love | light | laughter
AUCKLANd wedding PHOTOGRAPHER | fine art documentary photography
November gallery is ready - everyday pictures in my 365 Project (only one month to go! :)
Excited!
Enjoy these pictures!:
Last evening we spent with family and kids on beautiful Mairangi beach in Auckland. We made a special trip from Hamilton to say good buy to uncle Paul and aunty Sinead who fly back to UK this evening, they spend amazing pre-wedding holidays in New Zealand, where all family been happy to see them.
What a fun time on the swing, in the waves, running on the sand, having hot fish and chips in Mairangi Bay park | playground and some lifestyle moments.
We will miss you!
Enjoy this gallery!
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It was a rainy day yesterday and we stayed at home for most part of the day. My little one been waiting for daddy come back from work. She fast run, when she seen him coming. Big hug, laughing and next thing took her attention - a big blue-white umbrella, what she get in her little hands.
I can't help myself and captured these treasured moments with one little girl and a big umbrella for my 365 project, family storytelling :)
Enjoy these lifestyle moments!
Contact me with any questions!
Hello and welcome to my Blog, where I talk about my lifestyle moments, photography and share some inspirational photography tips and exercise.
We will talk today about multi-exposure images. They look pretty neat and not much people know how easy achieve them.
One way - in post-processing when you put together a few layers from few images with different opacity.
But Im a lazy photographer, I really don't like a lot of post processing work and prefer to make things right into the camera (for not spend to much time at editing, but give this treasure time to my family, to my active little ones).
So at this case you go to your camera Menu, put on Multi-Exposure, choose how many images you will merge together and how many times you want it one (single time or more). I did just basic 2 shot single multi-exposure, what I will share with you. (Attention - not all cameras had this mode - please read your camera Manual for get more information. For note - I shoot with Nikon D750 full frame).
Important note: you should nail your exposure triangle (aperture, shutter speed, ISO) in the camera, because you can't work on each picture separated, they will be merge together in one image what you will see in your computer.
So lets go to my pretty simple experiments.
First one image with my daughter and a tree what I merge together. Little tip - it was easier for me first to take image with my subject and then knowing I had a good shot, put my attention on the background - I choose a tree shape for this purpose.
You free to choose if you want to convert your image in Black and White (BW) or leave a colour variant. Sometimes BW version really stand out for me and speaks to me more.
You can also play with merging not 2 different backgrounds, but play with merging images with the same person. Some photographers use this trick for selfies to show different type of emotions. I just choose my little one and follow the best moments in the same location.
Here is a result:
This image really speaks to me with this lines, composition, emotions and BW conversation.
So grab your camera and experiment! Good luck!
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October is a month what comes after a really busy September (with moving house, a lot of shootings, wedding show etc.). So this time I had an opportunity a little bit relax (chillax as my husband says :) and just concentrate on lifestyle everyday moments.
I had a few exciting photo shoots with my clients / friends which Im really proud of and also get some news about my last post-wedding photo-shoot which will be published in few wedding publishers. Its always great to see when your work goes live!
So here is my monthly gallery. Enjoy it!
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What a great exhibition event we been visited at long weekend in Hamilton Gardens - Model Railway Exhibition.
Its just paradise for little kids and their parents, and for everyone with love to trains. Its hard to imagine how it all been created, set up and running all these little trains, trucks in the beautiful handmade landscapes, townships and wild nature. There was represent even snowy mountains what I just loved (as Im from Europe with freezing winters and snow all around :) ).
My kids had so much fun watching these trains, as we do as well :) I manage to take couple of pictures between enjoying everything around and watching my little ones (which are really active). Hope you enjoy it!
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Hope everyone enjoying their long weekend and I just feel like I need take a break from my intensive photography life and to relax.
Just want to share with you few everyday moments with kids. They are active and needs a lot of attention, and a little nightmares with their tantrums sometimes.
I trying to document these everyday moments and to capture our real life with all these daily routine and unexpected moments :)
Enjoy it!
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Its time for our new creativity exercise! This time we will shoot at one location, choose one subject and try to incorporate it in surrounding environment.
So make camera ready and try to shoot 5-10 shots in the same location with the same subject/subjects and try to create at least 5 different frames (angles, perspective, close or far shot, you can even use different lens for get different feeling (wide angle, portrait or tele etc.).
You can make this creativity exercise in one go or try a couple of times to get effect what you want.
For example, I shoot my daughter in the car early morning when we been in Mainly Music session, i took one shot
Then when we been back I seen her playing in the car and did series of shots to show how she love to sit in the car and play in it. Here is few more shot from different angles, perspective, points of view. Enjoy it and hope your will do your set of pictures with your kids.
Its a treasured moments, so its good to remember what they loved to do when they been so little :)
My pictures is not ideal, but they show the moment for me and really personal!
We as photographers are so used to being behind the camera and document others people's everyday life and special moments, so its a really hard task for us to be in front of the lens, and being captured in frame.
Im doing 365 project, which allow me to shoot every day and get my families lifestyle pictures, my kids, life around and include a clients sessions as well. But sometimes you just run out of theme, with no inspiration. At this moment can be great to try a new views, angles, genre, detailed shots, different lenses or come to self portraiture.
Its really not so easy. Because no one directs you and tells you what to do. Its all totally up to you and your idea how you want to see yourself, with some idea behind it. Also its not so easy to get exact focus (need to practice couple of times), good body language, everything what you need in or out of frame, ha-ha! and you need to take a lot of shots to get what you need.
Does it sounds like fun? could be, ha-ha!
There always some idea behind the self-portrait. What we want to show, what its mean for us. Do we want do direct gaze, or keep anonymity, do we want a classical portrait or to show some lifestyle moment from our life. What the story behind it?
Last time I took this self-portrait:
Story behind: Im a lifestyle photographer and a mum of two really active toddlers. So cup of tea its a special time: time for rest and relax (if no one call: Mummy!!! :) ) Also its time to think about day plans, photography business, client enquiries etc. Thats how I roll :)
Its not a perfect picture but its mine, and Im already a winner because I went in front of the camera and tried it myself.
Next step - try to capture my kids with me in the frame. Im not sure if I have any of these portraits at last months...
Hope you all will try some new experience for you! Enjoy it!
Talk to you soon!
Contact me with any questions!
FOLLOW ME:
What a beautiful day for take kids in Hamilton Zoo, especially at holidays time!
So we get up early morning (as usual) , had some breakfast and drive to the Zoo. Kids been really excited to see animals. Last time, when we visited Hamilton Gardens, they all the way been asking: Where is the animals? Is animals sleeping?
It was hard to explain to them that gardens don't have animals, just trees, flowers and some birds, ha-ha! SO this time they been happy to go to see real animals.
Lucky we took our pram for little one (2 years old), usually we not use it, but this time they both been really tired walking around the Zoo, so at some point my 3 years old share pram with his little sister, and older one, my 8-years old step-daughter, visited us on holidays, been helping with pushing pram.
We watch all around: monkeys, zebras, triggers, giraffes etc: had a picnic, play on playground, eat an ice block on the back way. Kids been just exhausted after few hours walking and activities, so I took them home to have a lunch and try to move them to sleep (not an easy task, but I will try :)
Here is some pictures what I manage to get with my active kids :)
Enjoy it!
It's time to share with you my monthly post with pictures from personal 365 project. Every month is different and brings lot of new events, emotions, fun and real life moments.
It was a busy month for me with personal and business changes: we moved from Auckland to Hamilton with family (kids just love outside area in new house, plenty of space to play), but it was an exhausting move (everyone who moved house can understand all these packing-unpacking and cleaning stuff ;)
Also there was a lot work with organise photo sessions, big wedding shoot (just love this atmosphere) and the main event for me at the end of the month Grand Wedding Show. It was really enjoyable to see all lovely brides & grooms and their families and support team, talk with other vendors and show my stall; how I feel my photography and style. Truly it was hard to turn head around set it up, we till last moment been not sure on the details. But I been really happy with results at the end. Thank you so much to my husband for help with set everything up and to my friend / photographer Sonja for helping me on the day. I really appreciate this great help, I just can't do it all by myself (no matter how strong I am, ha-ha :)
Another news - our pictures been published in New Zealand Weddings Magazine, so exciting! Its a big honour and enjoyable moments to see pictures goes live :)
I also got a new photography toy - a Lensbaby Sweet 35, and just love it! I started practicing with it in my daily life and took pictures with manual focusing, not easy, but results totally worth it! I always try to learn something new in photography, practice, progress. Its a whole world around and my study never stops :)
So here it goes - my everyday lifestyle moments with kids, clients sessions and more, enjoy it!
Contact me with any questions!
We decided to put together some of our lifestyle moments captured during last few days, which not been posted yet.
Its just usual everyday moments, but Im sure they will be treasured when we look back in few years (or maybe even few months time) and remember all these little details with children :)
Im not just a photographer but also a Mum of too little ones who made my life really full of different events, surprises coming every minute, and its not just positive ones, ha-ha :)
Kids - kids - kids :)
Contact info@levienphotography.com
Did you ever put attention to lines on the pictures?
They draw your attention to the main subject, leading in composition, frame and play a big role in photography.
You can see a horizontal, vertical or diagonal and also all mix of these types.
Creativity exercise today: Follow the lines!
Try to see different types of lines around, include them in the frame and draw attention to your main subject. Its could be leading lines in composition, horizontal/vertical/diagonal lines of surrounding objects or even body lines, arms etc. Even if you not notice lines too much, they are there. Try to incorporate all other sides of photography: watch the light, colours, composition etc. and have fun with post processing, twist the colours and create a black and white images if its speaks to you!
Look at couple of shots what I did today for this creativity exercise while my kids played at playground (when else can I find time for everyday shooting and my 365 Project :)
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Its always surprising to look back at the start of the month and see images what you took FOREVER ago. Yes, thats how its feels, and then you realised it was not a long time ago, just start of the month.
So much happening: different sessions, events, news, few commercial projects and kids around, of course :)
Here are my personal everyday moments in 365 Project. Capturing real life and emotions, remember treasure moments.
Enjoy it!
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Capturing joy is the most important part of my photography. All these emotions, happiness, connection, what else could be more important? :)
This time in my 365 Project I choose to capture my little one jumping on the bed - its so much fun and positive emotions, look at her face!
These moments are so treasured!
Little tips: try to capture full frame with scene (to show what's happening), then concentrate on the details and face and emotions at the end. This makes for a complete set. Try to use different angles and perspective.
I show you just a fast sneak peek how my little one having fun on brothers bed while he in pre-school. ha-ha :) :
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Its not a secret Im taking a 365 Project this year with ability to capture everyday moments, to get images with my kids and lifestyle moments what I will treasure forever. Its a good practice and progress for me as well. Love to looking for new creative shots, ideas and angles!
This time my little one move into the pantry, where he love to hide, climb and explore.
I captured the candid moments with him behind pantry door. Something usual and everyday became an interesting add to my 365 collection of images.
Enjoy it!
Its time for a new creativity exercise :)
This time we concentrate on capturing moments, emotions and details as well. So lets start:
grab a camera, make sure your settings good enough for capture a motion (at least 1/125 sec), good exposure, enough light coming through your lens (if its not enough you can make small aperture (around 1.8-2.8 depends what area you want to have in focus) and don't forget to set ISO (if its low light condition don't be afraid to bump it up) and last but not least - your white balance (you can use Kelvin - my usual settings at my house at day time around 5500 K, outside its varies depends from time of the day and could be around 6200 at usual day time and go up 7200-9500 closer to sunset, candles light give you around 2500 K). If you want to learn how to use the Kelvin settings just look at Kelvin chart and play with your settings at different lighting conditions and look at result (is it too blue or yellow).
I just slightly touched your settings because they are really important for get a clean picture what no need too much work in post-processing, so try to get it right in the camera :)
You made your camera ready for action and for your creativity exercise:
Take a set of the pictures around one event and try to capture a moment, emotions of subjects, concentrate on details and take a pictures what make a story. You can also just made a one shot which show all story in one frame.
I show you some examples of capturing moment: last evening when my little ones been sitting on the sofa and watching TV I tried to get in frame their connection and interaction with details shots. Its a real treasure, especially when your little ones grow up so fast.
Have fun and let me know if you have any questions info@levienphotography.com
I love spontaneous moments, adventure and travelling. Thats why I been happy when last weekend we decided to leave Auckland and drive to Tauranga for a weekend. What a fun idea!
Change atmosphere, environment, have some rest and relax after busy time and enjoy our time.
Kids been happy to stay in Omokoroa holiday park in cute cabin with playground next to it and great thermal pools what they used twice. My little ones been so excited to swim supported with daddy's hands, jump in the water and play around.
My 3-years old son mentioned to me "I want stay in this house!" Ha-ha, me too :)
But it was time to say good buy and drive back to Auckland with brakes at playgrounds, McDonalds and other fun places.
I been totally relax and have a break from shooting, just took a few pictures here and there for 365 Project. We all need to have some rest :)
Enjoy it!
Every moment with kids is a treasure. Do you want to remember how your kids sleeping, playing, making mess, having bath etc.
This time my little one grab a mermaid and while her brother was asleep at day time I decided to take her up to the bathroom so she not wake him up (yes, I even not think to move him upstairs to his bedroom for not disturb his sweet dreams, actually i tried once and it was not successful, ha-ha!)
So she had a fun time playing with mermaid in the water and I just used the opportunity to take a pictures with these everyday treasured moments. Kids will grow up at one day but I will keep these memories! :)
info@levienphotography.com
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)
