Merry Christmas & Happy New Year | 2025 Highlights (Auckland family-wedding-couples photographer)

As another year comes to a close, it's time to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

It's hard to believe how quickly this year has flown by. Looking back through my galleries, I'm reminded of just how many incredible people I've had the privilege of photographing. From family sessions, maternity and newborn photography to graduations, couples, surprise proposals, elopements, and weddings, this year has been filled with beautiful stories and unforgettable moments.

One family even booked three sessions with me this year—a personal record! It is always such an honour when families continue to trust me to document different chapters of their lives.

What I love most about photography is the opportunity to meet amazing people and preserve memories that will be treasured for years to come. Every session is unique, and every family, couple, and celebration brings its own story.

This year also brought incredible variety beyond weddings and family photography. I was fortunate to continue working as an official photographer for New Zealand Ice Figure Skating, covering major competitions throughout the season, including the North Island Championships and New Zealand Nationals. Watching athletes from across the country come together to share their passion for the sport is always inspiring, and photographing those moments remains one of my favourite challenges.

Many of you know that figure skating is not only something I photograph- it's also one of my personal passions. As an adult skater, I was incredibly grateful to enjoy one of my most successful competitive seasons to date. Highlights included placing second at the ISU Adult Competition in Oberstdorf, Germany, first at WinterSun in Brisbane, third at the Hollins Trophy in Sydney, and fourth at the Crystal Challenge in Melbourne.

These experiences created memories I will cherish forever and allowed me to spend time with wonderful friends from around the world who share the same love for the sport.

It has also been a big year for my own family. My son earned a place in the Auckland United development football programme, while my daughter worked tirelessly on her skating, mastering all of her double jumps and earning a silver medal at the New Zealand National Championships in the Basic Novice Under-12 division. Watching their hard work and dedication pay off has been incredibly rewarding.

As always, balancing work, sport, travel, and family life remains a challenge, and I know there are times when I wish I could spend even more time with those closest to me. But I am deeply grateful for every moment shared with my family, friends, and the wonderful clients who invite me into some of the most important days of their lives.

Another highlight of the year was continuing to teach my online photography workshop, Love, Light & Laughter, through Click Photo School. Since launching the course in 2018, it has been a privilege to help photographers develop not only their technical skills but also discover their own voice, purpose, and passion behind the camera.

As I reflect on the year, I feel incredibly thankful for every couple, family, athlete, student, and friend who has been part of this journey. Your trust, support, and friendship mean more than words can express.

Below is a collection of some favourite moments from the past season - a mix of weddings, couples, families, and events. Messy, real, emotional, and full of life - just the way I like it.

Thank you for following along and supporting my work.

Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful Christmas, a safe holiday season, and a New Year filled with happiness, adventure, and beautiful memories.

I can't wait to see what the next year brings.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Contact me with any questions!

New Year Resolution {Auckland-Hamilton lifestyle wedding photographer}

Its a new year come and its time to publish new resolution. Its became a good tradition to look back and realise what I need to work on, where to go :)

Results of 2015:

1. This year was amazing. I did plenty of lifestyle newborn-baby-family sessions, couples-engagement photo shoots and of course weddings! :) I met amazing people and made more friends! :)

2. I think I finally lean toward to my style, found my voice in photography.

3. My work been published in few established publishers and it feels really good when what you are doing is acknowledged. Also at last day of 2015 year I received a great news: two of my pictures been chosen by Bridal Guide Magazine as best pictures of 2015. Im so thrilled to be an Award Winning Wedding Photographer!

4. I learnt a lot (finished few great workshops - wedding photography, post-processing, using flash and much more) for provide the best experience to my clients.

5. I continued been in amazing community ClickinMoms with great support and advice. 

6. Finished first 365 Project - documenting my kids everyday moments and family storytelling. I think I will keep going on for capture so treasured moments!

My personal life achievements:

1. Moving from Auckland to Hamilton NZ, with more relaxable lifestyle and ability to be closer to Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions (which good for my photography).

2. My little ones turned 3 and 2 years old. Its amazing how they became more independent, talking, having own opinion, toilet training (ha-ha, that was stressful and then happened in one moment, mother will understand my excitement!) and how active they are :)

3. Joined Russian community and  made a lot of new friends with keeping old ones :)

4. Getting new equipment and lenses (wait, its again about my photography, but its really personal to me, my little treasures, ha-ha :)

Goals for New Year:

1. Practice-Practice and more practice, continue 365 Project (maybe in slightly relaxable way :). Learn a lot!

2. Develop my business, service and packaging as well ;) Make more clients/friends happy!

3. Getting higher level of art, develop photography style. I want my pictures speak to you!

4. Be happy and keep my family happy. Im so glad to have amazing support from my husband (who look after kids when Im shooting and doing my business, and help me a lot, even with proof reading my blog-posts!). Thank you so much, I have no idea what I can do without you!

Look forward to this 2016 year, really exciting. Its few special dates coming: Im turning 35! Im not a shy girl to tell my true age :) on 8 January (can't believe it), my husband turns 40 (big date!), its 5 years from our first meeting in Europe (yes, we fast with marriage and babies :) and kids turning 4 and 3 years - not long to go to school! Hopefully there will be more exciting events!

Look forward to see you all again! Yay!

Contact me with any questions!