Family time in Onepoto Domain | Auckland, North Shore | LEVIEN & LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

What a fun time for kids in Onepoto Domain (North Shore, Auckland): riding bikes, play at playground, flying fox, little bush walks and much more!

Thats a great place to spend family time together. This afternoon we with our little ones drove over to North Shore to visit Nana and also took them outside to play around and had freedom in Onepoto Domain. They just loved it!

It was really hard to move them back in car :)

Look at these pictures:

(my little one fall down into the mud straight away after we arrived, but get up and continued play around in muddy dress)

Cornwall park family lifestyle photos {Auckland-Hamilton photographer } Baby Alexander

Lifestyle sessions for me always starts from details: house interiors, nursery details - cot, mobile, toys around, shelfs, any items what looks like family loves. Thats all details that gets me feeling of the family, their character, personalities, colour choices and stuff around as well.

Then its goes to people who live in this space, how they interact with each other, what made them happy, how the talk, touch each other (hug the baby, touch their little feet, hands and head), all this comes into place like puzzle. 

Then I watch for the light, best place to shoot and compliment the family lifestyle. Its make sense to shoot baby in nursery or on big parents bed because its a place where he spends a lot of time, where mum and dad love to be with him.

I also love ability to move outside of the house and go to the beach or park. These places are not just pretty surroundings, these places are where mum/dad spend a lot of time walking with baby, give him some fresh air.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to met amazing family with 8 month old little one - gorgeous baby Alexander, his parents and lucky enough his grandma who been visited family and planning to fly back to Malaysia very soon. I been happy to capture all this family together at so rememberable for them moments, celebrating first year of babies life and show all lifestyle moments, especially treasured ones with his grand mom!

This family definitely love to have fun. I don't remember when I heard last time so much laughing and giggle sounds. So enjoyable time!
Thank you guys for inviting me in your lovely place at Ellerslie and having outside time in Cornwall park.

What a treasured moments!

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR SESSION}

Kariotahi beach couples photo shoot | Auckland wedding photographer

OLGA & MARTIN

Kariotahi beach in South Auckland (not far from Waiuku) is a stunning location for any couples photo shoot. This weekend I met my lovely couple / friends just before the sunset to make special pictures for them.

This couple few years married and had 2 year old little one. Good time to show their love and connection. As Olga been joking during the photo shoot - this type of session should be included in all psychological course for every couple who wanted to refresh their relationship and remember how much they love each other. What a great idea! I should think about it, how to make all families live happily ever after :)

We start our session next to the beach at grass areas then walk at the sand and finished session on the top of the hill meeting beautiful sunset. 

Olga and Martin; so romantic and fun loving couple. I really enjoyed to watch them cuddling each other, joking and playing around. It was a cute moment when Martin helped Olga to move sand out of the shoes (she might be feel like Cinderella) and put flower in her hair. 

Love all the moments of our photo shoot. Enjoy it too!

Contact me for any enquiries! Remember we had complimentary engagement session for wedding bookings during August 2015 (limited availability)

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR SESSION}

My 365 Project | Everyday moments | July | LEVIEN & LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

New month, new changes and challenges :)

What a busy month it was! Four destinations sessions in one month: Otorohanga, Lake Taupo, Rotorua (Lake Tarawera) & of course Auckland. What a big fun, love to travel especially for exciting sessions!

My lifestyle everyday moments with kids is challenging as usual :) Trying balancing family life and photography (what from few days a week became almost full time job (sessions, meeting with clients, post processing, running website, Facebook page and Instagram, blogging etc.), Even at night time answering for letters and checking enquiries, busy life! :)

Enjoy my 365 project. July. Really interesting to look back and see all these pictures, feels like they been captured looong time ago :)

Fun in Chipmunks playland | Family lifestyle photoS | LEVIEN & LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

What big fun we had this morning at Chipmunks play land and cafe

Kids been running around, climbing, playing and sliding. What a good time for little ones without big kids around (while they at school), all zone belongs to them :) Its so nice for parents just keep eye on kids and just relax and enjoy a cup of coffee or have a chat with other parents, or take a few shots with my camera like I did :) ha-ha! 

Camera almost every day with me and my 365 Project motivate me to find new creativity sides and angles, se beauty in everyday moments and treasure them forever. Kids will grow up but pictures will stay :) I adore it!

Have a look at this few pics with my little ones having fun:

Contact info@levienphotography.com for book your portraiture or lifestyle session (family | kids | maternity | baby | engagement | couples | event | wedding photography)

Play time | Creativity exercise | Family and kids photo | LEVIEN & LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

New creativity exercise for your family images today!

Kids just love play time. Choose one activity to entertain them and use the opportunity to take a pictures while they are busy. It will be natural lifestyle images.

You can pop daddy in the frame (or nana/granddad), siblings, pets etc. and focus on different subjects, shoot details and their emotions of course. Try to change angles and shoot from all sides.

Good luck!

Talk to you soon.

Here is just quick example with few shots from the hotel where daddy and kids been playing cards on the bed (we been away from Auckland in Rotorua, I had destination lifestyle session with family at Lake Tarawera, love to travel!)

info@levienphotography.com

Manukau Wedding | Auckland Botanic Gardens | New Zealand Wedding Photographer

LUKE & DEBBIE

Wedding in Manukau Baptist Church, Auckland Botanic gardens and Bronco's - what could be better!? Luke and Debbie decided to have a nice quiet ceremony with close family and friends and share these happy moments with me.

Need to mentioned this couple connected to me as relatives: Debbie is my husband's cousin, but I still been at work (shooting, trying to catch and capture all important moments, raw emotions, happy and crying moments during this day. So no talking just action :)

Its so important to see all these stages of the special day for couple: prepare the church, groom waiting the bride, bride with bridesmaids arrived on retro old cars, guest reactions, ceremony moments, crying and laughing, congratulations from friends and family, bridal party fun, quiet moment away from the guests, reception - emotional speeches (Debbie's dad in the hospital at this moment, so it was really sensitive moment to heard his speech and seen bride reaction and how groom supported her) and much more different events :)

What a great day, what a good place to be, what a beautiful couple!

Did I mentioned the wedding cake? It's amazing piece of art: two Minions, shows this fun loving couple character and they looks just gorgeous!

Congratulations Debbie and Luke!

Happy future together!

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

Auckland Botanic Gardens Pictures | Family lifestyle moments | LEVIEN & LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

Auckland Botanic gardens is a great place to spend time with family, relax and walk along the beautiful surroundings (and I actually did a wedding photo shoot at location in this place :) - pictures coming soon, I promise!

Life always turns unexpected way. We just visited sad family event - great nana's funeral. Death and life goes together.

When I look at my kids I see how they full of life and active, running around, exploring everything, having fun! Great nana always enjoyed to watch these little ones, she might be happy to see it.

We visited Gardens on the back way and enjoyed peaceful and quiet atmosphere just before the sunset. I been lucky enough to capture some pictures for memories.

Life, nature and kids (in memory of Elsie Mary Richards):



Mainly Music Playgroup | Personal family lifestyle pictures | LEVIEN & LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

Each family have own traditions and our ones - every Tuesday go to Mainly Music where kids having half an hour music session, then morning tea and over 2 hours play time with a lot of toys. My little ones just loves it. 

I am happy just sing with them, play and watch them playing around, what fun moments!

This time I took a few pictures with my daughter reading books, dressing up ( she just loves to put clothes her own way, maybe she will be a designer one day? will see :), and running around.

Have a look at these pictures, have your camera ready, and capture your little ones. Its treasured moments:

Lifestyle photography

Contact info@levienphotography.com

Milford Beach baby photo session | Auckland Lifestyle Photographer

What a joy to take a pictures with babies, especially lifestyle pictures when we can hang around the house, show everyday moments of babies life (details of nursery, cot and real love and connection between baby and his parents) and have fun!

That's what we did with Brad, Anna and 2 month old Luka. What a gorgeous baby boy! He been so good, really fascinated with camera, loved to be in parents hands. He became just a little bit tired when we been finishing session at Milford Beach after some time at their house.

Love how we all jump on the big parents bed and had a lot different type of shots. This family just amazing, its such a pleasure to be around this positive people.

Thank you so much for sharing with me your special moments, I been happy to capture these emotions, feelings and fun.

Luckily weather was great (and I sort out my car questions - 2 flat tires in 12 hours, luckily I fixed it and just delay a session for a one hour. Sometimes this type of things happening, and we just do our best. Thank you parents for patience! Well done to us :))

Have a look at this pictures and contact me for book your session | have a chat :)

Contact me with any questions!

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Snowy mountains Lake Taupo-Ruapehu destination session | Lifestyle photographer Auckland-Waikato-Bay of Plenty

I spent last weekend at Lake Taupo, where I have had a family photo session and many more. Lake Taupo is one of the best family destinations in New Zealand. I have been invited to capture precious moments of a baby turning 1 year old - a fabulous present of his parents. Birthday party at the mountains all covered with snow. First time to encounter snow – what can be more exciting for a child!

What a great experience!!!

I love to travel. I have been so happy that they have decided to share with me these special moments.  

Mama Lena specially made a cake to celebrate one year old, and parents’ friends brought some cool presents. Gorgeous little boy has been so happy to have a ride on a toy-train with funny music and play with balloons. Later this day we drove up to the mountains passing by snowy trees and amazing landscapes everywhere you look. What a magic atmosphere it has been!

Not to mention it was just freezing up on the top of the mountains and it has been a little bit challenging to shoot with cold fingers, but it’s definitely worth it: beautiful nature around us and family walking on snow, laying and playing together. I have found that I'm not used to snow anymore, after few years away from Russia (there was really freezing temperatures - 20-30 at winter!!!), so now I’m more used to summer all year around.  But it's great you can find so different landscapes in New Zealand, all in one spot! Love it!

Next day it was time to leave our location, beautiful house we spend the most amazing weekend. It was pity to leave this beautiful place. Lake Taupo was a short drive from where we have stayed, so we decided to continue with a photo session with a change of the background and of course more positive emotions, especially when so many interesting birds, swans and ducks around us. What a great experience for little one - watch all these new moments for him and feed those birds!

What a great weekend and amazing time! Enjoy our pictures and watch this space!

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR SESSION}

 

Wedding Dresses Collection Photo Shoot | Auckland Wedding Photographer

Every little girl dreams about beautiful wedding dress and often dresses up in some long mummy's dress and put her shoes on. Do you remember all these moments?

How lucky Kim from www.nzweddingsareus.co.nz creating her own wedding dresses. :) I had the honour to be chosen to photograph her wedding dress collection at the weekend in Otorohanga (few hours drive and I'm there, catch up with Kim and her 3 girls who were the models for our photo shoot: Hallie, Sassie, and Christina.

I asked Kim what inspired her for this wedding collection and received the answer:

"My inspiration is around making dresses for the curvier figure. I am a big girl and find it hard to find clothes to fit. And when I got married had to pay a lot of money to get a dress made for me.. and I thought the prices are ridiculous. So I make them for a fraction of the price and gives girls the opportunity to have a designer dress for affordable price".

Dresses look just amazing by the way! Any curvy bride should look with attention on this collection, and every girl too!

We enjoyed our time with girls (few hours gone really fast!) having shots at the lake and near beautiful bush, trees and fields. Otorohanga is such a great place, they have a kiwi house I hear (didn't have the opportunity to visit it but love the surroundings!

We had so much fun! Kim done a great job with dress fitting, drive girls to location, change their dresses one by one and do it all again and again. Might be exhausting! 

Girls changed a few stunning dresses and its fit, looks just amazing! They even seem to have different characters in each dress. What a beautiful transformation. It's true what people say - dress makes you feel so special. Even Coco Chanel said:

“Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.”

and another one (one of my favourites:

"Simplicity is a keynote of all true elegance" and "Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself" and these girls dressed in these elegant dresses just showed real personality (maybe even hidden from themselves, I tried to capture their real character and direct and posed them to complement the dresses best way.

What a great day in amazing company and environment! Just a dream come true! One little girl and a lot of wedding dresses! Ha-ha :)

Enjoy our pictures and feel free to make an enquiry to book your wedding, commercial photography  or made an enquiry for your stunning wedding dress to Kim Clark-Ware (she definitely knows how to make your dreams became true)

 

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

 

Spring and Summer Wedding Photography Package

Spring and Summer are coming and it's a beautiful time for a wedding!

We want you to save money on wedding photography package (save up to $500) and we will do something what we really love to do:

to capture natural moments of your wedding day, lifestyle candid shots and some formals, emotions and feelings, some fun and joy in flawless manner.

Would you like to tell us more about your wedding day, your plans and ideas? Feel free to contact us with any questions and ideas! info@levienphotography.com.

Use the opportunity to get a special price for your wedding photography (limited availability). Check our Pricing and Packages.

Elopement package is available on request.

Check our Engagement | Couples Pictures and

Wedding Portfolio

Look forward to hearing from you!

Lets make this Spring / Summer day special and treasure your memories forever with stunning images!

DO you have a wedding at different time of the year?

Check our Early Bird Wedding Package 2016 and Winter Wedding Special at Pricing page (limited availability)!

Colour in photography. Photography tips. Lifestyle family and wedding photographer Auckland LEVIEN & LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

Did you ever think how important colour is in our life, what influence it have?

We are surrounding by different colours and each colour has a special meaning for us (some could be attractive, some warning).

For example, red colour - we know from childhood - red signal STOP, green GO! At the same moment red colour take attention and its colour of love, passion, intensive. A lot of companies choose red colour for their logo for take clients attention (look at big brands such as McDonalds, Coca-Cola and a lot of others. I don't know why I choose a food companies? Maybe I just hungry :) Actually some colours works good for food places, some great for offices and working environment, some good for creativity, and some perfect for calm down and relax places. If you put attention on this places you could see common colour palette in all of similar type places. Its just proved by practice, experience and researches colours (and just individual preferences as well :)

Psychologically proved blue is the most attractive colour for a lot of people (wisdom - calm colour. You love blue sky, water etc.). Green really nice as well - its a nature colour (trees, grass, fields etc.).

Its just some common information. Don't worry, I'm not going to move into details of each colour! Every person has their own colour palette and own preferences in clothes, choosing room colours, make-up, hair colour etc. Some scientist saying it comes from their eyes, skin and vein colours, its from birth lay into their personalities. But I think it also comes from personal experience and people around them. For example, mums often dress babies in colour palette what they like, and probably its has some influence.

Also important to know complementary colours (like red and green, for example), matching colours and how they work together (or not work at all :) Here for example my little one hiding in the garden (you can see green, red and blue main colours here):

child in the garden

 

How its related to photography? Its just base what each photographer need to know and put attention:

- colour palette for clients clothes (what matches together, what looks best at chosen location - near green trees, or blue ocean, or brown sand, or steel and glass architecture at city, grey concrete etc,). Its a lot of boards on Pinterest which have amazing colour palettes samples for couples and families with big amount of choices. So you no need to know every little detail about colour, you could just go with your feelings, choose which one you like more :)

- colour palette of surroundings at photo shoot (what colour cast around, is it give some not so nice tone for clients skin if you come closer to it, is this colour complement chosen client clothes, is surface give a lot reflection (natural, white, grey) or could be used like flag for limit and control amount of light (dark surfaces). Also really nice to include white/ grey surfaces not just for reflection and more light but also for easy correct white balance in post processing :)

Some colours allows to subject pop out, your eyes just naturally look at splash of colour! (here example with little one dressed in red at complementary environment colours):

child portrait

 

- colours for photographers clothes (maybe not many photographers think, what colour clothes they wear. I know it should be comfortable and fit in photo shoot ides (one style for beach session, another for wedding shoot), but if you think about it you can see we often choose neutral palette (I often go for white top for give more light reflection, or for black one (especially for weddings - you just can't wear white at this day :) and black looks more formal for me as well :). Here some fun example from my last wedding (my second photographer Sonja unexpected ask me to take a picture with me and a bride, probably I looks not so great after 9 hours shooting, ha-ha :)

wedding photographer


- colours in post processing ( its a huge theme, I just slightly touch it, because its a science - to choose editing colours, based on your personal taste, style and also go from your clients personality and preferences; use a tone course, TAT tool, split toning and so many other tools what give you Photoshop and Lightroom (its a hole world of colours and we all still explore all this opportunities!).

SO I hope you enjoy own touch of base colours and how they works in photography. I highly recommend to read a psychology related books about colours and also practice and play with different colours combinations in different environment and see what works and what not works. You never know if you never tried! :)

Ask me if you have any question!

Tell me more about what colours do you like and what do you think!

Thank you for staying with me :)


St Matthews Church Ceremony | Auckland Wedding photographer

Simeti & Faith

St Matthews Church Auckland City, Dream Centre - Wedding Venues

Every wedding is so special! I can't believe how many events, emotions and feelings you can fit in just in one day and how many different type of photography happens:  details, portraits, kids pictures, family formals, couples special moments, documentary and lifestyle shots, candid shots of everything around.

I just love all this atmosphere!

This day 26th of June was such a special for beautiful couple - Simeti and Faith! These guys been the most amazing couple! Hard to imagine they together since their first meeting at high school, what a romantic story (school boyfriend became a husband :) 

It was amazing to move through this day with guys: getting ready at their houses (bride and groom not seen each other till this special moment in church where all families struggle to hold their tears, groom as well - Faith been so beautiful walking down the aisle).

Its amazing moments when bride went down to the aisle and groom been waiting for her near altar. Need to mentioned they choose an amazing church for their wedding - St Matthews Church in the heart of the Auckland City near Skytower. The interiors and architecture looks great, amazing lines, shapes and proportions, make you feel you in Gods House.

It was a little bit rainy and we decided to stay in church after the ceremony to take amazing shots with bridal party. We had so much fun and some lyric sensitive moments as well. Been pity to leave this location but people been waiting for us in other place - reception at Dream Centre in Manukau.

Over 500 guests been waiting for bridal party, excited and happy for couple. Need to mentioned Friday traffic from City to Manukau was just terrible (we spend at least 1.5 hour driving), but guys had real fun inside a big Limo, singing and dancing as much as they could in the small space :)

Reception will bring to the day more touching moments, dance and fun. Some speeches from friends and family, cake cutting, special waltz by couple and bridal party with swapping partners and parents involved :) Beautiful island dancers. It was really sensitive moment when all groom family been dancing together (and need to mentioned its a really big family :) Even grand grandma was standing in line with everyone. Bride received some traditional presents, their was few performances and items. Bride and Groom was so shining and full of energy. It was fun moments when bride and all party been dancing together. 

It was all so special and treasured moments. It was really hard to cut down any picture, they all turned just amazing (around 1000 edited pics!)

Thank you so much for inviting me to your wedding and sharing these special moments with me.

Happy future together, SImeti and Faith! See you soon!

Thanks for help to my second photographer Sonja and to my husband who made me a favour and shoot in the St Matthews church from the gallery (it was really important shots to take for me, because church just amazing! and couple looks just great in this interiors :)

 

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

 

Morning Fog. Landscape nature pictures. LEVIEN & LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

Im into 365 Project as you know :)

SO this morning I been driving to preschool for top kids and it was really hard to see anything within few meters distance. Fog seems like problem for driving but paradise for photography :) Ha-ha!

So straight after saying "goodbye" to kids I just popped into my house, grabbed camera and moved to closest reserve where I think I could find nice trees which compliment the foggy background.

Yes, I even not took any breakfast yet :)

Here is the results of this mini-adventure:

What do you think: colour or black and white? (hard to choose) 

Library time! Lifestyle photographer LEVIEN & LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

Every Wednesday we visit Story Time at the library. Most of the kids are listening with attention to Librarian reading story, but my kids just go to explore library shelfs, space around, Plunket rooms nearby and even went outside to playground. Im not a strict parent and prefer to give them a freedom to adventure and explore world around us. Of course with some limits :) Then they come back to story time inside and doing some craft/colouring etc.

So Its a library time! Great place for pictures (all these leading lines, perspective etc. - just a paradise for a photographer - you understand me :)

Personal lifestyle pictures. My 365 Project. June. Family and Wedding photographer LEVIEN & LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

June - is the first month of the winter. Its come with colder weather and some rain, but still beautiful for pictures (no matter - inside or outside). 

Some of them just my kids in the house, at playgroups, at the beach and with other lifestyle moments and activities; others from clients/friends sessions.

I love to move through this images and remember again all these treasured moments, especially my personal family ones.

I promise to print a book at the end of the year and see all pictures together. Yes, thats my plan :)

Daily shooting became really easy, I'm just used to it. But I remember how hard it was at the start :) Nothings impossible if you really want something, practicing and progressing on this way. Lucky bonus - your live memories in images! Thats a treasure!

Auckland domain portraits | Lifestyle photographer

Each day is different and could bring unexpected turn sometimes. This time I catch up with my old friend Lena and watch flowering once per 7-10 years Amorphaphillus Titanum, what a big plant and a little bit smelly as people said (I not put attention on these details :)

It was a beautiful day and we decided tie a walk at Auckland Domain, and found beautiful location for took a few shots. I just love portrait pictures full of emotions, natural look and some creative freedom.

Here results of our improvised mini portrait session:

Contact me with any questions!

Street city photography | Auckland Lifestyle portrait photographer

I love to capture outside session, and mostly it's happens at the park or beach, because New Zealand nature is so beautiful and created a great entourage for peoples emotions. 

Last time was really special and different: we took lifestyle shots at Takapuna streets full of shops, cafe and restaurants. I just love this atmosphere especially because it was a rainy day, so we could play with umbrella. 

Thank you Maria for great time together and ability to capture these moments full of special atmosphere and grace!

"I singing in the rain, 
Just singing in the rain
What a glorious feeling,
And I'm happy again".