Yana Skakun
Journal
Photography Blog
Tips, guides, venue spotlights and behind-the-scenes stories from my photography sessions across England.
Photography Tips
1 April 2026·7 min read
Southend-on-Sea Engagement Photography: Pier, Beach & Sunset
Southend-on-Sea has one of the world's most remarkable photographic landmarks — the world's longest pleasure pier at 1.33 miles, stretching into the Thames Estuary with extraordinary sunset views, plus Thorpe Bay's golden sand and the wild marshes of Two Tree Island.
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Venue Spotlights
1 April 2026·9 min read
Best Barn Wedding Venues in Essex (2026)
Essex has an outstanding collection of converted barn wedding venues — Gaynes Park's ancient tithe barn, Reid Rooms' contemporary conversion, Hyde Great Barn's medieval timbers, and dozens more across the county's rural north and west. A photographer's guide.
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Photography Tips
1 April 2026·8 min read
Epping Forest Engagement & Family Photography Locations
Epping Forest is one of England's most ancient Royal Forests — 6,000 acres of ancient pollarded hornbeam and beech woodland stretching from east London into Essex. A guide to the best photography locations within the forest for engagements, families, and portraits.
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Venue Spotlights
1 April 2026·7 min read
Layer Marney Tower: Essex's Most Spectacular Wedding Venue
Layer Marney Tower near Colchester is the tallest Tudor gatehouse in England — a red-brick Tudor fantasy of terracotta ornament, heraldic beasts, and soaring octagonal turrets, with house, gardens, and church all within a few hundred metres. A complete guide to Layer Marney Tower weddings.
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Venue Spotlights
1 April 2026·8 min read
Weddings in Colchester: England's Oldest Recorded Town
Colchester claims to be England's oldest recorded town — a Roman legionary fortress, Norman castle, medieval walls, and a ring of extraordinary wedding venues including Layer Marney Tower, Prested Hall, and the Siege House. A guide to wedding photography in Colchester.
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Venue Spotlights
1 April 2026·8 min read
Wedding Photography in Chelmsford and Mid-Essex
Chelmsford is Essex's cathedral city — a thriving county town with a splendid 15th-century cathedral, the Shire Hall, and a ring of outstanding wedding venues across the mid-Essex countryside. A complete photographer's guide to weddings in and around Chelmsford.
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Venue Spotlights
1 April 2026·10 min read
Beautiful Wedding Venues in Essex (2026 Guide)
Essex has some of England's finest and most diverse wedding venues — Leez Priory's Tudor priory ruins, Gaynes Park's flint barn, Reid Rooms' contemporary conversion, New Hall's Tudor manor, and Gosfield Hall's Palladian grandeur. A photographer's complete guide.
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Venue Spotlights
1 April 2026·6 min read
Grafham Water Wedding Photography: Open Water, Big Sky & Golden Sunsets
Grafham Water is Cambridgeshire's largest reservoir and one of its most underused photography locations — five miles of waterside path, mature woodland, open water that mirrors the sky, and some of the finest sunset light in East Anglia. Perfect for couples who love wide-open spaces.
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Venue Spotlights
1 April 2026·7 min read
Godmanchester Wedding Photography: Chinese Bridge, Island Hall & Portholme Meadow
Godmanchester is one of Cambridgeshire's most photogenic towns — medieval streets, the iconic Chinese Bridge, the Georgian grandeur of Island Hall, and Portholme Meadow (the largest water meadow in England). An outstanding setting for wedding and engagement photography.
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Wedding Tips
1 April 2026·7 min read
Getting Married in Huntingdon: Civil Ceremonies & Riverside Portraits
Huntingdon is Cambridgeshire's county town and Oliver Cromwell's birthplace — a market town with medieval character, immediate access to the Great Ouse riverbank, and proximity to some extraordinary portrait locations including Hemingford Grey, Godmanchester, and Grafham Water.
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Destination Weddings
1 April 2026·7 min read
Florence Wedding Photography: Duomo, Boboli Gardens and the Ponte Vecchio
Florence is the centre of the Italian Renaissance — a city built for proportion and beauty. A guide to the finest wedding photography locations across the city, from the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio to Piazzale Michelangelo and the Boboli Gardens.
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Family Tips
1 April 2026·9 min read
What to Wear for a Cake Smash Session: Parents & Siblings Guide
A cake smash celebrates your baby's first birthday. What parents and siblings wear matters more than you'd think — a complete practical guide to coordinating your session outfits.
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Photography Blog — Tips, Guides & Inspiration
Welcome to the photography blog by Yana Skakun — a professional photographer based in Cambridge, England. This journal covers everything from practical wedding planning guides and engagement session advice to family photoshoot tips, newborn photography guides, portrait session prep, and venue spotlights across Cambridgeshire, London, and East England.
Whether you're a couple planning your wedding, a family getting ready for a seasonal portrait session, or a professional preparing for a headshot shoot — you'll find honest, experience-based advice here. Every article is written from real sessions and years of capturing life's most meaningful moments across England.