Featured Flower Vendor | Auckland-Hamilton Wedding Photographer

Wedding planning is not an easy thing to do and can be really overwhelming. My brides often asked me about videography, wedding celebrants, flowers and other wedding services and suppliers for their special day. I am happy to help as much as I can.

Thats why I decided to do featured blog posts and give information about some wedding suppliers that I meet at the Wedding Show in Skycity and also who I often work with and can recommend. 

Meet in our Blog today amazing wedding flower business running by Andrea, warm, fun and creative person. When we started talking at the show (her stand with beautiful flowers just catch me) and found out we from the same city (Hamilton, just around the corner from each other) and have a lot common we just can't stop talking and I really enjoyed our following meeting after the show.

So here we go:

"Forever Flowers by Andrea creates unique, artificial flower arrangements for your wedding day.  Our creations are affordable, timeless and tailored to your requirements.  We guarantee quality, professional workmanship and attention to detail.

Forever Flowers by Andrea make bridal bouquets, bridesmaids bouquets, buttonholes, shoulder corsages, wrist corsages, flower girl bouquets, flower girl wands, flower girl baskets, table centrepieces and so much more!"

Please contact Andrea with any questions:

Address:
Forever Flowers by Andrea
Te Rapa, Hamilton

Telephone:
0211086723

Follow this business on Facebook

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Featured Costal New Zealand post-wedding session | Auckland | Hamilton Wedding Photographer | The Westchester Wedding Planner

Its a big honour to be featured in social media, especially in wedding categories. My recent post-wedding photo shoot with Daria & Dmitry been featured in The Westchester Wedding Planner.

Guys just a stunning couple! It was amazing experience to capture their wedding in Russian Orthodox Church in Auckland and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron at the waterfront. It was full of fun and romantic moments, natural emotions, candid shots traditional wedding. What a great memories!

Daria & Dmitry just love wild New Zealand nature. Thats why we decided to organise a post-wedding session on beautiful Kariotahi beach (Waiuku, Auckland). Pictures turned just amazing, and blow me away :)

This couples session been featured already in few reputable publishers and Im really appreciate all these attention to my work.

Thank you guys! Love our time together!

Enjoy their featured gallery!

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www.instagram.com/olgalevien

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

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

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

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

Daria & Dmitry

Bridesmaids

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

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

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

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

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

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!

 

    My 365 Project | October | Auckland-Hamilton Lifestyle Photographer

    October is a month what comes after a really busy September (with moving house, a lot of shootings, wedding show etc.). So this time I had an opportunity a little bit  relax (chillax as my husband says :) and just concentrate on lifestyle everyday moments.

    I had a few exciting photo shoots with my clients / friends which Im really proud of and also get some news about my last post-wedding photo-shoot which will be published in few wedding publishers.  Its always great to see when your work goes live!

    So here is my monthly gallery. Enjoy it!

    Contact me with any questions!

     

    21st Birthday Party-Morrinsville Lifestyle event photographer

    I was so thrilled to be invited to capture Lisa's 21st Birthday Party at her parents farm near Morrinsville last weekend. 

    What a great family, atmosphere, amazing guests and incredible surroundings.

    Lisa is a fun loving girl, talented singer and song writer as her sister Anna Hawkins. What an amazing family. Lisa's parents are such a happy couple, celebrated 30 years together this year. So many big dates!

    We start our photo shoot with taking some portraits for Lisa around her family house to have good memories about her birthday. Then was time for happy family pictures with a lot of fun and laughter. Guests start arriving and I just surfed around and captured candid natural moments with party flow. I just love to capture lifestyle moments and all these raw emotions - smiling and crying (believe me there was some at the speeches, what important and emotional moments!), fun and joy. Thats my style!

    It was a real pleasure to meet all Lisa, her family and guests - friends and relatives. Some of these friendships for a very long time, through the years, I heard just amazing stories during the evening. What open and generous people!

    I just loved every single moment of this event.

    Hope you enjoy this gallery, pictures turned out just amazing!

    Contact me with any questions!

    {BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

    Okahu Bay One year birthday family session {Auckland-Hamilton lifestyle photographer}

    What a great pleasure to see how little ones grow up and capture the most important moments of their life.

    I had a special session last weekend at Okahu Bay, Auckland with Lena, Vanya and their gorgeous little one Max. Need to say its our third session together (fourth if counting a baby shower event :) and we became really good friends. Lena's baby shower and maternity session been not a long time ago, then I been doing newborn photo shoot for Max and now see who has become a really big boy and can walk all by himself? Max!

    Here is just couple of shots from our past sessions, such great memories:

    It was really enjoyable moments to document all these stages and now do a lifestyle session for my friends. No any pressure, just follow guys on the playground with making smiles swing, to the beach where Max really loved to watch the waves and play with shells, have a picnic in the park by the beach and also lucky enough to get opportunity to touch an old cars what been nearby.

    What a beautiful day!

    Self-Portrait Genre | Auckland-Waikato NZ photographer

    We as photographers are so used to being behind the camera and document others people's everyday life and special moments, so its a really hard task for us to be in front of the lens, and being captured in frame.

    Im doing 365 project, which allow me to shoot every day and get my families lifestyle pictures, my kids, life around and include a clients sessions as well. But sometimes you just run out of theme, with no inspiration. At this moment can be great to try a new views, angles, genre, detailed shots, different lenses or come to self portraiture.

    Its really not so easy. Because no one directs you and tells you what to do. Its all totally up to you and your idea how you want to see yourself, with some idea behind it. Also its not so easy to get exact focus (need to practice couple of times), good body language, everything what you need in or out of frame, ha-ha! and you need to take a lot of shots to get what you need.

    Does it sounds like fun? could be, ha-ha! 

    There always some idea behind the self-portrait. What we want to show, what its mean for us. Do we want do direct gaze, or keep anonymity, do we want a classical portrait or to show some lifestyle moment from our life. What the story behind it?

    Last time I took this self-portrait:

    self portrait

    Story behind: Im a lifestyle photographer and a mum of two really active toddlers. So cup of tea its a special time: time for rest and relax (if no one call: Mummy!!! :) ) Also its time to think about day plans, photography business, client enquiries etc. Thats how I roll :)

    Its not a perfect picture but its mine, and Im already a winner because I went in front of the camera and tried it myself.

    Next step - try to capture my kids with me in the frame. Im not sure if I have any of these portraits at last months...

    Hope you all will try some new experience for you! Enjoy it!

    Talk to you soon!

    Contact me with any questions!

    {BOOK YOUR SESSION}

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    Kariotahi Beach Castaways | Auckland wedding photographer

    What an amazing post wedding session I had with my wedding clients at Kariotahi beach near Castaways (Waiuku, Auckland).

    This couple is just amazing, they were married just two weeks ago and I had the honour to take their pictures at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Russian Orthodox Church, Auckland. You can check their wedding gallery and look at their amazing video.

    Weather was really good for us: it was rainy just couple a minutes before the session, but when couple arrived to the beach the sun come out. What a lucky day! :)

    We had a lot of fun and positive emotions, enjoyed beauty of the wild west coast nature, hills, rocks, sand, ocean. It was really windy on the top of the hill, but it made a special atmosphere for pictures. 

    Later we moved down to the ocean just before the sunset, when sky was so beautiful. It was really important to walk in the water and feel all power of the nature. Need to mentioned I been walking with 2 cameras, light stand with flash holding in one hand and taking picture with another one (at some point big wave come to us and we had feeling like we in the middle of the ocean, it was really tricky to move back to the safe place, waves been really powerful). 

    Lucky all goes good way and we even manage to catch last light laying on the sand near the water. Good wedding been in the past, so we no need be worries about wedding dress cleanness or good condition for groom's suit, so we had a lot of fun, and can make its all dirty for our shots :)

    We need change of clothes afterwards and hot cup of tea to unfreeze, but it was totally worth it, so much positive emotions and such stunning pictures!

    Enjoy this gallery!

    Talk to you soon!

    Contact me with any questions!

    {BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

    WHISK & SPOON | Guest in the Blog | Auckland-Hamilton wedding photographer

    Im happy to introduce you new guest in our blog: WHISK & SPOON, amazing Cake company, what we met on the Grand Wedding Show couple of weeks ago. I would like to help all our brides & grooms and families to find the best suppliers for your special event and help other wedding vendors to meet you.

    Choosing the wedding cake one of the most excited part of wedding planning (after choosing your venue and photographer, of course ;) )

    So please feel free to surf through their pages and contact for book something special for you:

    WHISK & SPOON - Cakes for Celebrations

    Whisk & Spoon Cake

    Whisk & Spoon Cake

    We are a North Shore based, make-to-order Cake Company specialising in Naked, Semi-Naked and Iced (non fondant) cakes for Weddings and Celebrations. We produce signature designs along with one-off creations, and handcraft our popular meringue kisses and small bonbonnerie for favours and gifts. Our cakes are so amazing, people will talk about them for days! You will have a wonderful looking centrepiece for your celebration, a cake that tastes incredible and looks unique, baked with fresh ingredients to order and delivered to your home or venue! Save your precious time and avoid the stress - The sweetest gift of all !

    whisk@whiskandspoon.co.nz
    www.whiskandspoon.co.nz
    www.facebook.co.nz/whiskspoon

     

    Contact me with any questions!

    {BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

    World around us | Auckland lifestyle photographer

    What can take your attention and make you remember and capture the moment? Is it something really special, happening once a life, is it beauty of everyday moments or something else.

    Im really enjoying to see the world around us from new perspective, especially during 365 project, what makes me wonder what else around what I not see, not noticed, but what deserve to be captured. Its my everyday moments, kids, lifestyle shots and some new pictures what I feel like to take.

    Im happy to show you just a one day of world around me. Luckily I spend this day with kids in Hamilton Gardens - beautiful place, a must see. I even don't know how I manage to take a pictures with my active little ones, but thats the life. Happy to share with you these moments:

    And one more in black and white conversation:

    Contact me with any questions!

    {BOOK YOUR SESSION}

    My 365 Project | September | Auckland Lifestyle photographer

    It's time to share with you my monthly post with pictures from personal 365 project. Every month is different and brings lot of new events, emotions, fun and real life moments.

    It was a busy month for me with personal and business changes: we moved from Auckland to Hamilton with family (kids just love outside area in new house, plenty of space to play), but it was an exhausting move (everyone who moved house can understand all these packing-unpacking and cleaning stuff ;)

    Also there was a lot work with organise photo sessions, big wedding shoot (just love this atmosphere) and the main event for me at the end of the month Grand Wedding Show. It was really enjoyable to see all lovely brides & grooms and their families and support team, talk with other vendors and show my stall; how I feel my photography and style. Truly it was hard to turn head around set it up, we till last moment been not sure on the details. But I been really happy with results at the end. Thank you so much to my husband for help with set everything up and to my friend / photographer Sonja for helping me on the day. I really appreciate this great help, I just can't do it all by myself (no matter how strong I am, ha-ha :)

    Another news - our pictures been published in New Zealand Weddings Magazine, so exciting! Its a big honour and enjoyable moments to see pictures goes live :)

    I also got a new photography toy - a Lensbaby Sweet 35, and just love it! I started practicing with it in my daily life and took  pictures with manual focusing, not easy, but results totally worth it! I always try to learn something new in photography, practice, progress. Its a whole world around and my study never stops :)

    So here it goes - my everyday lifestyle moments with kids, clients sessions and more, enjoy it!

    Contact me with any questions!

    Wedding Photography Giveaway Winner | Auckland | Hamilton Lifestyle wedding photographer

    Thank you so much everyone for coming to the Grand Wedding Show and viewing my lifestyle wedding photography stall, LEVIEN & LENS PHOTOGRAPHY.

    We have a special surprise for our guests who entered the draw to win a FREE wedding photography experience for up to 6 hours!

    I am delighted to announce the winner - Ailsa Reilly. Congratulations!

    But there's more good news for all who visited our stand….

    We are offering 20% OFF any wedding package to our participants which includes a free engagement shoot! I am committed to making your wedding day the best day you could ever ask for, so the couples' session/engagement shoot will help me get to know you better so you feel as comfortable and relaxed as possible in front of the camera on your wedding day so we can capture your true emotions of joy and love, without the nerves!

    Please feel free contact me with any questions and tell me more about your wedding day! I can't wait to hear from you!

    * if winner is not reachable during 7 day | date is not available | or any other reason for cancellation, prize will go in a draw again

    {BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

    Engagement-Couples Photo Shoot | Auckland wedding photographer

    Engagement and couples photography is one of the special genre of portrait photography with mix of lifestyle moments.

    Its all about showing the connection, emotions and relationships. Sounds easy, but its not :) Of course some couples easy going, not shy at all to show to all world about their love. But what I found, a lot times successful photo shoots could be archived only when you pay attention to details, ask questions, understand couples character, interests, what they love to do together and apply this knowledge to create a perfect relax atmosphere at photo session. Its really short time, just 1-2 hours, which we need to use to create a little love story, from moments of starting love to really tender and strong feelings.

    We can talk (and I love to talk a lot, ha-ha), make a jokes, dance, play around, have posed and unposed moments.

    What helps a lot is a find real moments, leave couple along for some time and just watch their quiet moments, which show a lot how they connect to each other, how they speak and relax.

    Everyone loves to have down time :)

    Also good use of space (shooting in all possible points - shade, open sun, sampled light etc.), and different angles (shoot from the top, eye level, down, side, back, close, far etc.) helps to create unique images and gives more opportunities to make variety of shots what best suits this couple.

    I love to hear all these special love stories, how you meet each other, who doing cooking, who is bossy etc. Ha-ha! Sometimes answers vary, but it always helps me to full in love with the couple and even become good friends, then we meet again at exciting special wedding day.

    If you have the opportunity to have an engagement shoot before the wedding with your photographer, its helps a lot on your wedding day, believe me. Its makes it all more relaxable, enjoyable and everyone knows how we all roll :)

    I also found couple in long relationships really treasure our sessions, its like special psychology session for renew / refresh their relationship. Im so happy to help with it.

    Have a look at my last engagement | couples sessions. I just love all these moments:

    Contact me with any questions!

    {BOOK YOUR WEDDING}


    Pirate and Princess Birthday Party | Event | Lifestyle photographer Auckland-Hamilton

    What a great Pirate and Princess birthday party I visited yesterday and captured some photos.

    Kids had so much fun with treasure hunt, real pirate ship, nursery from Peter Pan story, had pillow fight on the trampoline and much more. 
    Tyler turned 4 years old, what a big boy, what proud parents! They did a great job with organising a real fairy tale - Neverland at their place! So beautiful decorations, nice snacks for kids and their parents and great entertaining!

    Even rain not changed any plans, just made more fun moments for kids (with lightning and thunder). Who else want to have same full of different events party?

    Kids been so happy to be at this magic environment!
    Here is a gallery, pictures turned just amazing!

    Contact me with any questions!

    {BOOK YOUR EVENT}

    Everyday lifestyle moments | 365 personal project

    We decided to put together some of our lifestyle moments captured during last few days, which not been posted yet. 

    Its just usual everyday moments, but Im sure they will be treasured when we look back in few years (or maybe even few months time) and remember all these little details with children :)

    Im not just a photographer but also a Mum of too little ones who made my life really full of different events, surprises coming every minute, and its not just positive ones, ha-ha :)

    Kids - kids - kids :)

    Contact info@levienphotography.com

    Still life | Photography Genre {Auckland-Hamilton NZ photographer}

    As the saying beauty in details, everyday moments of our life. We often look at portraits, trying capture emotions, mood, connection, move. But something else around us, something what we not notice too much, especially when we in rush or busy with other questions.

    Its all world around waiting when you put attention on it and see the details.

    Its a still life! So beautiful and mysterious at the same moment. Its all about beauty in simplicity, light, details and moment.

    You just need to look with attention and wait when some moments just speaks to you and make your heart to sing!

    Thats my moments, have a look at these pictures (During my 365 Project I find out that shooting a still life or other photography genres feels really refreshing and inspiring). This gallery from this afternoon shooting till past months random moments what speaks to me (you can see here some mix of genres - macro, abstract etc.:

    365 Project

    Contact me with any questions!

    Wedding Show Double Pass Giveaway | Lifestyle wedding photographer Auckland

    We are really excited to share with you this news: you can meet LEVIEN & LENS PHOTOGRAPHY and other wedding suppliers at Wedding Show in Skycity, Auckland 27 September from 9 am till 4 pm. 

    wedding show

    Its a great opportunity to see each other face to face, talk about your wedding day plans and look around for other suppliers for your special day.

    You can also take part in our Wedding Show Double Pass Giveaway!

    Simply visit our Facebook Page before 20 September 2015 (Midnight):

    1. Like our page,

    2. Like Giveaway post. Share the post (optional)

    3. Leave your comment and tag your friend.

    4. See Giveaway results at 21 September 2015.

    Look forward to see you there! 

    Other surprises are coming on the Wedding Show day! Don't miss the opportunity to win some exciting prizes. Details are coming soon!

    Contact me for details

    Wedding Portfolio

    Couples/Engagement Portfolio

    Follow the lines - Creativity Exercise | Photography Tips

    Did you ever put attention to lines on the pictures?

    They draw your attention to the main subject, leading in composition, frame and play a big role in photography.

    You can see a horizontal, vertical or diagonal and also all mix of these types. 

    Creativity exercise today: Follow the lines!

    Try to see different types of lines around, include them in the frame and draw attention to your main subject. Its could be leading lines in composition, horizontal/vertical/diagonal lines of surrounding objects or even body lines, arms etc. Even if you not notice lines too much, they are there. Try to incorporate all other sides of photography: watch the light, colours, composition etc. and have fun with post processing, twist the colours and create a black and white images if its speaks to you!

    Look at couple of shots what I did today for this creativity exercise while my kids played at playground (when else can I find time for everyday shooting and my 365 Project :)

    Contact me with any question!

    Big Changes | Lifestyle wedding photography | North Island, New Zealand

    If you wonder why it was so quiet in our Blog during the week, the answer is simple: we were really busy moving house from Auckland to Hamilton, New Zealand.

    Yes, thats right, we relocated :) Its so exciting! New changes, new hopes, new life! (and a lot of packing, cleaning, unpacking, big task, ha-ha!)

    If you ask me is there any changes for clients / friends, I will answer: absolutely nothing and everything :)

    Aucklands clients still get the same level of service, Hamilton just 1 hour away what sounds like nothing for girl originally from 5-million citizens city St-Petersburg where travel to work could take 1-2.5 hours one way :)

    Its also means wider zone coverage: we service now not just big Auckland area, but also Hamilton and all Waikato area (Thames, Coromandel, Taupo, Otorohanga) and Bay of Plenty as well (Tauranga, Rotorua) and surroundings!

    More opportunities and we love to travel. Destination weddings and lifestyle family sessions are welcome!

    Look forward to all exciting changes!

    Contact me with any questions!

     

    Pinterest Boards | Photography Tips {Auckland-Hamilton photographer}

    If you never heard about Pinterest its time to give it a go! I just love the ability to serf around there, looking for inspiration, create some boards with chosen pictures and links (organised in system) and share with friends.

    Its helps not just to get some inspiration but also helps to feel on the same page with clients/friends. My brides and families often happy to share with me their ideas through the links on Pinterest.

    I also love the ability to see some new fun shots.

    Here my last inspiration board which shows what drive me into photography, what speaks to me a lot and what I like to see more in my work. Here a fast screen shot (which opened a part of my inspiration :)

    Please create your board and share with me! :) Look forward to see it!

    pinterest

    Contact me with any questions!

    {BOOK YOUR SESSION}