love | light | laughter
AUCKLANd wedding PHOTOGRAPHER | fine art documentary photography
I just love to use Instagram and see other work, its so inspiring, showing everyday moments and real voices. You can easily find us on Instagram.
Here is just a screensaver with my last Instagram posts. Most of them - just my usual life with kids and some splashes of creativity and fun, clients sessions fav shots, specials and other stuff :)
Feel free to follow, put likes and comments
Im happy to capture my everyday moments with kids, how they playing, running etc. My 365 project helps a lot to get motivation and inspiration.Not every day the same. Some days full of exciting moments and events, others feels flat and boring. But there always chance to see beauty!
I show you my pics form 2 days. First from indoor playing with blocks, another one - kids at new playground (mazing place for kids to play!).
First series - Indoor:
Second series - Outdoor playground
We every day take kids to playground where they playing, running, sliding etc.
And a little bit climbing too. So I took my camera and captured these moments in the air. Just love to move back to them when my kids grow up and I will miss all these little cute moments.
So don't forget to take a pictures with your kids and other things what you want to remember!
Love this back light:
Black and White - simple connection, clear vision, light and dark - it’s my love!
Yes, I am enjoying pictures in black and white. They tell me so much more then the coloured images. It’s my language and my passion.
I’m not sure what makes them so special to me - maybe it’s the retro feeling, or the ability to see the light, without anything that can distract you from the main subject. Clarity and atmosphere. Some images just ask to convert them into black and white.
Black and white conversation is not everyone’s cup of tea, and it’s absolutely fine, everyone has their own taste and language. And not every image will be great in black and white - you need special light, texture, dynamic range, highlights and shadows. And not every session is the same. Sometimes I would provide almost all pictures in colour, plus black and white variants; other times half pictures would be BW, and sometimes there is no need for black and white at all, so it’s all individual. The main pictures are still coloured, but I love giving you another option as well.
So let me share a few of my favourite images from clients sessions and everyday lifestyle shooting (for 365 Project). They so different and so treasured!
I just love taking pictures of babies. They are so small and so gorgeous! They have their own personalities and cute smiles.
I had an honour to photograph a 5 month old Mariam and her mama Sofi and grandmother Khatuna. This session was full of amazing moments!
We started our photoshoot at their place where we set up a little studio with some props - blankets, soft toys, necklaces (all girls love jewellery, even little ones! :), and also a few different outfits (every girl needs it too).
Mariam was just a perfect model: sometimes serious, sometimes ready to give a lot of smiles! What a cutie pie! After a while Mariam needed a break and we all happily followed suit and had a cup of tea with the most delicious hachaputi I have ever tasted. Hachapuri is a traditional Georgian bread baked with cheese and Khatuna made it nothing short of perfect. I will never forget that melt-in-the-mouth taste and most friendly and delightful company!
Then we moved to the closest beach for some shots in the nature. I just love all these ocean views, waves and the wind, great sunny weather and healthy fresh air for our little princess! She became really tired at the end, almost ready to sleep at mummy's shoulder. What a sweet little girl!
Thank you Sofi, Mariam and Khatuna for this amazing time together!
Have a look at this gallery:
Its a third month in the project and I feel really inspired to capture more and more everyday moments, family storytelling, details, usual life...
Not every day the same, some of them full of interesting moments but at some days you feel just flat and don't know what to shoot, or even don't have any time to do it.
But beauty around us, we just need to see it and capture. Look at beauty in simple things, your perfume bottle, or corn at the dinner table, pieces of wood after cutting tree, magic light at the leaves at your fence etc, toys animals at your kids playgroup- so much little details what we even not noticed, just stop, have a breath and look around to find this moment of beauty in world around us, beauty in details:
Look at beauty with everyday moments: kids sitting, running, playing - its so many moments for family story what you will open in few years time and will treasure it. Don't miss the opportunity to capture your everyday moments!
Here my pics for this month:
Let Kids been kids! They always doing unexpected things and ready to find something interesting in our usual life and have fun with it!
So much surprises, mess, cleaning work, fun moments!
My little one sneak outside and I found him playing with leaves, through them up in the air, having fun and doing leaves rain what drops in his hair, under the clothes and nappies as well.
Big fun - big bath afterwards!
I love to capture these real life moments what brings some magic in.
Who love to play outside, have fun and made a mess? Guess! :)
Here our lifestyle moments!
I just want to share with you my everyday moments with kids. Its great to capture all these little moments what we will treasure in future when kids grow up. Sometimes its really handy to have a camera beside.
I been with kids at playgroup today and did some shots with their play and craft.
Brother and sister
But then my daughter found big hat, and I just follow her with camera (lucky I had it with me) :) Its looks so gorgeous and cute! I just can't help myself :) So here big picture share. I like this old style retro feeling what give us these pictures:
Its shows how many interesting moments you could capture for shot moment with kids :) Just have camera ready :)
My mum send to me an old preschool album and shoes. It was really unexpected surprise - parcel from Saint-Peterburg (Russia).
I decided took picture for my 365 Project for memory and .... 2 little one come at this moment and started have own fun! They watch the album, explore all around and climbed on the table. Yes, Thats my everyday moments! No any quiet and restful second with kids, but so much mess and fun! All days so different and full of surprises (Im not open you all, you explore yourself with your kids - surprise-surprise!!! :)
Here our 2 minutes with OLD album and NEW for kids items and emotions:
What a great sources for pictures and inspiration - Instagram and Pinterest.
Instagram really popular place to put your pictures straight out of camera (mobile phone). Its a square picture, but you could always keep original shape with some apps like Squaredroid (what i use often). Also great to put a tag - your friend @xxx or any subject what you like (for example #wedding, #familyshoot, #aucklandphotographer, #lifestyle, #beauty etc. And then you could easily click on this tag and see all other pictures around the world with this hashtag.
You could find great pictures all around the world, different communities, photographers which you could follow ...
My personal Instagram - www.instagram.com/olgalevien You could find there not only my work with clients / friends but also a lot of personal pictures, mostly my kids and everyday pictures :)
Pinterest give you opportunity not only search for pictures what you need, but also pin it and create own boards where you could save favourite pics. I love to create inspirational boards and also would ask my clients to create their own while prepare to our photo shoot, so we get some new ideas, leaning forward some style, and understand we on the same page! :)
Will be happy to see your boards! Just send me a link!
Sometimes we just look and seen something unusual, what take our attention and made think outside the box. Its could be unusual light or pattern of shade, or some colour and shape, leading lines or some repetition. Only you know what touch your soul, what speak with you, and what you want to capture.
I just show you one picture what i took today - its just pot with some flowers near my entrance door. But its not a flowers what took my attention, its a shades patterns on the concrete - game light and shadow. And I just wanted took camera in my hands and capture it.
Its always good to pay attention to details!
Other picture - nature on the beach. It was usual morning when I took kids on the beach. And was so nice fresh air and some smoky fog at the back. So I just feel I need capture this moment :) And you could also turn it into black and white conversation and get just magic atmosphere.
Kariotahi beach
Kariotahi beach
And I love to capture everyday moments with my kids, all these little moments what we treasure forever. Could be interesting to look back at the pictures after 5-10 years when kids grow up and we will miss these sweet moments. Here we are:
My kids just LOVE jumping on the bed especially if its our master-bedroom bed! And I happy to catch this special moment of movement:
So what special for you? What make you feel better, happier, what speak to you? Just take camera and capture this moment, documenting history. Or just invite me over and I help you to capture these special moments!
I love to capture everyday moments, especially if its about family storytelling, my kids actions or my work with clients. Its also help to remember all little moments, and move back in memories afterwords. Thats why I also took part in 365 Project with capture Daily photo. Its a great way to fix memories and practice and progress in photography.
So here my little everyday moments with kids and some other life moments (for example yesterday I visit my friend photographer Jay from the same area (Franklin) and had a big fun watch her patient work with little one with cake smashing and water play. And my kids been happy to play in her child proof house and had fun. I manage to took some behind scene pictures :) Thank you Jay for this opportunity!
Some work for clients - like scout wedding venue for upcoming wedding. So exciting:
And here other everyday moments with my kids, treasure everyday moments:
Love-Love-Love!
Happy Valentine's Day everyone! What a magic day full of love, friendship and freedom spirit!
Want to say to my clients/friends - I love you all and especially my dear husband! To the moon and back :) Thank you for all you support and love: tea in bed, looking after kids when Im shooting, feeding and changing nappies (not an easy task, especially put clothes back on), making yummy dinners or drive to buy take aways (curry forever!), and listening my talking (not sure how much percent information go through, maybe 10%? ha-ha :)
And thank you guys for share with me your special moments, love and feelings! I'm really appreciate to be part of something magical! :)
Maria+Taz
P.S.: Im planning to shoot two weddings soon, really excited, counting days - can't wait, more pictures to come in the blog and Facebook page. See you there!
And Happy Valentine's day!
I love to capture family everyday moments. So I think now turn to bath time!
Its happened every day and its just usual routine: move kids in bath, wash them, tidy floor after water play (sometimes its became an ocean on the floor!, move out, chasing them around and then dress - its a hardest task, especially for my husband, some parts of clothes became missing - no pants, for example :))
So this time I just follow kids with my camera and took a few shots for memories - capture everyday moments!
365 Project about taking Daily Photo, capture everyday moments, practicing and progress in photography.
I been inspired by group of women-photographers from ClickinMoms forum to join this project. Its looks easy at start - just take one picture a day and post it on Facebook, Instagram, your web0page. But its not so easy too: what to shoot, is it variety of pictures, what theme or style, what new challenge to take... A lot new questions every day.
And then its about to be organised, not miss any day, even if you sick, or tired, or just too busy to take camera in your hands. Its all happened with me just during this first month in project.But I manage to take pictures even at late night :)
And I found its made me look outside the box, try to shoot something what I never consider before (self-portrait, low light pictures, play with light and create something new). And hope daily shooting will help me with photography progress.
I really appreciate all these life moments what I captured, especially with my kids. They grow so fast, and its so important to remember their first meeting with kittens, how they playing at playground, help daddy washing car etc. - all life moments).
And this project helped me met new amazing people, share my work with them and see their work and progress. And its helps understand my direction, who am I like photographer, what I want to shoot, what I want to say.
One month done, 11 to go :) Hope I will survive on this long way :)
Morning on the beach - what a beautiful time and location. Lovely family: Belinda and little Eva met me on the west cost Kariotahi beach for took some lifestyle family photographs.
It was fun and full of move and mess photo shoot. Kids really active at this age and I prefer give them freedom, run around, play, have fun time. I love take a lifestyle pictures what shows your child's favourite things to do at this period of time, capture live moment, show true character and personality.
Climbing on the rocks, running to the water, dancing, jumping near waterfall, create some art on the sand, look around, hug and kiss mummy...
What a wonderful time and what a pleasure to capture true life, Thank you Belinda and Eva for share with me your family life moments!
P.S. We also manage to get to the park and took few shots their with some fun and tender moments
Contact me with any questions!
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 :) )
Looks like everyone writing New Year Resolution. Is it bring more luck and results? Will see :)
Anyway you control how your wish come true - visualising and get it!
So my milestones for this year:
1. Development -
as photographer: achieve bigger progress, be satisfied with picture.
as mum - work with yourself and kids - support them in study life way
as wife - understand, support, give back
as personality - always do a little bit more (out of limit, outside the box)
2. Communication -
get to know new people, keep contacts with all friends, clients, enjoy meetings and chat and made as much people happy as I can :)
3. Building -
build and create something new,stylish and stunning - art work, pictures, blog posts, dinners, craft etc
4. Jump -
jump as high as I can - move forward, look around, keep going
5. Analyse -
look back, think, analyse, look at positives and negatives, create results, and new experience
6. Stay calm and carry on!
Love this sentence. What could be more wisdom? :)
7. Don't forget about your hobbies, take time for yourself, take a break -
figure skating, dance, serials, study, cup of tea etc. Take time for yourself and you feel better, happier...
8. Inspiration -
look around, see beauty in details, in everything around
9. Breath -
just take a deep breath, and one more, and more, keep doing it with full chest and tummy. Its helps, its might made you more relaxed and happier, don't forget to do it, especially when you really stressed and busy! :)
10. Be Happy -
simple, but for been happy you need enjoy "right now" moment, not think your happiness somewhere ahead. Its right here, around. Just love this moment!!!
This is my resolution. And hope at grey moments of life I will go back and read it again and its will help me! Im sure
Happy New Year everyone! Its just continue of our life, but its also a good reason to start something new or have a good look around and at yourself!
Today 8 of January and its special day for me - Happy Birthday to me! :)
Nice wake up at morning next to baby (come to our bed at morning), see shining husband eyes, receive kiss and birthday card what daughter wrote last evening,
drop kids at preschool, drive to city, catch up with friend and her baby,
meet with hubby for couple of drinks at pub...
have a birthday cake with all family and some thai food afterwards. Yes, not a traditional order :)
Funny my husband put light on the candle lots of times because kids tried blow it (William first then Anna-Bella, and again and again). And finally all family together blow light at lonely candle :)
Happy me! And day not finished yet...
Christmas holidays is a fun time! Families have time to spend together, go out, travel around and enjoy rest and relax!
We spend our holidays Up North at Totara North (NZ) in family house, visit my husbands dad and made some small trips to search around; Manganui, Waitangi, Paihia, Tauranga Bay, Taupo Bay, Coopers Beach etc
Kids had freedom time: grass, waves, rocks, kauri forest track, beaches, sun, playgrounds, fun! They absolutely love this time at the nature, happy to see granddad, and explore something new.
We met New Year there with family dinner with some traditional Russian salad Olivier and early go to sleep (thats life with kids :).
Here our lifestyle pictures from this great trip what finished quit fast because I need hurry up to do photo shoot (first in the year :)
P.S. Looks like kids grow so much for this time!