Yana Skakun
Journal
Photography Blog
Tips, guides, venue spotlights and behind-the-scenes stories from my photography sessions across England.
Venue Spotlights
27 March 2026·7 min read
Marlborough Downs Engagement Photography: White Horses & Chalk Hills
The Marlborough Downs in north Wiltshire are one of England's most ancient and open landscapes — rolling chalk downland, white horse hill figures, Avebury stone circle, the prehistoric Ridgeway path, and skies that seem wider here than anywhere else in southern England.
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Venue Spotlights
27 March 2026·8 min read
Wilton House Wedding Photography: Palladian Masterpiece in Wiltshire
Wilton House is one of England's grandest stately homes — a 17th-century Palladian mansion in Salisbury, home to the Earls of Pembroke for five centuries, with the Double Cube Room, formal gardens, and Capability Brown parkland. A complete guide to Wilton House wedding photography.
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Family Tips
27 March 2026·7 min read
Cambridge Parks Perfect for Family Photography
Cambridge has some of England's most beautiful urban parks — wide commons, riverside meadows, and college gardens that make perfect family portrait locations any time of year. A guide to the best parks and green spaces for family photography sessions in Cambridge.
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Photography Tips
27 March 2026·10 min read
Best Outdoor Photography Locations in Cambridge (2026)
Cambridge is one of England's greatest photography cities — extraordinary architecture, riverside meadows, ancient gardens, and wild fenland edge. A complete guide to the best outdoor photography locations across the city for weddings, engagements, portraits, and families.
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Photography Tips
26 March 2026·5 min read
Academic Headshots: Photos for University Profiles
University staff pages, conference programmes and academic publications all require professional headshots — yet academics are rarely given guidance on what works. A practical guide to getting an academic headshot that's authoritative, approachable and current.
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Photography Tips
26 March 2026·6 min read
Executive Headshots: What Makes a CEO Photo Stand Out
A CEO or senior executive headshot carries more weight than a standard staff photo — it represents the public face of a business. What separates powerful executive portraits from average corporate headshots, from posing and lighting to background and attire.
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Photography Tips
26 March 2026·6 min read
Natural Light vs Studio Headshots: Which Is Right for You?
Natural light headshots have a warmth and softness that studio lighting can't perfectly mimic. Studio lighting offers control and consistency that outdoor sessions can't guarantee. The real-world differences — and how to decide based on your goals.
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Venue Spotlights
26 March 2026·9 min read
Getting Married in a Cambridge College: Photography Tips & What to Expect
A Cambridge college wedding is unlike any other wedding in England — access to one of the world's most architecturally extraordinary environments, medieval courts, vaulted halls, and riverside grounds. A complete photography guide to getting married in a Cambridge college.
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Venue Spotlights
26 March 2026·7 min read
Clifton Suspension Bridge Engagement Photography in Bristol
The Clifton Suspension Bridge is one of Brunel's greatest engineering achievements and one of Bristol's most dramatic photography locations — spanning the Avon Gorge 75 metres above the river, with the wooded gorge walls dropping away below. A complete guide to engagement portrait sessions at the bridge.
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Venue Spotlights
26 March 2026·8 min read
Wells Cathedral Wedding Photography: England's Smallest Cathedral City
Wells in Somerset is England's smallest city, dominated by one of the finest Gothic cathedrals in the country — Wells Cathedral, with its extraordinary scissor arches, the medieval Bishop's Palace, and the moated cathedral close. A photographer's guide to Wells wedding photography.
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Venue Spotlights
26 March 2026·7 min read
Glastonbury Tor Engagement Photography: Mystical Somerset Summit
Glastonbury Tor is one of England's most mythologically charged landscapes — a lone hill crowned by the medieval tower of St Michael rising from the Somerset Levels with views that stretch to Wales on a clear day. A guide to engagement photography at one of Somerset's most special places.
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Venue Spotlights
26 March 2026·7 min read
Pulteney Bridge Engagement Photography: Bath's Most Iconic View
Pulteney Bridge is one of only four bridges in the world lined with shops on both sides — a Palladian masterpiece spanning the Avon that frames one of Bath's most photographed views. A complete guide to creating outstanding portraits around Pulteney Bridge.
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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.