Positive Friday - Inspiration {Auckland wedding photographer}

Hi everyone! Today is a positive Friday {at least for me :) ) and its time to share with you some inspirational moments. I met a lot of awesome people while been shooting weddings around Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and pretty much all New Zealand! As a photographer and artist I feel really emotional when people sharing with me their feelings. Its understandable when we had a great experience together.

But this time I received absolutely unexpected message which made my day. This little act of inspiration was really important and come at right time as you often questioning yourself and what you are doing.

This message was sent through my website wedding inquiries and come from Angie. Hope she not mind me to share her simple words. She said: "I just wanted to say... your photography is completely gorgeous. You are incredible!"

Thats just amazing that someone look at my work and stop by to say some words of encouragement. Im really appreciate these kind words and its make me think Im on the right track ;) Its amazing sign of kindness that someone took time to contact just to say positive words.

I hope we will be saying more and more positive words to each other more often and try to help, and support. Who knows maybe person next to you really needs these words of encouragement and its a perfect timing, at least its make them feel better and maybe smile :)

Thanks again Angie! You truly made my day and motivate to think about things.

Beautiful Maria, dance photo shoot

Contact me with any questions! 

New packaging ready for a wedding season {Auckland - Hamilton NZ engagement photographer}

Its so exciting to put together pieces of my new packaging for my awesome wedding clients. I been doing it during all the winter {its a hard job to choose favourites from plenty of options online; I can totally relate to all brides with their overwhelming wedding planning, how hard to find a right suppliers and vendors!}:

- choosing new wooden USBs {as Im run out of old ones at the end of last wedding season shooting a lot of weddings around New Zealand: Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Northland and surroundings areas},

- beautiful cards {i just in love with what I ordered - they looks really fresh, modern and at the same moment have traditional feeling and slightly vintage style},

- other little things as lace, wraps, filling for boxes etc.,

- and of course a new boxes {i decided to move from wooden boxes to cute tin ones}, will see if my amazing clients will be happy with all these little items what I put together :)

I also prepared some special gifts, its will be a surprise coming your way at booking or after your wedding gallery is completed {with USB included web quality and high resolution files}. So excited about new wedding season starting!

More surprises coming soon! Stay tuned! :)

Contact me with any questions!

Enjoy this insides gallery {i took a few images just in case you curious to see some parts of the packaging}.

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Launch a new lifestyle website {Olga Levien - New Zealand photography artist}

Hi guys!

Im really excited to share with you amazing news: I just launched a new website with my name on it - Olga Levien New Zealand photographer - photography artist: www.olgalevien.com

I love my wedding photography business and my awesome couple, but as you all know Im also love lifestyle photography {taking limited number of sessions during the season} and second year keep doing 365 Project - shooting my everyday moments with family and kids, travels around New Zealand and self-portraits.

So I decided to do a big step and introduce you my lifestyle website with clients and personal work and projects. Its linked on my wedding photography work as well, so you never will be lost.

No worries, you can still see my personal work and 365 Project here, at least once a month :) Also feel free to check my personal Instagram account and business one as well :)

Feel free to browse around, just remember its a "new baby", so something still need to work on :)

Im also excited about new education part on my site - mentorship sessions and workshops for photographers {with coming up Ebooks and 2017 | 2018 Workshop for wedding photographers. So many ideas, way to go! {tell you a secret Im also working on another big project connected with weddings - stay tuned to find out shortly!}

See you all there on www.olgalevien.com!

Warmly,

Olga

{Contact me with any questions}

Interview with photographer - 6 Tips for taking wedding photos if you're camera shy {Auckland couples photography} WeddingWire

WeddingWire - one of the biggest american publishers contacted me one day and ask to give some tips for taking wedding photos for shy couples. I been happy to help and gave some advice what you can see in just published article. They put together interviews with few international wedding photographers. Its a great honour to be in such a talented company!

If you want to see more details and photography tips for shy couple please have a look at my recent article in the Blog.

Im always happy to help my couples and make them relaxed on the wedding day. Its so important to feel comfortable with your photographer and follow your emotions, feelings, connection on the wedding day.

Im appreciate my awesome couples sharing with me such special moments!

Thank you so much!

Warmly,

Olga

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Photography as a career - letter to my follower {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga lifestyle wedding photographer}

I just got an interesting inquiry - letter from 16 years old Caitlyn with question about choosing photography as a career. Im a lifestyle wedding photographer and capturing weddings for a few years now {around New Zealand - mainly Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga areas} and its good to look back and see all pros and cons about photography business.

Thats my letter to Caitlyn:

" Thank you so much for your inquiry and your kind words. Its great that you passionate about photography.

Photography definitely can be a career if you feel strongly about your passion, confident and feel ready to start this business.

Pros:

- ability to be creative, artistic and feel the freedom;

- capture treasured memories for people {once a life events}, make them happier;

- get a positive emotions during and after the session {from people around, their connection and happiness};

- work in your own schedule; be your own boss;

- meet new people and visit new places;

- follow your passion, do what you love;

- do something for yourself.

Cons:

- its a 24/7 job (so you constantly thinking about your business, clients, ideas, improvements, etc.);

- you need constantly to be on social media and work on your marketing - blogging, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter etc. {otherwise people never know about you};

- needs a lot of investment {equipment - expensive cameras, lenses worth thousands of dollars. When you doing a wedding photography you need to have a backup cameras, lenses, flashes etc.), also business spends, insurance, marketing, web, software, travel, packaging etc.;

- its an emotional work {as an artist you have up and down moments, feel happy or unhappy about your work and also really emotional when communicating with people - answer for inquiries, waiting for client's reply, and sometimes people never come back to you, but also those who love your work choose you and your style; so its really sensitive and personal};

- its hard to balance photography and family | personal life, as business take over and sometimes almost impossible to find time for your little ones and for yourself; spend a lot of time on the road for destination weddings;

- most of the time you are spending for editing pictures and managing business, which is much more then actual shooting time (proportions looks like 90% and 10 %), so you need to enjoy all aspects of the business {or found someone who you can delegate these responsibilities).

So there a lot of positive moments and some negative too. The main thing - do what you love and what make you happy! :) You need study a lot and always progress. Also note: for made photography a profitable business needs around 2-3 years of hard work.

Hope its helps!

Good luck with your passion and your chosen pass! Hope there will be people around you who will support you and make it easier!

Warmly,

Olga"

Contact me with any questions!

Photography tips for shy couples {New Zealand lifestyle wedding-engagement photographer}

Everyone have unique character and personality: some of us easy going open people, some naturally shy, especially with unknown people. I decided to put together a few photography tips for shy couples on the wedding day, which really important for me as a photographer {serving destination weddings all around New Zealand: Auckland, Northland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and surrounding areas}.

Its always hard to relax in front of camera and know what to do {believe me I just did 5 years anniversary self-portrait with my husband and it was so hard to understand what to do when we can't see ourself from the side}. It was a mess! Thats why good to choose photographer who you can truly trust and who can direct you.

This trust can be build on engagement session beforehand {so you already have experience together, understand each other and how you are roll :)} or at pre-wedding consultation {when you can have a chat not just about the wedding, but about pretty much everything and find common interest and feel the connection}. I always try to understand couples personalities and their needs, had a meeting or good talk via the phone and sending a wedding Questionnaire with some personal questions beforehand.

Also remember - its natural to be stiff in front of camera first 15-20 min {believe me everyone having this experience}, thats why you need to allow yourself enough time on intimate session along from the guests {i would recommend at least 1-1.5 hours - add extra time for more locations}.

As a photographer I would suggest for shy couples more actions - mix of posed and unposed shots, interaction including chatting with each other and photographer {walking together, sitting relaxing, telling each other what they thought at first meeting, what they most exciting about, laughing, breath each others in etc.

And last tip - just enjoy the moment, you just married, so happiness naturally shining through your eyes and everyone around can feel it {camera too ;)}! 

Enjoy these moments together and don't forget to have fun! I will be there for you :)

Contact me with any questions!

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Inspiration board #4 - couples | engagement photography {Auckland wedding photographer}

Who wants to get more inspiration in couples photography? Here we go!

Today I am sharing with you my Pinterest board with chosen couples | engagement photographs from photographers all around the world with intimate couples moments. Feel free to visit this board and share your ones!

Im always happy to see new ideas, styles and also get some inspiration, feel the mood for my Auckland wedding photography. Love to be inspired and create something new :)

Contact me with any questions!

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Inspiration board #3 beach photography {Auckland-Waikato-Bay of Plenty wedding photographer}

Our series of sharing Pinterest boards is continues.

Today I want to share with you my beach inspiration board with photographs what remind us about summer, light, sun, water, clean lines etc.

I just love these tones, feelings and emotions. Love to use these emotions in my wedding and lifestyle photography!

Have a look at my board and feel free to share your boards :)

Contact me with any questions!

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Inspiration board #2 - wedding photography {Auckland couples-engagement photographer}

Im continue to share with you my inspiration boards on Pinterest. What a great source for grouse through different pictures, styles from photographers all around the world!

Im specialise in lifestyle wedding photography and mostly shooting weddings around Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty areas, travelling a lots, having busy lifestyle, but I always love to find a minute to get some extra inspiration and create a board what drive me :)

It's really interesting to see what style of photographs, what emotions and connection, what light and colour attract the most and my preferences definitely based on my taste and connect to my photography voice.

Have a look at my wedding photography inspiration board, feel free to share your boards in comments, I will be happy to have a look! :)

Inspiration board #1 lifestyle couples photography {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga wedding photographer}

I love to create different type of boards on Pinterest. So today I decided to start a new rubric in our Blog where I can share with you some of my inspiration in different type of photography. Im doing weddings and couples | engagement photo shoots around Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga areas in New Zealand and always search for new ideas, trying to find inspiration everywhere (in books, movies, art galleries etc.), sometimes easy way to go is to open the Pinterest app and look through the photographs with ability to observe, find connection, emotions, light, something to drive me in and connected to my style. Its can be even nature and picturesque view and landscapes around. 

So today Im sharing with you one of my Pinterest boards :)

I love to start from lifestyle couples photography with inspiration board #1. Feel free to check it out and get some ideas!

I love lifestyle photographs, emotions, atmosphere. It's so great to capture something what couple love to do together, what mean a lot to them. Thats my inspiration choice.

I think it's always a good idea to have an engagement | pre-wedding couples photo-shoot what let us better to know each other and feel more relax on wedding day! Im often travel around Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga areas for my awesome clients couples sessions. It's so special moments!

Please feel free to share your boards, I would love to have a look :)

Contact me with any question!

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The Creative fight - Book club {Auckland-Waikato-Bay of Plenty wedding photographer}

I just discover amazing book wrote by Chris Orwig "The Creative fight". Im not a reading person for a last time (shame to say years! during having 2 babies, and mostly read learning stuff online), but its so big pleasure just to hold in your hands a real book, especially THIS book and turn the pages! :)

The book content is amazing for people who think about photography, creativity, life and philosophy as well :)

Im shooting weddings a lot in Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty areas and sometimes feel really tired if even I love my work. It's so busy and hectic and I really want to find beauty in details and harmony in moments. So idea about think different, outside the box and be creative with unfolding your interior feelings and open the eyes towards new ideas is really refreshing!

I'm reading chapter by chapter, week by week. Not because I don't have time to proper read it between shooting weddings (it's part true though), but also because I have the opportunity to think, do creative exercises and also discuss ideas with other photographers!

What a great world opens for us, if we want it to be open, of course ;)

If you want to change something start from yourself and your feelings about the situation (it's not a Chris Orwig quote, it's my feelings and thoughts :)

So just follow your gut!

Contact me with any questions!

Wedding workflow {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga lifestyle couples-engagement photographer}

Im a really organised person, love to create different todo lists, put together items in logical order and create a workflow. Today I decided to share with you my wedding photography workflow. Im as a lifestyle wedding photographer travel a lot around Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga areas, sometimes even up North or down South and its important to keep on track with all events and clients | vendors.

A lot of people who are really far from photography business can think that our work as photographers just arrive on location, shoot event and right away deliver the images (believe me I thought that too before joined amazing world of photography), but its so much more! 

Shooting a wedding day can take usually between 5 and 12 hours depends on quantity of events and locations, but pre-wedding process and post wedding production can take weeks and even months! Usually I spend on each wedding at least 80 hours work and even more.

Let see my usual workflow (Im not going to put down quantity of hours | time spend on each item, its easy to guess :)

1. answer for enquiry, follow up

2. organise meeting for discuss wedding details an see if we on the same page

3. create and send quote, contract, questionnaire, invoice. Sometimes send a reminder {in 17 hats - management software}

4. answer for all following questions,

5. contact clients few months before the wedding day, organise an engagement | pre-wedding session (do all session workflow including choose and scout location, shooting, post-processing, deliver the gallery, blogging etc.)

6. contact clients one month before the wedding, send an invoice reminder for final payment, questionnaire

7. organise pre-wedding consultation | meeting, go over all details again {online or via the phone}

8. scout wedding location

9. check last minute changes one week before the wedding

10. prepare equipment, all addresses, directions to location, contact creative team | all vendors

11. shooting wedding according the timeline and any unexpected changes / delays with first dance, cake cutting etc.

12. copy all files, back-up files at the end of the day {Im using two external drives and online Amazine Drive storage to be absolutely secure}

13. culling (choosing best images) - sometimes I move through images twice, as second time allow me to look at images with fresh eye

14. post-processing | retouching images

15. post sneak peek on Facebook or email

16. download images in online gallery and USB stick

17. organise prints | products

18. send to a client letter with link on online gallery (3-4 weeks after wedding day)

19. post USB stick with high resolution files + web quality images and prints | products

20. back up final galleries

21. write and publish a blog post with best images from the wedding day

22. choose best images for portfolio and publications

23. send a gallery link to all creative team

24. submit the gallery for publications, keep on track with publishers (i love to share my images, because Im really happy with results)

25. submit best images for various awards | contests (thats motivate me to do more, progress and move forward :).

26. post wedding results on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media etc.

Im sure its not a full list, probably I forgot some other little details :) But hope you get an idea about how much work involve into the weddings and I love this work :)

Please contact me with any questions!

17hats for wedding photographers {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga lifestyle couples-engagement photography}

Sometimes having a wedding photography business can be overwhelming: contacts from wedding couples, enquiries, keeping on track with current clients, meetings around Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga areas, organise workflow, contacts with other photographers and vendors etc. Thats why I decided to share with you how 17hats made my life so much easier. Truly amazing transformation! :)

1. all my clients base in one place (contacts, emails, phone numbers, addresses);

2. ability to organise different projects for each client;

3. online documentation (life saver!) - quotes, contracts, invoices, wedding questionnaires in one place with ability to create a template;

4. email tracking (you can answer for emails right from 17hats :)

5. todo list | calendar (you can put different events and tasks in the calendar and have a reminder each day);

6. ability to create a workflow and apply it to certain project (I have over 15 todo tasks for each project including contact, meeting with clients, send questionnaire, scout wedding location, prepare equipment, send an invoice, check last minute changes in wedding day timeline, check address, get directions, post a sneak peek on Facebook, send link on online wedding gallery, post USB and print | products etc). You see its a lot to remember and can be hard to keep on track with few weddings in a row and future (next year) enquiries :)

7. bookkeeping (I just love the ability to connect business account to 17hats and categorise all income and spends, my accountant loves it too :)

8. ability to send clients galleries etc.

Im sure there a lot of other opportunities what I still need to discover. I just can tell you 17hats became a game changer for me during last few months what Im using it and Im happy with everything.

I need to mention there another systems for clients bases and keep on track as Pixifi, Tave etc. Im sure people who are using them happy with everything. So its just matter to try and find out what interface suits you the best.

Hope this blog post will be useful for my friends photographers, as I see a lot of discussions and questions in local photographers groups about how to keep all documentation and track clients base etc.

Contact me with any questions! I like open book and happy to help :)

Bride getting ready {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga lifestyle wedding-couples-engagement photographer}

One of the most exciting part of the wedding day for me is bride getting ready - it's start of the day, start of wedding story and I also love to capture lifestyle moments behind the scene :) Im doing weddings around Auckland, Hamilton and surrounding areas and most of the time couples want to capture these special getting ready moments for complete the story of their wedding day.

Bride with her bridesmaids having fun, laughing, eating their breakfast, relaxing after late night :) Capturing lifestyle moments around and some portraits before putting dresses on. Details: veil, dress, rings, jewellery, other accessories, shoes - all items what been thoughtfully chosen with love for wedding day. 

Then time for putting dress on, bridesmaids or bride's mother taking big part in helping the bride, its so special atmosphere!

Bride along portraits and capture moments with bridesmaids. Its usually one of the most beautiful portraits from the wedding day!

Then rush, pick up all items and move towards the car for meet groom on ceremony site, so exciting moments.

Enjoy this gallery from my recent weddings around Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and surroundings areas. Im so in love with my beautiful stunning brides!

DOMINIQUE

TESSA

JULIETTE

Contact me with any questions!

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First look with Dad {Auckland-Hamilton wedding-engagement-couples photographer}

First Look is becoming more popular last few years. Its a great way to create a special moment for couples on their wedding day, moment when bride and groom see each other very first time before the ceremony on their wedding day. If couple is more traditional and prefer to see each other right on the ceremony when bride walking down the aisle another option is first look with Brides Dad.

Dads have a special place in each girl's heart so it's a treasured and emotional moment when Dad takes the bride walking down the aisle, but especially when he sees her for the first time right after getting ready before the ceremony. These moments are always full of love and special connection. 

I love to capture all these raw emotions and feelings! It's even more emotional when one person is standing back to walking forward another person (its could be either bride or her father) and they can't see each others faces, but then one turned around it's a magic moment happened, often with some tears (so tense emotions when you waiting for it:).

Enjoy this gallery from Juliette & Jonny's wedding in Castaways Resort, Auckland:

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Bridal Portraiture | Photography Tips {Auckland-Hamilton wedding photographer}

Bridal Portraiture is one of my favourite genre, and one of the most exciting moments on the couples wedding day. Maybe because Im myself a women and want to capture all this beauty and happiness on bride's special day. 

Im always full in love with my brides when I see how they getting ready during the wedding day, putting make-up on, dress and vail, walking down the aisle, being with the groom. Its such special moments!

Then comes all hectic and busy time but I always love to make special time for them to relax, take a big breath, have intimate moments with groom along at location photo shoot. Then comes time to take just a few shots with bride, show her character, personality and beauty.

If you ask me how to make the most beautiful bridal portraits on your wedding day I can tell you: its not a secret - just need ask bride to look at love of her life, at her groom | husband will see in her eyes all the beauty, passion and love. Its special moments!

Bridal portraits can be romantic, editorial, but also fun and crazy :) It all depends from personality of the bride and photographer of course. I like to go with the flow and feel my couples what they love to do, what pictures can be special for them. Sometimes you can be surprised when even fun loving brides found after the wedding session romantic photographs in their final galleries and full in love with them. You never knows ;) 

So lets create these beautiful moments, have some breath in between of this hectic day and capture beauty and happiness!

Here is my recent bridal portraits with my stunning brides, thank you so much for sharing these special moments with me. Love you all!

Enjoy this gallery!

Contact me with any questions!

Wedding Location {Auckland-Waikato-Bay of Plenty NZ couples | engagement photographer}

Its really important to choose a right place to your big wedding day. Each location should have a special meaning to the you and made makes celebration moments unforgettable.

It's a lot of different options in Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty areas, indoors and outdoors (could be handy to do a rain check and have a back up plan ;)

Traditional wedding ceremonies are held in a church / registry office / hotel. I always enjoy to hear stories that couple choose the church where their parents been married. Its such treasured connection between generations, what great family traditions.

Outdoor locations had a lot of variety, especially in New Zealand: beach, domain, winery, gardens,  farm, park, bush, golf course, resort etc. So many different options! Summer is almost all the year around with high plus temperature so its really tempting to organise picturesque ceremony/reception in the beautiful nature side. I just love to capture these natural light beautiful moments.

Other option what I often see with small family weddings - ceremony and reception at parents house with BBQ in the garden area. Thats so sweet memories as well.

So what type of wedding location close to you, where you want to celebrate your engagement and have fun with close to you people / family? It's all up to you! I'm happy to capture for you all these special moments with relax, natural style. I love to show raw emotions and connection!

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Multi-exposure Photography Tips | Waikato photographer

Hello and welcome to my Blog, where I talk about my lifestyle moments, photography and share some inspirational photography tips and exercise.

We will talk today about multi-exposure images. They look pretty neat and not much people know how easy achieve them.

One way - in post-processing when you put together a few layers from few images with different opacity.

But Im a lazy photographer, I really don't like a lot of post processing work and prefer to make things right into the camera (for not spend to much time at editing, but give this treasure time to my family, to my active little ones).

So at this case you go to your camera Menu, put on Multi-Exposure, choose how many images you will merge together and how many times you want it one (single time or more). I did just basic 2 shot single multi-exposure, what I will share with you. (Attention - not all cameras had this mode - please read your camera Manual for get more information. For note - I shoot with Nikon D750 full frame).

Important note: you should nail your exposure triangle (aperture, shutter speed, ISO) in the camera, because you can't work on each picture separated, they will be merge together in one image what you will see in your computer.

So lets go to my pretty simple experiments. 

First one image with my daughter and a tree what I merge together. Little tip - it was easier for me first to take image with my subject and then knowing I had a good shot, put my attention on the background - I choose a tree shape for this purpose.

You free to choose if you want to convert your image in Black and White (BW) or leave a colour variant. Sometimes BW version really stand out for me and speaks to me more.

You can also play with merging not 2 different backgrounds, but play with merging images with the same person. Some photographers use this trick for selfies to show different type of emotions. I just choose my little one and follow the best moments in the same location.

Here is a result:

This image really speaks to me with this lines, composition, emotions and BW conversation.

So grab your camera and experiment! Good luck!

Contact me with any questions!

My style | Lifestyle wedding photographer | Auckland-Waikato-Bay of Plenty photography

People often asking me what means lifestyle photography, Why I'm doing lifestyle pictures, is it mean Im not doing portraits at all?

So lets talk about it and bring it all out, so it will be easier for you to understand what to expect from me, my photography services, and your final pictures :)

1. Lets start from definition. Yes, I know it sounds boring, but will give us a base for our thoughts.

Lifestyle photography is a kind of photography which mainly aims to capture portrait/people on situations, real-life events or milestones in an artistic manner and the art of the everyday (Wikipedia).

So I'm capturing, documenting moments and people in situations in an artistic manner, bring the art into your everyday moments.

You can ask me: Is it just documentary style and capturing all stuff around? No, its much more. I am not just capturing what I see, I am creating an art, I find the beauty in all these moments - what speaks to me and I hope what I created will speak to you, and mean a lot to you!

2. Weddings | Events. If I'm shooting your wedding or another important event I am capturing all natural moments through the day, If you laughing I will capture that, If you are crying I will capture that too.

St Matthews Church wedding

I will do posed moments as well (as family portraits or intimate session for bride and groom), but I will do it natural and happy way so everyone will really enjoy it and have a positive experience with "happy family" pictures :)

Family pictures on Lisa's 21st Birthday Party

As for moments for bride and groom they will be based on your personalities, story and naturally relaxing for you. There will be posed shots and unposed and intimate as well. If your a fun loving couple we will have a lot of fun and can create even dynamic, a little bit crazy pictures, if you prefer to have your quiet moments of happiness I will do my best to capture it in romantic editorial style. All these moments really speak to me, then I'm creating and telling your story through the art of the lens! 

Daria & Dmitry

Bridesmaids

If we're in getting ready moments and there a lot of stuff around (make-up, bags and all other items) I will do my best to create pictures that focus on the main subjects, of course will take some details shots, which form part of the story and maybe even show with wide angle lens all these mess and people around. But also I will try to use blocking and framing for get artistry shots of you and people around even in these hectic conditions! :)

I love to capture raw emotions, candid moments, details what is a part of your story and all these connection and love between two of you, its just magic moments!

3. Newborns, family and kids.

I'm a mum of two little ones, they are so active and cute and little nightmares sometimes. I realised how important and treasured every moment of their and our life together, how fast they grow, and how important for us to remember these moments.

I'm doing 365 project this year and documenting my everyday moments with kids and family. It's fun, interesting, sometimes usual moments, morning routing, play time and all other stuff. I'm planning to print a book at the end of project with all these images. 

Lifestyle everyday moments. 365 Project

But its not about me, its about you. About your family, about your life.

I love to capture the moments when baby appear in this world, capture everyday moments and routine of your first day with baby, your connection and emotions, everyday things that you are used to with the baby: baby on the big parents bed, baby in the cot, on the changing table, in parents arms, on dad's big shoulder, little fingers in mums hands.

Baby Nazar

What do you want to remember about these days, this period, what will be gone and only pictures will remind you about this moments? Details what making a way to your memories: babies name on the wall (or on the door), Teddy bears and other toys around, baby monitor on the shelf, cold cup of tea on the table and dummy nearby, mobile with Winnie the Pooh theme, basket with nappies and all other little things what telling your story. I will capture all world around the baby (your smile, your hair, his little fingers in it, favourite thing to play for your baby - your neckless...)

Baby Luka

Kids grow up and have own interests, love to spend their time playing soccer, colouring, making sand castles and all other exciting things. What do your family love to do together? What do you want to remember from this year?

Lifestyle session at home: Baking

Do you want to have classical portrait of all family together? I will do it at start of our session and then we will go and have fun, do all these things what you and kids love to do, document all these happy moments, emotions, feeling and connections between you in our 1-2 hours time together. I will try to capture these live moments, trying to get individual characters of each member of your family and you all together and you will help me with this. We can do outdoor session if you love to be in the park/ beach or I can come to your place and document all these treasured for you moments what you do around the house (reading books, playing play-dooh, colouring, playing games, maybe even bath or settling and sleeping time, anything what you want to remember).

Knott family in Auckland Domain

4. I hope I showed you what it means for me to do a lifestyle photography with capturing for you such special events or everyday moments (whats actually unique and special in their own way and never will be repeated again), how important for me the emotions and connection, how I treasure and love each single moment and every person on my sessions, how I want to help to tell your story through the art of photography.

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

I would love to have a chat with you!

Creativity Exercise | Auckland NZ Lifestyle family photographer

Its time for our new creativity exercise! This time we will shoot at one location, choose one subject and try to incorporate it in surrounding environment.

So make camera ready and try to shoot 5-10 shots in the same location with the same subject/subjects and try to create at least 5 different frames (angles, perspective, close or far shot, you can even use different lens for get different feeling (wide angle, portrait or tele etc.).

You can make this creativity exercise in one go or try a couple of times to get effect what you want.

For example, I shoot my daughter in the car early morning when we been in Mainly Music session, i took one shot

Then when we been back I seen her playing in the car and did series of shots to show how she love to sit in the car and play in it. Here is few more shot from different angles, perspective, points of view. Enjoy it and hope your will do your set of pictures with your kids.

Its a treasured moments, so its good to remember what they loved to do when they been so little :)

My pictures is not ideal, but they show the moment for me and really personal!

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