Aneta MAK | Film Photography | UK & Destination Weddings |

... a day & a half ...

* Aneta MAK * — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:48:15 +0000

Sometimes a place just takes your breath away. When everything is not what you are used to, when its fresh and new and old, all at the same time. When you see things that make you gasp at their beauty or at their wonderful weirdness. A wedding that never was, with a flight that never happened, culminated in a last-minute decision to fly to Amsterdam, for a grand total of, yes, 36 hours. My Nikon FM2 in hand loaded with a roll of Ilford's finest BW film, Delta 3200, off we went to the city that is truly ahead of its times. Amsterdam, you made us fall in love with your art, your matter-of-factness and with your intense feeling of freedom. May you never change. It wasn't the most image-heavy of trips, but sometimes its good to go back to just being a tourist. :)

... the first time ever i saw ...

* Aneta MAK * — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:05:55 +0000

Every so often, someone comes along and redefines how you see the world around you. It could be the smallest of things, or it could be something as big as a city. Like London. And that's what happened when a couple of lovebirds flew all the way to London from Washington for their London-themed engagement shoot. To give their guests a clue about the location of their wedding next year, they decided to make their engagement portraits as British as you could get - Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, red phone booths, black cabs, London Eye, Westminster Bridge, the London Underground, Buckingham Palace - we photographed them all, on a glorious and sunny spring day! What was meant to be a two hour session turned into four, as we deliciously lost track of time, hopping from one place to another, on our very own urban adventure! And if their big beaming smiles were anything to go by, C + P loved every minute of it - and so did I! Thank you, C + P, for such a beautiful day! xxx

... a hundred years ...

* Aneta MAK * — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:55:52 +0000

To celebrate the arrival of a little bubba for D+J only a few days ago, here is their wonderful wedding from June last year, hosted at the magnificent Hengrave Hall - a stunning Tudor mansion dating back to 1525 with plenty of character and history to satisfy the most avid of period-drama fans. Against an elegant and classic backdrop of white peonies and a layered Rosa Clara gown, D+J incorporated fun and colourful touches with a killer pair of blue Christian Louboutin shoes, personalised pastel-coloured favours made from vintage books, and a nod to D's Polish heritage with vodka shots served by bridesmaids in traditional Polish dress, which led to all guests joining in to sing an old Polish folk song "Sto Lat" to wish the newlyweds "100 years of happiness". You can read more about this fabulous wedding on Rock My Wedding.

... in the press ...

* Aneta MAK * — Wed, 01 May 2013 17:34:07 +0000

This probably should have been done a long time ago, but "tooting my own horn" has always felt a bit weird to me... which probably explains why my website was missing a very much needed Press page for so long.. For all my gorgeous brides & grooms, this page could not have been possible without you placing your trust in me and for that, I love you all, thank you! Here is the latest selection of what's in the gallery, pop on over and take a look... xxx

... when Paris meets Palermo ...

* Aneta MAK * — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:11:15 +0000

Last summer I had a lovely invitation to photograph a dear friend's wedding in Sicily. Their Sicilian event was held as part two of their celebrations, for all their Italian and other friends & family who couldn't make it to the official wedding in Paris, myself included. D & P were the perfect hosts at an incredibly glamorous party, full of delicious food, elegant women in summer dresses and handsome men in sharp suits. Every so often, the deep tans, combined with the glitzy fashion and the typical southern European emotional flair reminded me of D&G's recent campaigns - glamourous Sicily, that only those in the know will ever see. Emerald green seas, melting gelatos in giant brioche buns, warm welcomes and even warmer Sun, I came home with a big smile, bag full of film and a rather red "tan". :)

... snakes & neon monkeys ...

* Aneta MAK * — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:35:06 +0000

I guess that being an ex-eastern-bloc baby, travelling to somewhere that required crossing an international border was something of a mystery. I have concluded that it must be something in my genes - growing up "back home" was severely lacking in international travel, for obvious reasons. Maybe this has contributed somewhat to the excitement of loving something as mundane as jumping on a plane to new destinations. I love to travel. Not just getting to the destination and enjoying the "after". That too of course, but no, its way more than that. It is the actual act of travelling that is full of wonder, anticipation and excitement. Needless to say, it doesnt mean carrying a suitcase big enough to be able to fit into - I positively dislike bulky luggage, it screams stability, putting down roots, a long visit - i.e. dull. A simple bag with the minimum of necessities for comfortable and slightly decadent travel says it all - a flying visit, always fresh . Camera and film being the necessities of course. I mean, one can replace a passport relatively quickly, but medium format film in a foreign country? Forget about it!

Anyway, I digress. The point of the post is to tell you about a very recent trip to a brand new destination for me, the lovely island of Sri Lanka. A few weeks before the trip, I had an incredible invitation to assist the lovely Polly Alexandre on a wedding in Galle. Few hurried vaccines later and a quick check to see if the passport was still in working order and not peeling apart (the dangers of travelling light - it usually sits in a back pocket somewhere, getting terribly squished), I was on my way to Colombo for a new adventure. One full of jumbo shrimp (as in A380 sized, almost), cobras, monkeys in day-glo outfits and the most incredible food I have ever tasted. The people were so kind and welcoming, the climate deliciously hot, it was pure heaven. Not to mention, having someone to talk to who loved talking as much as I do. Polly and I talked, and talked, and then talked some more, and pretty much talked again. It was pure vocabulary bliss. Needless to say, not a single bit of this trip had a "meh" moment - each moment was full of new things, new places and new experiences. Sri Lanka, I will definitely be back, get your jumbo prawns on the barbie!

... a chinese banquet & lace ....

* Aneta MAK * — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 12:33:03 +0000

A Chinese wedding must be seen to be believed! And wow, what a wedding it was! One of my favourite London hotels - Mandarin Oriental - served as a perfect backdrop to an incredible wedding filled with love, laughter and lots of nods to D+R's rich heritage. For their civil ceremony, the bride wore a stunning Lusan Mandongus off-white lace dress with an Annasul Y sash, followed by an equally stunning red lace dress by the same designer for the traditional Chinese tea ceremony. Accessories ranged from a beautiful pair of diamond drop earrings, to Chinese gold jewellery beautifully inlaid with the greenest of jade for the traditional part of the day. The entire venue was delicately scented by the bride's favourite Jo Malone candles, and napkins were spritzed with linen spray. The catering staff had their hands full with a 10 course Chinese wedding breakfast, with an array of exquisite dishes entertaining the guests. Here is a small selection of my favourite images from a truly wonderful day. Dear D+R, thank you so much for letting me a part of your beautiful day. xxx

... kilts, shoots & leaves ....

* Aneta MAK * — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 13:54:25 +0000

I have been waiting for so long to bring you this amazing eco-friendly wedding held at the River Cottage in Devon. This wedding had it all - the entirely-edible bouquet, the stunning backdrop of traditional English countryside, superb weather, home made wine by the bride and groom (with a little help from the staff at River Cottage), traditional Scottish dancing and a truly incredible all-vegetarian menu lovingly prepared by the one, the only, chef-extraordinnaire, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and team. And the cherry on top for my amazing couple was being featured on Hugh's TV series "River Cottage Veg" - you can watch the episode here - what a great story to tell the kids! So sit back and enjoy the visual feast that is Louise & Phil's phenomenal celebration. To Louise & Phil, thank you for letting me be a part of your special day! XXX

You can see more of this wedding in the Reverie Magazine Winter'12 issue here.

... a thoroughly london engagement ...

* Aneta MAK * — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 12:05:54 +0000

This little blog post is for my adorable pair of lovebirds that have come all the way from Indonesia to celebrate their recent engagement. This was Monica and Sam's first trip to the UK, so they were very keen to experience London's famous icons and landmarks. Nothing could stop these two having fun - not even the drizzly rain. We started the day with a stroll down the Embankment, a quick stop at the Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, followed by a fun little rowing session in Hyde Park. Sam even indulged in his love for English football by wearing his team's shirt and kicking a ball around, as the cute-as-a-button Monica adoringly watched on and giggled. The highlight of the afternoon was a much needed break at Laduree's Covent Garden branch for a spot of hot tea and a delicious mix of jewel-coloured macaroons.

... Photographed on film on Fuji 400H ...

... first dance ...

* Aneta MAK * — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:23:48 +0000

I love a pop of colour, I love pastels, I even love neon, yes neon... but NOTHING beats a simple black and white image.

My baby of choice, shot on Ilford 3200.

(full wedding coming up after the Christmas break)

xxx