Kids Portraits. Photography tips. Auckland family photographer

You want to have your kids portrait, but sometimes its really hard to get it, especially when kids so active and always move around. I have a few tips for you.

1. Catch the moment!

Try catch the moment when they in right place and right time! Its not so easy, but you can do it (just watch them playing and moving around and have your camera ready with fast shutter speed :) And when you see this special moment just made a click :) Better few in continuous mode for be sure you get it right :)

2. Create this special moment

Take kids attention -

smile to them and they smile in answer,

talk to them and take their attention, ask some question - where the bird? and sure they interested look at window or tree and show you the bird,

made silly faces, jokes - made them have fun and laugh.

ask them to make serious face - and you get the most funniest faces ever!

made something interesting for them - flash works good with kids, its a magic for them, so make this magic around and they will be happy repeat this moment, also you can took their attention with mobile phone or computer (and get more light from screen :)!

play with them - made for kids interesting task - jump as high as they could, run as fast as they can, made a secret, choose one person in family and jump in the hug, draw something, made mess (they love it!) etc. I use a lot of games and play moments during photoshoot and its always work well with kids, they just having fun and show their personality :)

3. Look for light - be sure your kids face in good light (without hot spots) and eyes had some catchlights, its looks really good. Half face could be in shade (if light goes from the side like window light) and its made more dramatic look (especially with black and white conversation).

4. Keep kids eyes in focus - be sure your focus right, check on eyes if they clear to see without blur.

5. Play with aperture - you could make blurry background with small aperture, just be sure your kid far from background (otherwise its will be same clear like kids face).

6. Watch the composition! - try get it right, so picture take attention (you could use rule of thirds, repetition, lines moving to subject, colour attention, isolation, using negative space etc. - its a lot of things to count but the main thing - picture just need looks right for you, all in harmony!

7. Just enjoy the process and have fun! Only if you relax kids relaxing and having fun too, be sure you made for them interesting environment and they even not put attention on camera. 

It will be great results!

Pictures atmosphere. What to bring to session? Tips. Auckland photographer

My latest photography session had been just amazing - guys brought a lot of props that they wanted to use and a lot of ideas to realize. And pictures turned out just amazing too! It made me think about one of the most important questions - what to bring to a session and what makes the atmosphere during the photoshoot so special?
You always need to consider what type of a session you want in the first place - couples, wedding, family, portrait etc., then come the questions: what location to choose, what to wear, what to bring? It is one of the last questions, but often it makes the picture!
So, what is your personality, what do you like to do, how do you love to spend your down time (personal and family time), what type of pictures do you want, what you want to capture what returns you in this exact moment of your life, what special memories you want to share? Answer for all these questions could help to choose props for session.

Here some ideas to choose from:

1.  Old antique rustic things, historical stuff (old chairs, table, clock, key, bike, cars etc.)

2. Books and magazines (perfect for couples, family, kids, maternity and even newborn shots)

3. Flowers

4. Signs, letters, frames etc. What else can tell about your feelings, name for the future baby or even make an announcement? :)

5. Toys, games, activity stuff for kids (and Big kids too :) Let them play around,have fun and enjoy our session!

6. Accessories - heats, scarfs, part of costume etc

7. Even a mosquito net for a bed could be a great prop for the picture

8. and if we talk about beds – a bed itself could be part of the fun shot with pillows fighting, jumping, if that is one of your family’s special traits.

9. Suitcases, umbrellas (all types), boxes, baskets etc. - all good for shoot! :)

10. Food, drinks, a picnic mat and a basket - what a nice shot for a family or a couple!

11. Activities and hobbies - a music instrument, sport equipment, dance accessories etc. Something that shows what you like to do and what is your passion?

12. Party decorations (balloons, signs, confetti etc.) and bubbles

13. And pretty much any other stuff you'd like to take. There are so many ideas around! Just look around your house, think about things you enjoy doing and get an idea. You could always use Pinterest or Google to find pics with a similar style. There is a lot to choose from.

14. And don't forget to bring fun and positive emotions, sometimes its only one thing what you need! All these things just add nice decorations for your story, but at the end of the day you create and tell this story and I capture it. So it’s totally your choice! It just makes the process easier and the result more memorable).
Good luck with your creativity and hope to see you soon!

You could always contact me with any question!

Precious moments. Little ones. Kids photographer Auckland

All you need is love! 

And our little ones needs our love, attention, they want to be close to us, feel us, they really need us (especially when they so small and its so hard for them even just explore world around).

So when I planned took some shots with my little one playing outside in evening lights (for my 365 Project - Daily photo) She easily changed my planes - run and jump in my hug, she decided its funny game - when mummy laying on the floor and Anna-Bella flying in the air on my legs. She repeated it again and again. And I been holding camera all this time and took some shots, captured joy. 

What a fun time! I not seen her laughing so much for a long time! And I had some fun as well :)

And enjoyed look at our pictures what I will treasure forever. What the precious moments!

(sorry for crops, been really tight conditions as you see :) )

Christmas 2014. Celebration with family. Event photography

Christmas  - its a special time for everyone (adults buying presents, kids waiting Santa and Christmas morning).

This Christmas day we woke up early and found presents under the Christmas tree. William became old enough (2.5 years) for understand whats happening. He been really happy get his new big truck. Anna-Bella, our little one, get pretty doll with pram. So morning start with presents and continue at my mother- in-law's place at North Shore where we spend nice and relaxable Christmas day with family (5 adults, 3 kids and 2 dogs :).

Christmas presents, wraps everywhere, cards and decorations, barbecue, Christmas lunch slowly move into dinner :), Pavlova (yummy desert called by Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova - close to me), kids on the slide, bubbles, fun...

And We finished this day with driving back home late evening through City centre and seen beautifully decorated Franklin st. Here lives Christmas spirit - Lights, reindeers, Santa, elves, angeles, love hearts...   Traffic was really slow, all people in cars been watching great decorations, slow down near each house, enjoy, take a pictures (me too!). Thats made our day!

And when kids been sleeping in car we realised its was first Christmas celebration when we could relax (kids now big enough for not take all our attention and power :) It was really cute to watch William playing with his new cars - put them in line and counting. I clear heard numbers up to 6, impressed :)

Merry Christmas everyone and enjoy your family time and holidays! Have rest and relax!

Here pictures coming :) 

Baby Shower. Girls only! Baby shower photographer Auckland

Having a baby shower its a big fun! Of course if its organised good way :)

This one what I visited had amazing hostess, decorations, theme... All guests (girls only) might come dressed pregnant, so all feel the same like main person of the day - Lena waiting her first baby.

It was cool to have a surprise, nobody know boy or girl! It was all decorated in pink and blue colour - glasses, folks, cupcakes, and even cake inside had half blue, half pink base under the icing and words "He or She - Open to see!" And Lena had her first piece cut - and.... blue colour!!! Boy-Boy!!! :)

So much fun - trying guess size of future Mamas tummy (need to say I won with all my babies experience! pleasure :) trying make a baby from play-dooh, giving advices on the cards what Lena could open later (like "have a sleep when baby sleep", "take him for a walk", "go shopping" etc, decorating bibs with funny pictures and words like "Keep calm and feed", "My mummy love lemons" etc

And of course presents at the end :)

What the great memories! So nice was to visit this house, saw all this emotions, feel these special moments of exciting waiting a new life and have fun!

Baby on the way! Keep calm and carry on :)