Celebrating Click Pro {New Zealand lifestyle wedding and family photographer} photography mentorship

Im so excited to share with you news about my little or big achievement. My lifestyle wedding and family photography portfolio set with 150 images was just accepted for Click Pro.

"Click Pro is a modern network of highly skilled professional photographers and independent artists. Membership to Click Pro is application based, and invitation is extended on the basis of an applicant’s portfolio evaluation.

The evaluation scale is broken into seven categories with six levels per category. Each level has a number/name explained in more detail below.

The rubric categories are:

1 — Exposure Triangle
2 — Color and White Balance
3 — Use of Light
4 — Composition and Posing
5 — Processing Cohesion and Polish
6 — Technical (focus, DOF, etc)
7 — Creativity, Expression and Intention".

As photographer and mum Im so happy to took part in this project and be in amazing community of wonderful women-photographers | artists ClickinMoms, offering support, photography education and much more.

Im over two years in this amazing community and its a big achievement to reach Click Pro Status, but at the same moment its a lot of responsibility, Im happy to help everyone in their photography journey, share everything what I know, teach | mentoring and help with personal and professional development. 

I also exciting to share my work in Daily Project.

Its exciting journey and its only beginning!

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR MENTORING SESSION}

Best of personal everyday moments in 365 Project - February 2017 {Hamilton lifestyle family photographer}

Exciting month and new events, emotions and photographs in my personal 365 project where Im documenting my everyday moments with kids | family, practice and keep going on :) February 2017 been amazing, we spend some time in Hamilton, some in Gisborne, Leigh, Auckland and surrounding areas as I been moving through busy wedding season and also spend as much time as I could with my family.

Enjoy this highlights with my active children, these natural moments are messy, beautiful and definitely worth to remember!

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR SESSION}

Im accepting limited number of family lifestyle sessions, Day in the Life, kids photo shoot, let me know if you have any questions!

Best of 365 - January {lifestyle personal project} NZ wedding photographer

I had a decision to continue participate in 365 Project third year in a row. Its a lifestyle personal everyday shooting - capturing moments with kids and family. I just been reviewing images which I took over two years ago and its such a big difference: its so exciting to see kids growing, they are not a babies anymore :)

Im not taking a commitment to everyday shootings last year 2016 its been a "mostly 365" as I been so busy that been missing some days, so this project can transform to "Project 52", so will see.. But I love to keep it and practice, grow and document my family everyday, try to find creative angles and inspiration especially at moments when you not feel as shooting, but when you push through you find yourself and your voice.

So let keep it going! :)

Enjoy these highlights of January 2017, such a busy months with 3 weddings, couples photo shoots, one of them been in such beautiful destination as Lake Taupo, NZ. Also day trips with family as one to Raglan and waterfalls. Great memories and emotions!

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR SESSION}

365 Project - 2016 {New Zealand lifestyle - wedding photographer}

Its hard to believe I keep my 365 project second year in a row { and planning keep going}! Its such a great experience, practice and progress and ability to document my lifestyle moments with kids, my family life and event around.

As a wedding photographer Im really busy, shooting mostly destination weddings and travelling around, spending some time away from my family and kids. Thats why its so treasured for me memories to see how they are grow, developing, playing, being a little nightmares and little personalities! {sometimes business take over and its really hard to balance it with family life, its familiar to any mum-photogrpaher, but I trying to separate things and do a better planning, organise it proper, which is hard, believe me!}

Enjoy these highlights for 2016. I think I will continue this journey in 2017, maybe it will be "mostly 365 project" or 52, ha-ha! :)

Contact me with any questions!

Happy New Year {New Zealand destination wedding photographer}

I would like to wish a happy New Year to all my couples | friends and followers and say a big thank you for your support in this 2016 year. It was amazing year with plenty of positive emotions, amazing couples photo shoots, gorgeous and emotional weddings and so many other events around.

I kept my "mostly 365 project" and document my family life with little ones, been travelling to different destination all around New Zealand: from Up North {Northland - Kerikeri, Paihia, Russel through Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Taupo, Wellington to South Island: Queenstown, such a magic place!}. I attended different workshop and helped with their organising as well. 

Numbers for this 2016 year:

18 Weddings shoot | 15000 km milage | 2 new cameras | 2 new lenses | 3 pairs of shoes | plenty outfits :)

Really excited about upcoming 2017 and what its brings :) Hope everyone will have a Happy New Year and lots of positive emotions! I promise beautifully capture all these emotional moments! ;)

Lets remember our beautiful 2016 weddings and couples {its so hard to choose just one photo as I loved all of them, ha-ha!}

{BOOK YOUR WEDDING}

My personal moments in 365 Project - November 2016 {NZ wedding photographer}

Its end of the month and time for my favourite insights in my personal everyday moments in 365 Project, time with my family and kids apart from wedding and couples photography. 

November brought a lot of positive emotions and travel to destination weddings in Paihia-Russel {Duke of Marlborough} and Kerikeri {Liddington Gardens}, Northland; Auckland - Waiuku Pukeoware wedding, and Waikato couples | engagement sessions in Karangahake George and Gordonton, plus much more. You can see all these galleries in our blog {some coming very soon :)}. It was amazing time, thank you so much my awesome clients for sharing so special for them moments!

Its good to have also a family time and capture some treasured memories and moments which not will be missed. Sometimes I thinking how good to be a photographer or at least have camera or phone ready to capture some lifestyle moments.

Enjoy this gallery and contact me with any questions!

Personal everyday moments - October 2016 - 365 Project {New Zealand family-wedding photography}

Hi everyone! Another months gone, really close to the end of the year now and to Christmas time {and to busy wedding season for me as well ;) }.

Im keep doing my 365 Project and capturing everyday moments with my kids and family. m happy to share these moments with you and give you a little inside view to my personal life. Yes, I have two little ones and they can be a real nightmare sometimes but at the same moment you can see so many treasured moments and relief. 

Enjoy this gallery with best moments of October 2016 in my 365 Project {its actually more not a project for me, but family storytelling and capturing treasured moments, how they grow, explore world and its also allow me to be creative, practice {experimenting} and progress in my photography journey. Photography and my family are my life!}

Need to say this month was just amazing with few engagement | couples photo shoots in Kumeu, Piha {Auckland, NZ} and Hamiton Gardens {Hamilton, New Zealand}, wedding | elopement in Tree Church {Ohaupo, Waikato} and a lot of personal shooting!

Contact me with any questions!

One little day in Tauranga - personal everyday moments {Hamilton NZ wedding photographer} 365 Project

I just realised I not shared any of my personal work lately. I still keep doing 365 Project (which transferred more into 52 Project, as sometimes I just don't had any ability to shoot, wedding season started :) As a photographer and mum I really enjoying to capture some special for me moments as this one with play light and shade black and white from recent photographs in September.

Sisters in cafe

Or just sweet simple moments - portraits as this one (something special for each mum - kids smile):

Spidergirl portrait

Back to our subject - last weekend we had the opportunity to have a little day trip out from Hamilton to Tauranga to visit our friends with their new baby and went to the Mt Maunganui beach. It was amazing time, warm enough for kids to run in the waves (lucky we always have spare clothes in car :), play with the sand and climbing up the rocks.

Of course we had cameras with us and me with my husband captured some moments around. What a great time with kids!

Enjoy this gallery!

Contact me with any questions! 

Positive Friday - Inspiration {Auckland wedding photographer}

Hi everyone! Today is a positive Friday {at least for me :) ) and its time to share with you some inspirational moments. I met a lot of awesome people while been shooting weddings around Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and pretty much all New Zealand! As a photographer and artist I feel really emotional when people sharing with me their feelings. Its understandable when we had a great experience together.

But this time I received absolutely unexpected message which made my day. This little act of inspiration was really important and come at right time as you often questioning yourself and what you are doing.

This message was sent through my website wedding inquiries and come from Angie. Hope she not mind me to share her simple words. She said: "I just wanted to say... your photography is completely gorgeous. You are incredible!"

Thats just amazing that someone look at my work and stop by to say some words of encouragement. Im really appreciate these kind words and its make me think Im on the right track ;) Its amazing sign of kindness that someone took time to contact just to say positive words.

I hope we will be saying more and more positive words to each other more often and try to help, and support. Who knows maybe person next to you really needs these words of encouragement and its a perfect timing, at least its make them feel better and maybe smile :)

Thanks again Angie! You truly made my day and motivate to think about things.

Beautiful Maria, dance photo shoot

Contact me with any questions! 

Best moments of my 365 Project: August {Hamilton-Taupo lifestyle wedding photographer}

Amazing month August, keep doing my 365 Project! Last month of the winter, end of slow season and time of preparing to the new wedding season. There was a lot of great moments with my kids and family, everyday things with my little ones, few photo sessions and some moments of relax.

Yes, I tried to catch up on the rest {planned to do it during all winter, but never had time as always been doing something, inspirational shooting, preparing packaging, USBs, ordered new equipment, getting ready for the new wedding season}. So right at the end of the month I realised I need to have at least little holidays and recharge, so we went to Taupo for a few days and visited Rotorua on the back way to Hamilton, NZ. It was a lot of fun and activities for kids with DeBretts hot water pools, visit Huka Falls, walking on Craters on the Moon with steam coming out of the ground, Skyline with luge and Lake Rotorua, Honey Hive and much more. Its hard to say that I relaxed {its almost impossible with two little ones, ha-ha!}, but at least we changed environment and enjoyed beautiful New Zealand landscapes, its just magical moments!

Hope you enjoy this lifestyle gallery with everyday moments!

Contact me with any questions!

Warmly,

Olga

Launch a new lifestyle website {Olga Levien - New Zealand photography artist}

Hi guys!

Im really excited to share with you amazing news: I just launched a new website with my name on it - Olga Levien New Zealand photographer - photography artist: www.olgalevien.com

I love my wedding photography business and my awesome couple, but as you all know Im also love lifestyle photography {taking limited number of sessions during the season} and second year keep doing 365 Project - shooting my everyday moments with family and kids, travels around New Zealand and self-portraits.

So I decided to do a big step and introduce you my lifestyle website with clients and personal work and projects. Its linked on my wedding photography work as well, so you never will be lost.

No worries, you can still see my personal work and 365 Project here, at least once a month :) Also feel free to check my personal Instagram account and business one as well :)

Feel free to browse around, just remember its a "new baby", so something still need to work on :)

Im also excited about new education part on my site - mentorship sessions and workshops for photographers {with coming up Ebooks and 2017 | 2018 Workshop for wedding photographers. So many ideas, way to go! {tell you a secret Im also working on another big project connected with weddings - stay tuned to find out shortly!}

See you all there on www.olgalevien.com!

Warmly,

Olga

{Contact me with any questions}

Follow me on Instagram {New Zealand: Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga wedding photographer}

Do you know that now you can find me and follow my wedding photography on Instagram? If you followed my personal account, now is a time for changes - I created a new business account @levienlensphotography, so you can find there my clients work from weddings around New Zealand: Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Northland etc.

If you still interested to see my lifestyle everyday moments with kids and family, some fun and different style of pictures welcome to visit my personal account @olgalevien. 

Im happy to see new people and ready to share my personal moments like my awesome clients sharing with me so special and treasured moments from their amazing wedding celebrations, Im so excited to see their families grow in years to come!

Thank you for your love and welcome to follow me!

See you on Instagram!

Contact me with any questions!

Warmly,

Olga

15 random facts about me {New Zealand lifestyle wedding photographer}

I feel its really important to connect with you, know more of your story, thats why firstly I opening for you my story and my personality. I even decided to create a special page on my website with

15 random facts about me,

New Zealand and destination lifestyle wedding photographer

• Im a peoples person and love to hug everyone (just making you aware!);
• I was born in wild and cold Siberia and then spent my life in gorgeous historical city Saint-Petersburg, Russia;
• If you travel in past You can find me in childhood sitting near the window and reading a lot of books especially classic novels, romances and fairy tales; but I also loved to play soccer with neighbours kids;
• I love FOOD from different cultures, love to try something new (my favourites are any type of cheese and Italian food, pizza's smell just magical!);
• I met my husband overseas in Europe where we spent amazing holidays (Brussels, Paris, Disneyland, Roma, Florence, Venice (with Murano, Burano, Torchino), Florence, Milano, Lake Como - oh, sweet memories!);
• I studied a lot in my life, easy enough and even earned PhD (in pedagogical science);
• I love sport, especially figure / ice skating {I started trainings when I was 25 and won a few international competitions medals after a few years of intensive trainings); 
• I have two little ones (a boy and a girl) who make my life busy, very active and interesting {never knows what each day will bring to you, ha-ha};
• I love everything with music and dance - musicals,movies, reality shows (The Voice, X-Factor etc.), I studied all types of dance - from ballet to hip-hop and found my favourite - jazz!
• I find inspiration everywhere - art, movies, music, TV, people around, sounds and smells and love to go with the flow;
• My husband is a real kiwi - relaxed and easy going man (I try to learn these skills from him, ha-ha) and we love to watch different series at our down time, if we have any :);
• I love to observe and understand people, love to bring my psychology knowledge in practice; Im a peaceful person and even in risky conflict situations try to understand other persons position;
• I love everything new and being creative; atmosphere works great to me: the wind blowing hair and clothes, rain drops around, fog etc.; also great to be at the nature and see and use in photography these stunning landscapes {lucky we are in New Zealand};
• I love to travel {my first speciality is geography}  and I did a lot of travelling especially around Europe;
• and last but not least I love to talk with new and unknown people and find out their stories, facts of their life and personality, and if I start to talk its hard to stop, ha-ha!

so get in touch with me and tell your story!

My 365 Project. May 2016 {Hamilton NZ lifestyle wedding photographer}

This month May brought colder and rainier weather and also a lot of positive moments in my 365 project - capturing lifestyle moments with kids i between shooting weddings in Hamilton NZ, Auckland and surrounding areas :)

Kids grow so fast, its just unbelievable! So treasured moments with little ones...

I shoot 2 weddings {my sweet number per month as I prefer to give my complete attention to my awesome clients and my family with two little ones :)} and I got incredible 6 sessions with returned clients {some of them done with me couples, maternity and now a newborns photo shoot!}. I am so happy to see my clients {who became friends} again and their little ones grow during the years. Its such a special for me moments! {few little newborns what I shoot last year became a big 1 year old boys and I been so glad their parents sharing with me so special moments of celebrating their so important first year! I also got a new awesome clients and spent a beautiful time at their places with lifestyle sessions around their house and capturing for them everyday moments with family. So special to document your story and these moments!

Im sharing with you my favourite lifestyle photographs during this busy month {I surprised I even manage to find time to shoot my own kids!}

Enjoy this gallery!

Contact me with any questions!

Boy on the bike track {New Zealand lifestyle photographer}

We had a beautiful place for a walk near our house - a bike track at reserve, kids just love it and I love it too! There so beautiful light coming through the trees just before the sunset.

I know, I know what you think, but Im not just a mom, Im a lifestyle wedding photographer so Im always seeking for light, locations, composition. You just see the moments and can't help yourself and just capture it. Of course if you have your camera ready :)

So here we go, fresh gallery with my 4 years old son for difference (yes, big boy now, just turned this big date, one year to go till school time! eek).

Enjoy this gallery and don't put attention on mud on his face and on the clothes, I not clone it out as its just part of the story - walking on the track just after heavy rain :)

Contact me with any questions!

New Zealand wedding photographers workshop {South Island -Queenstown-Wanaka NZ lifestyle couples-engagement photographer}

What an exciting news I received this week: Two Mann, best wedding photographers in the world, coming in New Zealand with their workshop and I had a honour to be in the limited list of talented wedding photographers from NZ, Australia and USA who will participate in this workshop in December 2016 in South Island {Queenstown-Wanaka area}.

As a professional lifestyle wedding photographer I know that learning process is endless and never stops, I am taking any opportunity on my way to learn a new skills, practice, look at photography and life from different angle and improve myself and my photography level, and get inspired.

I will be happy to share with you a review on this amazing workshop with my experience at the end of this year. I am happy to be in company of amazing Fearless photographers  with so talented people as Erika and Lanny from Two Mann Studio.

If anyone planning to be married at 2-11 December 2016 in South Island {Queenstown-Wanaka and surrounding areas} Im happy to capture your special day moments with no extra travel charge with special offer {as Im anyway will be there for workshop on 6-8 December!}, so exciting to shoot at such a picturesque and legendary place on breathtaking South Island! 

Please contact me with any questions!

One little girl and her big day {Hamilton NZ lifestyle photographer}

I want to share with you today and few lifestyle photographs from one big day of one little girl leaving in Hamilton, NZ. Yes, its my little one and I taking pictures for family storytelling and my 365 project what Im keeping up second year in a row.

Its amazing what moments, emotions and events you can capture when you just following your little one and keep camera close - ready for lifestyle moments to happen.

Sometimes images just unexpectedly happen: right moment at right time with good light and  composition :) Thats all what we need! 

Im so happy when I look back at photographs of last year 365 project and see how my little ones grow, so fast, its such a treasured memories! I just thought I need to capture how my little one love to dress up and change a few outfits during the day and only those ones what she really liked (where she took it from? Im not so fussy, believe me! ha-ha :)

Enjoy this gallery!

Contact me with any questions!

Adventures on the bike track {Hamilton NZ lifestyle wedding photographer}

My kids love to spend a lot of time on the bike track at reserve just behind our house in Hamilton, NZ (my son just learn how to ride a bike). I know, really lucky they can have a little adventures and explore areas around what they love to do!

I used the opportunity to capture these lifestyle moments in between of my wedding season :) I just love spent this treasured time with my kids and capture a family story, document our everyday moments.

Enjoy this lifestyle gallery with adventures on the bike truck! {you can see how active my little ones, hands full!} :)

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR SESSION}

My 365 Project. April 2016 {New Zealand lifestyle wedding photographer}

This year is a second one in 365 Project - everyday documenting my family lifestyle moments. Its helps me remember the treasured things, practice, progress, see light, develop editing style as Im doing it every day and apply my skills to my wedding photography.

As a couples-engagement photographer I travelling a lot and had really busy wedding season which is slow down now, but I still enjoy to find time and peace in mind for myself, slow down and capture a magic moments :)

Hope you enjoy this gallery with treasured everyday moments with my kids.

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR SESSION}

Rainbow Spring Family fun {Rotorua wedding-engagement photographer}

We spent long weekend with family by doing different fun activities {mini-golf, bike track, Waterworld and big trip to Rainbow Springs in Rotorua, NZ}. It was a great holiday trip on first free weekend almost at the end of the busy wedding season {I still have a few weddings to shoot ;), a good opportunity to spend more time with my family and kids.

This trip to Rotorua was spontaneous and we found out its only 1.5 hours from Hamilton, fast and easy {I would love to shoot some weddings this way, happy to travel :)}! Kids had a lot of fun watching a bird show, go few times on the Big Splash, play at playground and watch wildlife at night time. It was so exciting to walk around the park in the dark with some ambient light available. Kids been amazed by all this beauty around! Happy and tired went to sleep in the car on the back way home :)

So exciting trip!

Enjoy this lifestyle gallery with personal moments!

Contact me with any questions!