Settlers County Manor {Waimauku - West Auckland wedding photographer} Megan & Carlo

Im so excited to share with you beautiful gallery - Settler County Manor {Waimauku - West Auckland} wedding, where I had a honour as a photographer to document all special moments for Megan & Carlo celebrated their wedding day with close friends and family. This is truly incredible chapter, as this wonderful event happened just before the lockdown when New Zealand put restrictions on travel, weddings etc. SO its really strange to see how we moved through this day smoothly without knowing what coming ahead.

It was a great day that started at getting ready moments in Te Atatu and Huapai, wedding ceremony and reception at Settlers County Manor and sneak out for quick photos to Riverhead Forest.

We spent some time with couple just few days before their wedding {couple fly all the way over from Australia}, it was such amazing pre-wedding session!

Couple shared their story: “We met at a high school social dance (we went to an all boys & all girls school and our schools were brother/sister schools). We were friends first and then lost contact. Megan moved to Sydney & Carlo one day reached out to reconnect. From there a long-distance relationship started before Carlo moved to Sydney. We have been together almost 10 years.” The proposal: “Carlo booked a fancy steakhouse restaurant under the pretense of an early anniversary celebration. He ended up getting nervous and wasn't going to propose, but luckily for him the waiter broke the ice by ruining the surprise! (When Carlo had made the booking he had selected the option of celebrating an engagement. The waitress was serving dessert and said "I hear you are celebrating an engagement" before he had actually popped the question!)”. Such a romantic story!

Enjoy highlights of this beautiful people wedding in our photo gallery!

Great Creative Team:

Wedding planner: Koko (K Inspire Events); Suit: Woolcott St; Makeup: Kate Solley Makeup; Hair: Huong Phan (Tousle); Celebrant: Matt Gould; DJ: Bo Marcelo; MC: Paula Bituin-Pita & Allan Pita; videographers - Jet (Jetmo Films) and your Auckland wedding photographers - L & L {Levien & Lens photography}.

Contact us with any questions!

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Best of 2018 | 2019 - family-kids personal photos {Auckland wedding engagement photographer}

BEST OF 2018/2019 {AUCKLAND FAMILY-NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHER | NEW ZEALAND WEDDING-ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHERS}

This season pass so quickly, one of the best so far! . I mostly benn shooting in Auckland {family-newborn photographer} and travel around New Zealand and beyond {to Pacific Islands, Germany, and Bali as wedding engagement photographers with my husband Matt - associate}. i would love to share with you best family, newborn photos as I already shared top wedding-engagement photos of the season.

As a photographer and mum I treasure all these special moments that fly by so fast! Enjoy highlights of this season in the gallery.

Contact me with any questions!

P.S.: Im so excited about my upcoming workshop “Love, Light & Laughter” at Click Photo School. It’s going to be amazing 4 weeks full of learning, inspiration, new friendships and personal feedback and growth. I would love to have you join!

{Contact me with any questions!}

Omaha Beach backyard wedding {New Zealand weddings photography}

Im so excited to capture beautiful, emotional and real moments in any location, not only in Auckland. This time Sybille & Aadil celebrated their special moments at Omaha Beach and had a backyard wedding at their parents property with stunning views to the rocks and ocean.

Informal mingling right after the ceremony and walking on the beach, reception at the marque, so many beautiful memories. Couple come all the way over from UK to New Zealand to celebrate these moments.

Enjoy this wedding highlights!

Junebug Weddings - Top 10 New Zealand wedding photographers {Auckland photographer}

Im so excited to announce: we {L & L} just been listed on Junebug Weddings in Top 10 New Zealand wedding photographers directory. Its such a great honour for me, Auckland wedding photographer to be featured in the row of such amazingly talented photographers from all around New Zealand.

It is not an easy task to make it through to this top 10 photographers as they are strictly evaluating the work, portfolio, other vendors recommendations and feedback from other wedding photographers. Just couple of years ago I can't even dream about making this list and now I just been contacted by Junebug Weddings to be listed in their stunning directory. It is a great honour and such a spark of positive emotions today!

Check out our listing and contact me with any questions!

West Auckland - Cassels: Kim and Nathaniel {New Zealand wedding photographers}

We spent amazing time in West Auckland at Cassels where Kim & Nathaniel celebrated their special day with their friends and family. We as New Zealand wedding photographers been so excited to capture candid, natural and emotional moments, with a documentary approach.

Matt, my associate photographer, together with Melissa did a fantastic job with photographing this beautiful wedding in such challenging rainy conditions, but even rain can't stand on the way of warm and cosy celebration in Cassels with a photo shoot at Bethells Beach.

The couple shared their love story: "We've been together 4 and a half years, we met online although we've since come across many times our paths must've crossed before we met. We work together in our own business so spend most of our time together - we're a real team". The proposal was: "On the shores of Lake Wakatipu (Queenstown) - I knew it was coming, but he managed to catch me off guard with when he did it".

Great Creative Team:

Dress - Churchwood Bridal 
Bridesmaids - KILT
Suits - Barkers
Mens shoes - Rodd & Gunn
Make Up/Hair - Lipstick and Co
Flowers - Pineapple Sage
Celebrant - Ursula Rajkumar
Photographers - Matt at Levien & Lens Photography - Auckland based photographer, and thank you Melissa for great work!

Enjoy this video slideshow and photo gallery highlights!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Auckland City - Sails wedding: Ellie and Craig {New Zealand weddings photographers} Hilton

Congratulations to Mrs & Mr Leonard! Another amazing wedding is up in our Blog:
Ellie & Craig celebrated their special day in   St Patrick's Cathedral, Auckland and Sails Restaurant {Westhaven} with their close friends and families. Such a great romantic, fun and cosy atmosphere!
Great Creative Team:

Getting ready - Hilton Hotel
Dress - CocoMelody Flowers - Blossom Wedding Flowers, 
Suit - Marc New York Rings - Seventy six design
Band: Whitewash
Hair and Make up:  Alison Brewer Hair and Makeup Artist and Dry and Tea
MC - Matty Sheehan
and Olga & Matt - Levien & Lens Photography - Auckland wedding photographers

Couple shared their love story, Ellie: "Craig and I meet at the gym, 7 years ago.. He was my personal trainer for about a year and I thought he was a good looking man! Lol.. He dumped me as a client and we started dating.. To this day, we still can't train together as either of us don't like been told what to do!" The proposal was "kinda mutual decision! We discussed it, and thought; heck we have been together for this long... Might as well get married!"

Enjoy this video slideshow and highlights in the gallery!

Contact us with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Auckland weddings Real Wedding publication - Tayvia and Kyle {New Zealand documentary photographer} The Hunting Lodge

So honoured to share with you recent Real Wedding publication in Auckland weddings "Tayvia & Kyle". This wedding was just amazing with a rainy, rustic and elegant atmosphere in The Hunting Lodge {Kumeu}, Woodhill Forest and Muriwai Beach. Rain can't stop the beautiful and emotional celebration with close friends and families.

So beautiful romantic and moody atmosphere! 

Enjoy Auckland Weddings publication representing Real Weddings from all over New Zealand from top wedding photographers in the country. I am so thrilled to be in this row of such talented photographers! Have a look at our Blog for more photos and video slideshow from couple's special day!

Tayvia & Kyle

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

MORE PUBLICATIONS | AWARDS

Best of 2017 | New Zealand Wedding photography {Auckland weddings-elopement photographers} Happy New Year

Its hard to believe one year pass so fast from the first wedding in January in Villa Maria {Auckland} to recent one at the end of December 2017 in The Moose Lodge {Rotorua, NZ}. We, Auckland based wedding photographers, travelled for weddings all around New Zealand {from Kerikeri and Russel to Queenstown and Wanaka through the Wellington} to capture real - romantic - candid documentary wedding photography, met awesome people and saw great stories happening unfold. Each wedding had an own unique atmosphere as each couple, their families and friends, and fantastic venues - locations that couple thoughtfully chose to celebrate their special day. These wedding locations | venues honestly speaks to their personalities and represent their love story.

This year brought us a lot of positive emotions, great adventures and even around ten international awards! But your warm words, what our couples | friends said about us and our work just the best! It makes us feel we on the right track, on the top of the things even if sometimes it's hard to do. We love what we do and glad you too!

Thank you so much, my amazing couples | friends for a great time together! Congratulations on your weddings and engagements! Can't wait to see what 2018 will bring, what adventures and travels we will have! I'm so grateful to meet such amazing people on my way!

We wish you to have a warm holidays and a Happy New Year! Let all your wish come true!

Enjoy these highlights - Best of 2017 in the gallery:

New Zealand elopement | Auckland wedding photographer

couple standing on the rocks - NZ beach wild freedom nature with stunning landscapes

Good Bye 2017, Excited to see what 2018 will bring!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

{ENTER OUR GIVE-A-WAY!}

The Hunting Lodge - Muriwai Beach - Kumeu wedding - HU's Art Farm {Weddings photographers in West Auckland, New Zealand} Tayvia and Kyle

As a wedding photographer, I'm so lucky to meet awesome couples and capture so special for them moments on weddings in beautiful venues around New Zealand and beyond. This time I'm presenting you a highlights form amazing Tayvia & Kyle's wedding in The Hunting Lodge and HU's Art Farm, so beautiful venue in West Auckland, Kumeu. 

Even raining weather can't stand in the way of emotional celebration. We walk in the rain on couples special session at Muriwai Beach and Woodhill Forest. Such a great memories!

The couple shared their love story: "We met on a snowboarding trip with our families in 2013". How was proposed: "we went down to a wharf near where I live, and he popped the question in the pitch black haha".

Enjoy these video slideshow and highlights in the gallery:

Venues: HU's Art Farm, The Hunting Lodge Winery

Wedding Dress: custom made by a family friend, Marata.

Makeup: done by bridesmaid Hannah.

Celebrant: Robin Stolph

Hair: Hair by Hannah

and your photographers - Olga & Matt at Levien & Lens photography {L & L} - West Auckland, Kumeu, Matakana wedding photographers

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Publications | Awards {Auckland, New Zealand wedding photographers}

It's hard to stay up to date with all our international publications and awards. If you would like to stay on track and watch our photographs get published and awarded in Auckland, New Zealand and all around the world, then have a look at the page that we as wedding photographers created on our site. It's so easy now to see in one place all featured in international blogs and magazines, top publishers and more. We created this for our awesome couples knowing that their photos go live all around the world.

Recent news that we received just this week:

- photo with Fiona & Silas {wedding in Tawharanui Lodge, Auckland} got an award at Wedding Photographer Society November'17

- And our photo from a trip up North to shoot Leanne & Tim wedding in Totara North {near Kerikeri, New Zealand} made it in "36 Hear-warming photos of people enjoying being together" on ClickinMoms Blog. I love this community of inspiring modern women-photographers.

Have a peek and get inspired by all this fantastic work. It is such a pleasure to be in the row with such talented photographers.

P.S: did we even mentioned we made in the Top 20 Wedding photographers in the world in recent Blog publication too. Such an honour and a big call to keep going and deliver breathtaking images.

Stay on track and let us know if you have any questions!

{BOOK YOUR SESSION}

Markovina Vineyard Estate {Auckland-Kumeu wedding photographers} Michelle and Shane - winter weddings

Michelle & Shane

Excited to share with you highlights of Michelle & Shane's wedding in Markovina Vineyard Estate {Kumeu, Auckland, NZ}, where me and Matt had a honour to enjoy this fun and romantic atmosphere and been an official wedding photographers on the day. Thank you so much to lovely couple for sharing so special moments, we been happy to document everything happening around unfold: emotions, candid moments and relax vibe with cosy atmosphere.

Couple met 4 years ago through mutual friends {Zowie and Michael both in wedding party}. They shared romantic story: "We met through the Brides best friend Zowie. Her husband Mike worked with Shane and for about 6 months both Zowie and Mike were trying to set up a blind date between Michelle and Shane. Finally the date happened, and there was an instant connection made. Proposal 2.5 years later, with a gorgeous view, on the deck of the house we purchased earlier that year, Shane proposed on Michelle's birthday"

This winter wedding morning started for us at Lichfields and Vineyard Cottages with bride and groom getting ready, first look with lots of emotional moments and then amazing ceremony and reception in Markovina Vineyard Estate {warm and cosy wedding venue}.

Enjoy these video slideshow highlights and gallery with our favourite images!

Great creative team:
Dress: Parkland Bridal Sarah Vincent
Bridesmaids dresses: Pagani
Flowers: Kauri creek gardens
Jewelry: Michael Hill
Make up/Hair: Lexia Dyer makeup and hair
Celebrant: Lee Weir - Marriage Celebrant
DJ: Karl Rooney
Wedding singers: McCaskill & Brown
and Levien & Lens Photography - New Zealand & International wedding photographers {thanks to Matt for great support, creative ideas and amazing assistance on the day}

Contact us with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Trish Peng Christmas Bridal High Tea - Sofitel Viaduct Hotel {Auckland wedding photographer}

it was a great pleasure took part second time in amazing event organised by talented wedding dresses designer Trish Peng and Co. - Bridal High Tea in Sofitel Viaduct Hotel, which took place just before the Christmas. Brides with their grooms, friends and families had a chance to visit great venue with beautiful atmosphere, try wedding dress on, or suits for men, mingle around and   get help and advice about their weddings planning, ideas and inspiration from different wedding vendors: photographer, event planner, flowers etc., get make-up and hair done as well and much more!

Great creative team:

HareandHatter Grandeur Events Tomuri & Co. Flowers Levien & Lens Photography Jetmo Project Mildred&Co Wedding Travel OnepureMaraca MIX it DJ New Zealand Weddings Working Style Select Management Sweet Bites Cakes North Shore School of Dance Grayson Coutts Makeup Artistry

Enjoy this atmosphere through the photographs what I took around on the day between having a chat with beautiful brides to be and their grooms, friends and families. Such a great memories!

Im really excited about their upcoming weddings and look forward to document so special for them moments!

Contact me with any questions!

What its takes to be a Second Photographer for weddings {New Zealand wedding photographers} Photography Tips

Few people recently asked me about second photographer-shooter opportunities in my New Zealand wedding photography business. Also they asked about what Im expecting from second shooter, what areas to learn, practice, improve etc. So I decided to put together all thoughts and tips to help others :) Im always happy to help!

I have my husband shooting with me and all what I need from him - keep his eyes open for moments to happen, anything what catching his eyes, what I can't see when Im shooting in different spot, wedding location. I think its not so easy to find right second shooter (for example, some people great with shooting details, another one - moments, someone can be good with posing, capture emotions, be creative, so you really need to have a little bit of everything in your work, not miss any important for bride and groom moments. So you really need to look through second shooter's portfolio and see what his best sides and if its fits your style. You also need the person who can be creative around and capture some stuff with really interesting angle or perspective. Most of my galleries 80-90 % my shots and around 10-20% second shooter ones {time to time its can varies depends on amount of events, light, creativity). Also factor a personality, you need fell comfortable with this person and same bride and groom - its your brand and your face - so its really important your second shooter been a great people person, who make everyone feel relaxed and also watching you and helping you every time when you need even without asking. I even not mentioning the ability not be on the way, not jump in your frame and not shoot over your shoulder, ha-ha!

So we looked to second photographer question from main photographer perspective. If we sum its all up for second shooters, here some tips:

1. Capture moments, emotions, peoples in situation {guests laughing, parents crying, kids playing around, old people talking etc.). You can practice this ability by doing lifestyle photography, shoot on the streets, your kids, events etc. I been practicing constantly with capturing my family everyday moments in 365 Project and its helps a lot as you learn to capture fast changes situation.

2. Try to be creative, shoot from different angles and perspectives, think outside the box. Main shooter busy with organising the process and taking everything under control. You have a chance walk around, se situations, details, things happening.

3. Stay away from main photographer's frame, not shoot over the shoulder :) 

4. Try to help with any duties from holding the light, carry bag, bringing glass of water to anything else what been asked beforehand {I'm not saying you always should do it, but just try to make main photographer life easier :). 

5. You can talk through the timeline and photographer's and couple's expectation beforehand, any important list of shots what they required and other information what you should know to prepare yourself to the wedding.

6. Prepare your equipment (charge the batteries, have plenty of cards, backup camera, different angle lenses). Often you need to shoot with different type on lens in the same spot and also have variety with main shooter (for example main shooter shooting with 85 mm you can use 35 mm or 24 mm; and opposite - main photographer at 200 mm, you will use 35, 50 mm etc for give different look and capture environment).

7. Synchronise the time in cameras before make any shots (its will really help in post processing so pictures will be flawless in the gallery). Of course main photographer can change time capture in all your shots in Lightroom but it will take his time to work out these details and spend more time on editing images.

8. Contract - its really important to understand the conditions of this job and especially moments as how you hang images to main photographer, do you have the rights to use images for your portfolio (and if so can you do it right away or need to wait for 3-6 months as contract conditions). When you going to be paid (beforehand or after pass the images). Its really important as I met a lot of situations when wedding photographers had conflicts between each others about not been paid, or second shooter been using images without the permission and couple etc. Please talk and look through all these details for not be upset after work done.

9. Dress proper (maybe its sounds strange but you represent main photographer brand and style so better to find out what to dress, as you doing a wedding shoot where everyone around will be dress appropriate. I even heard on one of the wedding how groom been joking about photographer that its underdressed person in the room, hope you not will be this person}, but of course clothes need be comfortable so you can lay on the ground, climb up if you need etc. Of course some weddings more casual (as rustic farm, outdoor, beach weddings), but we still need dress smart (black and grey colours always works!).

10. Be a people person - its all about positive experience for couple, not just amazing photographs, and this first point sometimes much more important then second, as its how people remember you. Talk, jock, help peoples, be reasonable and sensitive with empathy and ability to understand situation and emotions.

11. Think ahead, pre-view the moment happening (couple go back to the aisle, entering reception, bride's mum ready to cry etc.) and be ready to find the right spot to capture it without disturbing the moment. Keep your eyes open and learn from your mistake, its a big learning curve and after each wedding we analysing and looking forward what we can improve. You can always check with main shooter if he have any recommendations, but Im sure you know yourself what you can be proud of and what did you missed :)

Good luck with this exciting position! Its great to have fun on second shooting and also take your own main weddings (funny enough I started not traditional way and right jump into shooting my own wedding with right attitude and confidence, but I also did a few weddings as second shooter so know exactly how its feels). Its great to team up with other photographers and be in the great community and be ready to help each other as you never know when you may need some help. There a lot of local Facebook groups for wedding photographers, we also trying to catch up as often as we can. 

Here just one of the pics what I took as second photographer shooting wedding caremony in Ataahua garden venue, Tauranga, New Zealand.

Contact me with any questions!

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!

Best wedding photos of the season {Auckland - New Zealand lifestyle couples photographer}

I love to look back and pick the best photos from each wedding what I captured around New Zealand {mostly in Auckland :)} during this busy season. All these lifestyle moments, couple's connection, emotions: both laughing and crying, candids and details.

Its so special and so magical, Im as a wedding photographer can observe, capture, be creative and tell the story of the wedding day, show moments which couple maybe even not noticed at this hectic day and those what will be treasured forever,

Wedding photography such a special thing! I so in love in this genre, so much emotions, unexpected moments, challenges through the magical day. Its truly magic to capture one in a life event. You will have only your husband and photographs wake up next morning :)

Thats love!

Enjoy this video and gallery with my favourite - best photographs from 2015 | 2016 Wedding Season {which runs from September till end of May for me, of course I have some winter weddings to capture, but most busy time gone, so I have a moment to reflect and enjoy, breath in :) }

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Church Of The Holy Sepulchre - Bastion Point {Auckland NZ lifestyle wedding-engagement photographer}

What a great wedding I been capture in Church Of The Holy Sepulchre {Auckland}, Bastion Point and Malaeola Community Centre! Full of fun, love, traditions and positive emotional lifestyle moments :)

Ngawaiata & Sefo celebrated their special day with big bridal party (10 bridesmaids and 10 groomsmen!!!), family and friends. Couple have known each other since primary school, Ngawaiata said: "We have known each other all our lives! :)" Thats so romantic to be married on the person who been with you all the life, just unbelievable, what a great love and connection! 

It was a great pleasure to capture for couple all special moments with a lot of traditions and cultural performances during the reception. Wedding Day started from bride and groom getting ready, through the ceremony in beautiful church in City centre {Grafton, Auckland} and then at reception with over 400 guests!!! I love how maori and pacific traditions met each other on this special for couple day!

Happy future together!

Great Creative Team:
Dress - Bella Bridal, Suit - Frank Casey
Flowers - Manukau Florist
Make up - GlamBangerz Makeup , Hair- Helen Masoe Hair/Makeup & Lash extensions
Celebrant - Venerable Lloyd Popata
MC- Patrick Tobin Sione Fotofili, DJ - Peliki Talanoa
Band - Anuanua Dance Troupe - Cook Island Entertainment
and Levien & Lens Photography - Auckland-Hamilton wedding lifestyle photographers. Thank you Matt for being a great second photographer on the day!

Enjoy this video and gallery!

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}