Nastia’s Story

I’m a queer disabled neurodivergent woman in a non-traditional marriage in love with love. My life is pretty much photography, coffee and my dogs, not necessarily in that order.

A young woman with blue and black hair, smiling, holds a Canon camera, posing outdoors near steps with a brick wall background.

A woman with blue hair crouching on sandy ground with two dogs, one tan and one black and tan, in front of a rocky wall.

You've probably already had at least one supplier make you feel like a box to tick. A supplier who said "I don’t mind same-sex weddings!" while only ever saying “bride and groom” in all their social media posts. You've spent hours searching for a photographer who actually reflects your world back at you and kept coming up empty.

This is why my business is the way it is. Not just inclusive as a checkbox, but inclusive as a lived experience. I'm disabled. I'm neurodivergent. I'm queer. I'm in a non-traditional marriage. I'm not photographing your world from the outside, I'm part of it.

There’s not enough visibility for those of us who are disabled, neurodivergent, queer, non-white, non-cis, non-binary. There’s way too many outdated rules that don’t make any sense. And I want to see that change.

Colorful rainbow with five bands of red, blue, black, orange, and yellow on a black background.

I also run on coffee and dog smooches

Representation in the wedding industry

Since going into weddings I kept noticing what was missing. Disabled couples trying to navigate venues with no accessibility information. Neurodivergent people overwhelmed by photographers who wouldn't adapt their approach. Queer couples having to explain themselves before they'd even booked a consultation.

I've been on my own journey with neurodivergence and disability and it's made me a better photographer. I notice things other people miss. I adapt without being asked. I know what it feels like to need someone to just get it without a lengthy explanation.

This is what I talk about on TikTok and Instagram . Come find me if this resonates!

Where it all started

Born in Ukraine and having grown up in the US and the UK, I learned to celebrate cultural differences and the intrinsic beauty in every single person no matter where they’re from, what language they speak, or who they love. I carry that with me in my daily and professional life, striving to make everyone as comfortable as humanly possible in order to let them shine.

I’ve lived in the Netherlands and Georgia, before settling back in the UK, in Dover. I absolutely love it here. With all this moving around , I’ve had a camera on me as a way to remember my family and friends no matter where I was heading next. And of course to capture the beauty of each place I went to. I just didn’t know that one day it would go from passion to career!

I’ve always bounced between different jobs and hobbies, ADHD-style, taking photos throughout it all and working on projects that I believed would make the world a better place. Only now I’m realising everything led me to where I am today. I launched my photography business shortly after I got my first dog Shaman and I never looked back.

Close-up of two women kissing, one wearing a wedding veil, at a wedding or special event.

You can see more of my multicultural and LGBTQIA+ wedding photography work in my portfolio.

My wedding photography business ethos and promises

I vow to uplift everyone in their journey to love and visibility.

I vow to shoot more weddings with dogs.

I vow to participate in and promote projects that align with my values and make our world a better place.

I vow to lead my business in the most sustainable and ethical way possible.

I vow to maintain my business an inclusive and empowering space for everyone (well except bigots, racists, sexists, ableists, etc.)

I vow to challenge what people think a marriage and a wedding could be. Yes, you can get married in onesies in a theme park! Please invite me.

Meet the team

A woman with blue hair wearing a black face mask, gray jacket, and carrying a backpack, stands on a balcony in a historic building, taking a photograph through a lattice-window with a DSLR camera. There are four vases with colorful flowers on the windowsill.

Nastia

Blue lightning bolt icon on black background

the weirdo who will make you laugh
not shy to climb on things and lay on the ground for the shot

Colorful rainbow with five arches in yellow, orange, blue, pink, and black, set against a black background.

A woman with long dark hair and a black coat kneels on a rocky, seaweed-covered shore, smiling at a large German Shepherd dog sitting beside her. The woman is wearing dark pants and shoes with yellow and blue laces. The background features high white cliffs and a bright sky.

Shaman

the reason it all began
a very good boi
2019-2026

A young woman sitting under a tree hugging a brown dog with a mountain landscape in the background.

Kali

Georgian princess
bringer of destruction and cuddles

If any of this sounds like your kind of photographer or if you just want to tell me about your dog, your venue, or the brilliant over the top entrance you’re planning - I'd love to hear from you. No enquiry is too small, too unconventional, or too last-minute.

GET IN TOUCH

Sustainability in my business

I care deeply about our planet and sustainability is at the core of both my life and my business. Though I acknowledge we live in an imperfect world, I believe in personal accountability as well as larger scale action. Here are just some of the things I do in my business and my life to minimise harm and encourage thoughtful actions to care for our environment. There’s always more to learn and implement, so I’m very open to comments and suggestions!

This human is 100% plant-powered - which means I use companies that offer vegan materials, be that for albums, camera harnesses/bags, anything I wear and of course consume.
All of my business communication is online - contracts, invoices, questionnaires and galleries are digital. All client meetings are also online, unless they’re in walkable distance:)
I also take notes digitally with a Remarkable tablet which also solved the age-old ADHD problem of having and losing dozens of notebooks. FYI, I got it thanks to Access to Work, which is a brilliant funding scheme for disabled people who work.
I use Ecosia as my search engine which runs on renewable energy and uses all their profit to plant trees and support sustainability initiatives.
I’d love to be completely zero-waste, but at the very least I buy secondhand/refurbished whenever feasible and this includes cameras, lenses, phones, clothes etc. If I don’t need something forever - I borrow or rent it. We live in a community after all!
I drive a hybrid car, but whenever possible - I use public transport. Not enough venues are reachable without a car sadly.
I support other sustainable businesses - whether I personally use them or also recommend to others. I’d love to become part of the Sustainable Wedding Alliance in the near future.
I do not use cloud-based or generative AI in my work or my life.

Let me know if there’s any other ideas you have or have any questions!

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I am a proud supporter of Wed4Pal - a collective of over 150 wedding industry members calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Palestine. I stand with the people of Palestine against the ongoing genocide, and I believe that values-led businesses have a responsibility to say so out loud, not just in private.

And for those of you who read all the way to the end - I know you’re bookworms like me, so here’s some cool books you might like!

Try to buy from independent book shops or use your library.

P.S.: you can use your library card for free audiobooks on Libby and Borrowbox!