by Yvette Depaepe
Published the 12^th of October 2026

Aleksei Makarenok is a fine art photographer and costume designer from Latvia. He deeply values artistry, uniqueness, and beauty. His approach is purely creative, free from clichés and templates. Every new project sparks original ideas, bespoke costumes, and fresh concepts. He creates and reveals an alternative reality—a world of dreams, fairy tales, hopes, and experiences. He builds an extraordinary world inhabited by the magic of light, where history is captured in a single frame.

My sea______

The Roots of Vision: A Childhood of Details

My journey into the world of photographic art began long before I ever held a camera. It started in my childhood. I have always been fascinated by the details that others seemed to overlook. I could spend hours watching water droplets fall into a puddle or gazing out of a train window at the dancing flares of light created by the setting sun through the rushing wires. Even now, the specific scent of a train takes me back to those days – I call it the scent of my childhood.
My family was always amazed that such a young child could be so intensely focused on the smallest things. I would take a sketchbook and draw things like the heavy wheels of a train and its mechanical couplings, as well as the textures around me. I would observe people and my friends in the yard, always looking straight into their eyes.
This passion later led me to art school. While other children drew basic shapes, I was captivated by the details: water droplets on bare branches, birds and the interplay of light. It was during those early years that my profound love of warm, faithful, cinematic light was born.

Creating Worlds and Ancient Souls

I was never interested in noisy games or silly childhood pranks. Instead, there was a small group of us — three boys and two girls — and by the age of ten, we were already having deep conversations about where we came from, why we exist and whether the stars above were our true home. We treated each other and our friendship with immense respect. Together, we created our own worlds and inhabited imagined realities.
This background is the foundation of my desire to create my own visual worlds, using the same light that I remember from my childhood. This explains why children feature so prominently in my photography. For me, it is not a retreat into the past, but rather a way of viewing the world through the lens of childhood in order to create magical, mystical, cozy and wise realities.
Eyes are sacred to me. I vividly remember the eyes of girls in the 1990s – they had a certain depth, with a hint of melancholy, yet they were as honest, alive and expansive as the cosmos. I still don't fully understand that universe, but I'm constantly trying to decipher it through my lens. These questions and these eyes are present in almost every single one of my frames.

The Language of Dress and the Search for the Mirror

I am a certified fashion designer by education, which is my primary profession. However, I picked up a camera when I realized that nobody could capture the essence of the dresses I created better than I could. In order to truly convey the story of my garments, I knew I had to capture them myself.
But a dress is merely a shell without the right soul inside it. I searched for a very long time for models — young, talented actresses who could do more than just pose; who could mirror my thoughts, live through the concept and convey the depth of a wise soul. I genuinely believe that souls come into this world with different purposes: some to shed light, some to heal and some to teach and learn. Then there are the ancient souls who have already been here before. Perhaps it's just my imagination, but what if it's true?
One of these young muses is Alisa. Her mother, Marija, noticed a long time ago that Alisa was different — she was deeply creative and always busy drawing, inventing things and exploring the world. Alisa has an extraordinary talent for acting. She is incredibly complex and wise beyond her years. Most remarkably of all, she can actually see music.
As well as my young muse, there are adult muses who inspire me just as deeply. One of them is Zhenya. She is a woman of strong character, but her true phenomenon lies in her profound wisdom. She has a mystical gaze and understands everything without a word being spoken. She also holds an unknown, mesmerizing secret that is impossible to fully grasp. While Alisa is a princess of light and creation, Zhenya is a princess of mysteries and mysticism. Although I work with many other incredibly talented women, Alisa and Zhenya represent a different level of artistic connection at this stage of my journey.

Who do you give your love to_____

Light From The Darkness_____

Moment like this______

Timeless Heartbeat______

Seeing the Sound: The Gift of Synesthesia

The phrase 'to see music' often causes misunderstanding when people hear it. For me, however, it is a living reality. I see music. I am blessed with a rare form of synesthesia, which my friends have explained to me.
When I listen to a melody and it resonates with my current emotional state, I don't just see flashes of colour — I see a whole cinematic film. I see characters, such as a girl walking or waiting somewhere. I can effortlessly isolate individual elements of the music — the synthesizers, the pads and the subtle, hidden vocal samples. I can instantly tell whether a singer is insincere or performing with genuine sincerity. I can hear the slightest falsehood in the sound, or, conversely, I can be completely immersed in my own world.
This is my main source of inspiration. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the musicians. Without you, I would not exist, nor would any of my work. You bring the sketches in my mind to life using only sound. I specialize in progressive trance, ambient and breakbeat — anything with cosmic, delicate and deeply feminine vocals; anything spacious, strange and mysterious. Every instrument carries a colour, a shape, a mood, a gaze, an atmosphere, a contrast, a softness, a sadness, or a bright, beautiful melancholy. They hold dreams and thoughts about life and about us as human beings.
Sometimes I feel like a tiny speck of dust in this vast world, lying unseen by anyone somewhere by the sea – yet I exist. Through my images, clothes and eyes, I express the thoughts and feelings that inspire me. In my world, aesthetics is the empress and sincerity is the empire.

In my visual stories, clothing plays a sacred role; it is never merely decorative. It is an extension of the muse herself and a reflection of her state of mind. I build the environment around her, using flowers that I grew myself or dry tree branches, for example, to create stage decorations like in a theatre or cinema, a subject that I am deeply passionate about. My favourite approach is shooting in natural, living locations. The sea is mysterious like women, and can be calm or stormy. Its immense, endless scale mirrors my dreams, the keys of a piano or a piercing vocal line. There was a line in a song that has stayed with me: 'Even the trees fall silent, like girls by the water.' I use allegories in my photographs to communicate, and I always smile with joy when a viewer successfully interprets the hidden meaning in my work. If a girl looks straight into the lens, she is conveying something important. If she sits on the seashore, she is contemplating the future and observing the passage of time. If her eyes are closed, she is dissolving into the moment. If she is standing in the snow, it means her soul is freezing from the world's indifference. My friends often say that my photographs resemble a film captured in a single frame.

The Craft: Chasing the Living Light

Looking ahead, I have recently become deeply fascinated by cinematography. I am increasingly drawn towards filmmaking. My dream is to become a director of photography and capture those extreme close-ups where the camera powerfully captures the eyes of the subject, causing the viewer to suddenly hold their breath.
For now, though, I work with a humble yet incredibly reliable setup: a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and its older sibling, the Mark III. My favourite lens is the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM. I occasionally use the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L, which I love for its distinct cinematic rendering. That is all I use. I don't use tripods, studio lights or flashes – in fact, I have never even used them. Living, natural light — the exact light your eyes see — is the ultimate divine illuminator.
Before the advent of digital photography, I worked with film using a Zenit 122. I loved Fujifilm for its beautiful greenish colour palette, but I was never quite fond of Kodak because of its yellowness. My current work has a strong connection to classical painting. I sometimes paint canvases, but I never show them to anyone — they are private, like icons. I experiment with shades, colours and shadows on those canvases that later manifest in my photography.
Young photographers often ask me about equipment, and I always tell them that the best camera is the one that suits you personally. I'll reveal a big secret: I know exactly where the 'masterpiece' button is on a camera. It exists. It's called Nasmotrennost, which means 'visual literacy' or 'cultivated taste'. It is the key. You must constantly study and look at the works of masters — not to copy them, but to learn how to create something entirely your own.

For many people, photography is just a hobby. For me, however, it is a way of life. It is the reason I live. It is my oxygen. I think about composition every single minute. I never force myself to come up with ideas; they come to me suddenly — a stranger's gaze on the street, a tear, the wind, the shimmer of water. A photographer is simply a painter who uses light to draw and colour the canvas with the mood of their soul.
During my process, I simply observe and add decorations. There is no point in shooting 40 frames per second — that is meaningless. I capture the exact split second when, as Stanislavski famously said, 'I believe'. In that moment, a tear rolls down my own cheek. I treat my muses with incredible care, respect and gratitude. Thank you, girls, for being by my side. Thank you, God, for granting me this opportunity to create beauty, which you have embedded in each of us. The world may have forgotten this for a moment, but we will surely remember. Together with my muses, I aim to be a lighthouse in this universe, sending out a signal that says, 'If anyone can hear us, answer — you are not alone.'

Fading Ether______

The Place What You Don’t Remember______

Where the dawn is_____

Touch of the Infinit______

Angel______

The Story Behind "TIMELESS: OBSESSION" and Future Dreams

I can't pick a favourite photograph — my work is like my children. How can you say one is better or worse than another? They are all yours. However, if I had to choose a definitive piece for this moment, it would be 'TIMELESS: OBSESSION'.

The story behind its creation is shrouded in mysticism. It was my first attempt to bring together two entirely different muses with a ten-year age gap. They are so different yet, as it turned out, so profoundly similar. This proved to me that contrast exists not only in colours, but also in characters, and that harmony can be found between them.
It took the girls a full two hours to calibrate their energy and adjust to each other. For a moment, I thought I had failed completely. I felt lost, not knowing how to bring them together as a group, and they must have seen my desperate attempts — perhaps even my despair. Then they looked into my eyes, and suddenly, that magical connection happened. I believed, and tears filled my eyes. That is how this series and this specific frame came to be – a moment when two massive storms, two universes, collided and complemented each other without a single false moment.

TIMELESS: OBSESSION______

'I do not believe in idols, for it is written: 'Do not make yourself an idol.' I believe that we are all part of this world and that everything is interconnected — without light, there is no shadow. In my view, all authors are beautiful and unique in their own way.
My dream for the future is to hold an exhibition of large photo-paintings of my work in a gallery. I would like the music that inspired them to play in the gallery while my muses sit nearby wearing the dresses they modelled for me, like living photographs come to life. I want people to approach art, fall silent for a moment while they contemplate the emotions, and whisper to themselves: 'Yes... I feel this too. I understand. I am not alone.'

A New Door: Speaking Through Poetry

About a month ago, a new door opened in my soul. I was looking at a finished photograph when, suddenly, lines of poetry came to me. Although I had never written poetry before, it felt as though someone or something was speaking through me. I think God opened another door to creativity through my soul.
Sometimes I feel that I am simply too sensitive for this world. I have always been this way, like an exposed wire without skin. I feel more deeply, I see more, but this sensitivity also allows me to understand human beings much better.

I leave you with these lines as my wish to everyone.
Let us live this life at 100%, because we only have one, and there won't be another:

Sometimes we search for ourselves in this world,
Sometimes through the thorns of mistakes and doubts...
Leaved from us is the true path and enlightenment.
And you think: is it just pure luck,
Or a joke of the Universe when things get tough?
But do you know: those are just the shadows of doubt,
Shouting artfully, trying to lead you astray?
What if you pause to hear yourself quietly for a moment -
That whisper which always guides your way,
Which heals you in times of hardship,
And brings you hope, leading you forward,
Will softly, barely audibly, whisper:
"Do not be afraid... I am God, I am with you..."

In search of wonder_____

Too lost in time______

Anima Antiqua______

Winter garden______

Echoes of Awareness______

Frequency______

The Call of Dreams______

Echo of the Present______

Heart so unstable_____