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!

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

Contact me with any questions!

{BOOK YOUR SESSION}

Hello!

Here we start our series with tips 'How to take best shot (picture) ..."

So moving subjects - running playing kids, dancing people, sport competition, airplanes, trained, cars etc...

Its could be a little bit tricky. But with knowing few simple tips all became easier!

1. Shutter Speed. For catch the moment, fix move you need fast shutter speed (minimum 1/250, better faster, depends of light conditions. If you want your pictures been a little more blurry with showing slow move you could make shutter speed slower (around 1/60 or so, try change and see whats happened with picture.

If lights conditions (inside) not allow you have fast shutter speed put down aperture (2, 2.8 etc) and ISO up (at some competitions I use ISO 400)

2, Continuos focusing. Great thing what modern cameras can do - focusing continuously (A-C mode in Nikon). So you focus, take a shot, keep finger on focusing button fast take another shot and you camera keep follow subject, so you not lost all these beautiful move, or fast running child :)

3. Think before. If you doing dance shot or figure skating (what i love to do), you need learn the subject, know exactly what gonna happened in next moment for take you brilliant shot. If I doing ice skating shoot I know what next - is it spey for jump, or entrance to spin, or beautiful spiral (so i not continuously taking shots, I know exactly what the best moment for show this beauty :) So think ahed, learn you subject move, and take a shot!

4. Subject fix, background blurry. That shot you can get with camera following the subject the same rhythm. So object moving, you move camera parallel to him, and then boom...shot you moment.

5. Show flow. If you want show flow water (waterfall, river, etc) or lights, or other long term moving subjects you can you really slow shutter speed - like few seconds or even more. You could practice in dark room - put camera on 10 sec shutter speed and move light on the wall (crow some picture or word, or shape_ - and camera easy fix all your artwork. You could practice near waterfall (start from few seconds shutter speed and then change and see whats happen with picture. Main advice- use tripod or stable surface, so you not get shaky hands and shaky pictures :)

Thats the main advices. If you know more, leave a comment please, or ask question!

And practice-practice-practice!!!