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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

 

    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}

    Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron | Russian Orthodox Church | Auckland wedding photographer

    DARIA & DMITRY

    What a great traditional wedding I been photographing in Russian Orthodox church in Auckland and Royal New Zealand Royal Yacht Squadron last weekend. Daria & Dmitry - amazing couple, so beautiful and crazy in love! It was such special moments to capture!

    It all started at a small Russian church where guests, parents and groom patiently been waiting for brides appearance. It was just a magic moment when the bride come to the groom on the little passageway. 

    Ceremony been in Russian orthodox traditions. Not my first time taking pictures on traditional ceremonies like this, but every time its so special. I just love this atmosphere and some moments when souls come together to start new life.

    There was not much space to move around but I tried to do my best in these conditions and capture special moments from different angles. 

    Then was congratulations, family shots, way to Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron - amazing place for reception, and our small location shoot near the water, yachts, Harbour Bridge with view on Skytower from the  balcony and amazing pictures! Pity starts to rain but we manage to get through it really fast :)

    Our guests been waiting for young couple to come in and been introduced by our host Anna Moroz (wedding MC). She with her husband Andrey (DJ) done an amazing job with organised different contests, games and running all evening smoothly with fun and relax atmosphere. Well done! Highly recommend this team for your special event! :)

    Evening was full of different traditional events (karavai ceremony, prayers and speeches, different activities (magic heat, guess the bride, guess the groom, bride bouquet toss, groom bow toss), family candle ceremony) and a lot of dancing! Everyone had so much fun! Grooms friends lift him and his bride up to the air, what fun!

    It was a pity to leave this wedding but so many enjoyable moments to move through the pictures when I downloaded them to computer. Amazing moments!

    Enjoy it!

    Daria & Dmitry, wish all the best to you, your & family, happy future together, harmony and understanding!  

    Gallery:

    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}

    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)

    Full Wedding Package Special: Compliment engagement session | Auckland, NZ wedding and elopement photographer | LEVIEN & LENS

    I have great news for you:

    If your booking a wedding during August 2015 engagement session is complimentary (included in full wedding package).

    It will let you save a lot which is great as it helps me to get to know you better, and helps you to get to know me and feel confident and relaxed on your wedding day.

    I would love to use this opportunity to make your special day less stressful and make it run smoothly and flawlessly, when we already had a great experience together and happy with our choice!

    Lets have some fun together before the wedding day and save our time at the wedding and your money! I really want to make a success from all our photography experience!

    Love to capture natural moments and raw emotions!

    Look forward to hearing from you! Exciting!

    Contact me with any question 

    Check our packages and specials at Pricing page

    Wedding | Elopement Photography

    Engagement | Couples Photography

    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}

     

    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)!

    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}

     

    Behind the scene | Couples-Engagement documentary photographer {Event photography Auckland}

    Event photography is a lot of fun, dynamic and creative type of photo shoots. 

    It's stressful for some people and fun for others :)

    You get opportunities to meet new people, make new friends and practice different type of photography styles: formals, documentary, storytelling. From shooting portrait, couples, big group of people to decorations, details and food photography :) From photographing babies, kids at parties, to adults and seniors. So many opportunities! Shooting in dark conditions, inside to sunny outside, nature environment or streets, offices and halls.

    You should be well prepared to handle variety and different tasks. Thats why I love shooting parties (birthday, engagement, baby shower, anniversary), weddings and other events. It gives freedom to shoot what you see around and love; so much different things with beauty inside and raw emotions.

    Here are some quick tips for events shooting:

    1. Check your camera settings - every time when you move from different lighting conditions (or light change at your location - especially happens fast before sunset).

    2. Be creative, open your eyes - try to see beauty in details, all these little things around make this atmosphere and will be treasured in future.

    3. Be fast and patient - conditions changes fast and you should too. But not too hurry, you still need be patient and capture this special moment.

    4. Think outside the box - shoot with different angles, perspectives and sides.

    5. Turn around, capture all these events and people. Especially little ones could bring a lot of interesting shots and fun moments.

    6. Be flexible - all things changes around, conditions, planned schedule etc. Don't be upset, try to find new direction and fast change your vision and plan.

    Here few pics from my last engagement party, kids made atmosphere so special. Just love to capture these alive moments!

     

    Contact me with any questions!

    Sweet Couple | Engagement Party Pictures {Auckland Event-Wedding photographer}

    Congratulations to Juliette & Jonny! What amazing couple and great engagement party I visited this weekend. It was a cosy event at Juliette house in Ellerslie, Auckland.

    Happy future together! Look forward to your upcoming wedding!

    Thank you for inviting me!

     

    Contact me with any questions!

    {BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

     

    Two little princesses - 2 years Birthday Party Pictures | Auckland event photographer

    What a great birthday party I've been to recently! Two little girls turned 2 years old. Such a big date! And what a delightful little couple of princesses! Their parents should be proud to have such pretty and smart gorgeous girls!

    I've worked on a few boys birthday parties now and can confidently describe them as rollercoaster adventures. Girls parties, on the other hand, are full of pink, butterflies, fairies and magic moments. Lovely little things!

    I'm very pleased to shoot this birthday party of two friends - Madeleine and Rebecca! Their mums have been friends for a few years and even their daughters have been born close - pretty amazing, isn't it? I just loved these gorgeous girls, only pity, one had been slightly sick that day and couldn't fully enjoy her birthday party. But it was still really nice and lovely there: kids of different ages, their parents, a lot of toys and activities, great snacks for kids and parents, and beautiful decorations of course!

    So much work to organise the party. Well done!

    Have a look at these pictures!

    Weather was really rainy and we couldn't do nice shots outside, but kids still managed to have a lot of fun inside.

     

    Contact me with any questions!

    Easter theme outdoor party {Event photography Auckland NZ}

    Happy Easter!
    Kids just love all the Easter traditions with Easter eggs, Easter Bunny and Easter Hunt of course.
    Today I’ve been honoured to watch Easter Hunt event that Lara organised for a few friends and families.I been happy to photography this event. Kids have been just happy to move from one spot to another searching for Easter Eggs. Lara did an amazing job with decorations, setting up little Ester stations around her place and she even prepared some storytelling for kids.
    It’s a real treasure to see all those emotions on little faces - excitement, wonder, happiness.
    Well done, Lara! It was the best Easter ever for all the friends and their families:

    Contact me with any questions!

    {BOOK YOUR EVENT}

    One year cute baby boy birthday celebration {Kids event photographer Auckland NZ}

    I love parties. Especially if its babies parties :)

    One year seems to be a big date for new person in the world. First we counting days after birth, then weeks, and later months. Feeding, changing nappies, playing, move to sleep (big task!) - all this routine staff make this time looks like ever!

    And then suddenly ONE year coming. And we want made something special, make us remember this day - when baby became a toddler. And looks like our live became lighter and happier (joking! with part of true :) first time mums understand. Second and third time everything became easier :)

    So good ideas for celebration 1 year old:

    - choose the right location (your house, playcenter, or outdoor - park or beach like in our case)

    - invite good people (friends and families with little kids (don't forget send an invitation)

    - prepare yummy food (remember to include baby items - like baby cans, crackers, cheese, veges, fruits etc)

    - prepare play activities, equipment (slide, water games, cars etc), bubbles, ballons...

    - don't forget a decoration what making good atmosphere and party feelings!

    - and order photographer (for good memories fixed and free hands - you no need running around with camera, try get good shots with active moving kids and organise party at the same moment :)

    - Oh, yes, and spare clothes for little ones - they just love to make mess!

    Last weekend I been at great party - celebration one year old Ivan with his family and little friends. What the great company, nice atmosphere, amazing location at Waiaki beach, and a lot interesting to shoot!

    Parents did a great job with setup all party - choose location, took and keep the best spot on the beach, think about all activities for kids with little playhouse and slide, water play, big car etc Kids just loved it! So much fun and positive emotions.

    I been happy to shoot all these little ones and their families. Yes, its been a big task for me - to shoot birthday boy Ivan's family + 4 families with babies - mini family sessions on location, and tried keep shooting party process. Great experience, new emotions and great to meet new people - such a wonderful guys! (And I even been so much into shooting and looking for the best respective and composition - so fall of the walking pass when been shooting last family. Camera and lens fine, Me too :) just a few marks on hands and legs, funny moment :) Everything for session!

    Here some pictures coming (need to say I retouched much more then usual amount of pictures - just to be sure I have all families and party pictures as well).

    Happy Birthday Vanya (short for Ivan - Russian name)! Hope you enjoyed this day and had a good sleep afterwards :) as I did!

    Contact me with any questions!

    {BOOK YOUR SESSION}

    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 :)