Yana Skakun
Yana Skakun
Journal
Tips, guides, venue spotlights and behind-the-scenes stories from my photography sessions across England.

A photographer's honest review of Chippenham Park near Newmarket — the walled garden, Adam ballroom, and why this Cambridgeshire country house rewards preparation.
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Cambridge at Christmas is magical for engagement photography — the Market Square stalls glowing with lights, the shop fronts along King's Parade decorated for the season, and the extraordinary tradition of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King's College Chapel broadcast worldwide.
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Winter is Cambridge's most intimate wedding season — early blue hour at 4pm on King's Parade, frost on The Backs, candlelight glowing through the Chapel windows, and the colleges at their most enclosed and atmospherically beautiful. A complete guide to winter Cambridge weddings.
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From the golden-copper plane trees along The Backs to the beech woodland at Wandlebury Country Park and the autumn borders at Anglesey Abbey, Cambridge has outstanding autumn leaf photography locations — here's exactly where and when to shoot for the most spectacular results.
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Autumn is Cambridge's most atmospheric wedding season — plane trees on The Backs turn amber and gold, mist rises from the Cam at dawn, the colleges are quieter, and the low October light creates a magical warm quality across King's Parade and Grantchester Meadows.
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Cambridge is transformed by golden hour light — the honey-stone college façades, the Cam reflecting pink and gold, King's Parade glowing in the setting sun. But the timing and direction change dramatically through the year. A complete guide to golden hour photography across Cambridge.
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Children's portraits succeed on comfort and joy, not outfits. A practical age-by-age guide — babies to teens — for dressing children beautifully and getting the best possible photos.
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Your pregnancy is beautiful and fleeting. A maternity session between 28–34 weeks captures that glow perfectly. Here's everything you need to know to prepare.
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Cambridge in summer is extraordinary for wedding photography — the golden hour stretches until 9:30pm in June, the city empties of tourists after 7pm, and the River Cam at dusk with punts passing under old bridges is one of the most romantic settings in England.
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Wimpole Estate's 3,000-acre park is one of the finest engagement photography locations in Cambridgeshire — long tree-lined avenues, the Chinese Bridge, wildflower walks, the lambing barn in spring, and views across the Palladian mansion in every direction.
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Every May, ancient bluebell woods near Cambridge create one of England's most breathtaking natural photography backdrops — a violet-blue carpet beneath fresh green beech canopy. A complete guide to the best bluebell locations within an hour of Cambridge.
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Cambridge has some of England's most spectacular cherry blossom in late March and early April — the pink-white canopy along Trumpington Street, the ornamental cherries on Downing Street, and the plum blossom along The Backs combine to make Cambridge one of the UK's finest spring photography cities.
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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.