’s achieved, Joko remains grounded. She is not one to chase noise or numbers. Her joy comes from the quiet wins: a mentee who lands her first client. A woman who finally sees herself fully in a photograph for the first time. A young creative who learns that softness can be a strength, even in business.
“Every time I lift my camera, I know I am not just capturing someone, I am holding a part of their truth. That’s not a job I take lightly,” she says.
In a world where the spotlight is often blinding, Jokotade Shonowo is doing something different. She’s shining the light forward guiding the next generation to not only find their voice behind the lens but to use it with purpose.
Beyond her photography, Joko is committed to empowering young creatives. Through the Poshclick Foundation she is providing budding photographers and other creatives with the education, mentorship, and resources they need to thrive. This initiative is a vital part of her work, as she continues to guide the next generation of storytellers.Additionally, she’s the force behind Feminine Edge, an event designed to elevate and connect women in photography. Sponsored by Sony Alpha Nigeria, this photography event serves as both a platform and a community where female creatives can learn, grow, and showcase their work, further solidifying Joko’s role as a mentor and a pioneer for women in the industry.
