Today our spotlight is shining on wedding and elopement photographer Radek Makar, aka Photomagician.
Using his signature film-like, vintage and moody edits, Radek maintains the integrity of each fleeting memory while turning them into a one-of-a-kind piece of art.
Radek views the world with wonder and tells visual stories of adventurous couples that last a lifetime. He also has some wonderful stories of his own to share with us today.
Tell us more about you. How did you get into wedding photography?
My approach to wedding photography doesn’t come from a photography course at college, or from my grandad’s love for cameras. It comes from the good old days when I worked at weddings as a magician. In fact, that’s also where the name Photomagician came from. That’s where I honed my approach and learned to be everywhere I’m needed before I’m needed.
Being a magician taught me hunting for emotions exposed in those brief moments of excitement when our heart connects with the brain at a trigger of a song, or a smell we recognise. It taught me to anticipate moments. It taught me that surprise is better than a warning. It taught me that asking for smiles is not the way to see real happiness. It taught me that true expression of joy comes at an effort and that people often hide in their own shell.
Every day I take photos, I’m still that same guy who walks into the room unrecognised and drops something on the floor to get attention instead of announcing myself. I’m a photographer, but deep down I’m still an entertainer and a little boy for whom the world is full of wonder. This is why my approach is different. This is why you’ll like me taking your photos.
What do you love most about your work?
It has to be meeting and spending time with new people. I’m in a comfortable position of being able to take less weddings per year than many other photographers. Because of that, every single couple I work with is a great match on many levels. We have a lot in common so conversations come naturally and after a year or so of being in touch, some of those relationships turn into friendships. In a way – I get paid for making friends!
Who, or what, inspires you?
I’m a movie buff. A lot of my inspiration comes from the cinema. When I watch movies I don’t just enjoy them for the entertainment value they provide. I deconstruct them, pay attention to the use of negative space, the colour toning, the flow that dictates the tempo of the movie and the equipment used to achieve the right mood.
When I shoot weddings, those are the things I pay attention to. Living in the undeniably gorgeous Highlands amongst cosy historical towns, and beautiful cultural traditions might just have a bit of influence on my work too.
Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
Hopefully shooting the same number of weddings in Scotland and travelling less. I’ve been fortunate to have a very rewarding career in management consulting, one in photography and recently as a jewellery designer at Lelya.
My work has allowed me to see a large part of the beautiful planet that we live on. Now it’s time to get hitched (in just under a year!), start a family and give back to the community.
Tell us a secret…
I come from the Polish island of Wolin. One of two in the country. It has deep-rooted Slavic and Viking traditions, having been a home to a mythical city of Vineta at the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. The myth evolved around the tradition of the medieval emporium called Jomsborg. Growing up I was surrounded and fascinated by those myths, and the relics of the days past.
On a day off, where will we find you?
Probably out walking in the hills, tending to my greenhouse or sitting by the fire pit with a book. It’s hard to say as days off are a scarce resource in my diary!
What Photomagician’s couples say:
“We had the pleasure of having Radek as our wedding photographer in May 2021, this was postponed from 2020 due to Covid 19. Firstly he was so understanding and flexible during the rescheduling which made things so much easier. When the big day came he was fantastic to be around and was laidback whilst still making sure all the details were accounted for. Finally, the photos we received were better than ever imagined! From dramatic, artistic shots to beautiful intimate details that really brought back all the memories of the day, all the photos are incredible. The time spent getting photos as a couple after the ceremony was also a highlight of the day, thanks to Radek making it relaxed and fun. We would both really recommend him as he really captured the day and us perfectly!”
“A massive massive thank you to Radek for not only being an amazing photographer for our elopement wedding, but for being such a lovely person throughout the whole planning process, and making us and our witnesses feel so comfortable and happy during the wedding day itself. So happy in fact, that we didn’t want him to leave at the end of the day! From the moment my now husband and I had our first meeting with him (online thanks to Covid), we felt like we were interacting with a close friend. We love his style of photography and wanted exactly that for our wedding with no limitations or inhibitions. A moodier, more carefree vibe. He was very open to any ideas that we had, but we were more than happy for him to do his thing as that’s what drew us to him in the first place. His happy, enthusiastic, and calming presence really made our day even more special and we have both been blown away by the slideshow he provided of our wedding with a fantastic selection of images. His work is everything that we envisioned and then some!”
“Using Radek as our wedding photographer was absolutely one of the best choices we made and we couldn’t be happier with the service he and Pavel (videographer) provided. The shots they created are artistic and timeless and we love sharing them with our friends and family. We got on really well with Radek from the initial Zoom meeting (Covid wedding) onwards and he really made us feel at ease on the day. Radek has continued to provide a great service after the wedding and is always quick to respond.”
In love with Photomagician’s moody, cinematic style? We are too! To see more of the magic he creates head on over to Photomagician’s website.
This is a sponsored post written by We Fell In Love. And it was very easy to create, because we are thrilled to have such a unique talent in our handpicked wedding collection.
