Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Anastasiya Makhonka. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Anastasiya, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
My mission is of great importance to me for several reasons. First of all, I believe that every woman has a unique inner world that deserves to be revealed and expressed. Photography and video allow me to capture and convey this uniqueness, helping women to see themselves in a new light.
Secondly, I have seen how my pictures inspire and support women. When they see themselves beautiful, strong and confident in photos, it can lead to an improvement in their self-esteem and confidence. I want women to realize their uniqueness and the wonderful inner radiance that they can share with the world.
Thirdly, I believe that photography and video can serve as a powerful tool for transformation and self-expression. They allow women to explore their individuality, express their feelings and ideas, and share their stories. This contributes to the development of the emotional and creative side of the personality and can become a source of inspiration for others.
Ultimately, my mission is to help women see and fully accept their uniqueness, reveal their inner world and find their way in life. I aim to use photography and video as tools to help them in this process.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Anastasiya Makhonka. I’m Los Angeles based photo-/videographer and content creator.
Throughout my life, I have always been a diligent housewife. My main purpose in life was to maintain order in the household. At an early age, I became a mother, and my main goal became being the best mother in the world.
But I realized that I was losing myself in this routine. It was during this period that photography entered my life. I just started taking photos on my phone and uploading them to my social media. At first, they were photos of nature, my family and myself. I was told that I had a knack for seeing the world through the lens.
Soon my family and I moved to America. Here, I experienced the most powerful inspiration: every bush, tree, park, ocean, and person filled me with admiration. In each of them I felt freedom, self-expression, self-love and tremendous energy. I enjoyed taking walks and pondering about each person, their occupation, their interests, and their feelings. After all, everyone’s inner world is unique, and photography and videography allows us to capture that uniqueness.
In this period, I decided to start a blog on Instagram. I took many pictures and videos of myself and the beauty around me. I started receiving more and more messages about how amazingly I saw the world.
Thanks to my blog, I began to meet interesting people, including creative individuals. And I started to believe that I was moving in the right direction.
One day, I had a conversation with a friend, and she suggested that I try myself in more professional way. I shared my plans with my husband and he’s supported me . In couple weeks I shot my first video. It’s was a graduation from University . I did it with IPhone and Drone. The video came out great and I got my first happy client and my first income .
A few weeks later, my husband, seeing my passion for filming, gave me my first camera
A whole new world opened up before me. I started learning from people who inspired me, delving into the study of composition, framing, and communication during shoots and building my portfolio.
My first clients were my friends. Amazing people who helped me put together my portfolio and understand my purpose in my field. My portfolio looks like I only have professional models coming to my shoots, but not . And it struck me: all the women I have ever filmed are engaged in their hobbies in areas far from modeling,
Thus, I realized that with the help of videos and photos, I not only help women see themselves from a different point of view, but also restored myself as a person and realized where I want to move on.
My work is an amazing adventure in which I help positively influence the self-esteem and confidence of my clients through the personal photo video sessions, I am capturing important moments and events in people lives, such as pregnancy, anniversaries, weddings, birthdays and any type of events. Additionally, I have gained new and interesting experience helping with business promotion and marketing by creating professional and appealing representations of products or services—simply- creating content for brands.
I am a relatively young brand and still in search of a unified style. But I can say that everything attracts me now: from personal creative photoshoots to shooting large commercial projects. Im dream of shooting a music video in the near future.
During my time in this creative business, I have learned few rules: It is always necessary to establish healthy communication. Open and effective communication is the foundation of successful working relationships. It is important to be clear, listen and understand others, ask questions, and express thoughts and ideas clearly and constructively.
Mutual respect: I respect all my colleagues, clients, and their opinions. I also value their time and mine.
Collaboration with other creators are a necessary and important element in the career of every creator. It’s always about growth. Interacting and collaborating with colleagues contribute to achieving common goals. Plus, it provides tremendous support. Creators support creators.
And positive thinking. It is important to maintain a positive atmosphere in the workplace. Be friendly, show interest in others, engage in positive and constructive conversations, and if any disagreements or conflicts arise, strive to resolve them in a constructive manner.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Being a creator is a very rewarding activity. In this field I can express my ideas, perspectives and emotions. Photo/videography is a platform for sharing your voice and communicating with others through your art. Thanks to my work, I have the potential to have a positive impact on others. Whether it’s awakening emotions, inspiring change, or spreading information, creations can affect people’s lives and leave an indelible impression. And the creative process also includes continuous learning and growth. By learning new techniques, experimenting with different styles and overcoming difficulties, you develop your skills, expand your knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of yourself as a creator.
Another important aspect for me is that there always opportunities are open for communication with like-minded people, whether it is cooperation with other creators, makeup artists, stylists, photographers, models, creative directors, or interaction with your audience or becoming part of the creative community. Making such connections can provide support, inspiration, and an opportunity to learn from others. And also I like that I have the freedom to choose the projects I’m working on, define my own vision and set my own schedule.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My goal is to tell compelling stories through my photography and videography, capturing moments and emotions that resonate with my audience. Also I like to help businesses and individuals enhance their brand image and effectively market their product or services through high-quality visual content.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Hanna Kakhanovskaya, Julia Bespalova, Jane, Irin