Beauty of Beach maternity {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga lifestyle wedding-couples-engagement photographer}

Maternity photography is so special: expecting a little miracle, feeling all the beauty of these moments. It's so exciting! I'm specialise in lifestyle wedding photography and always happy when my couples come back to me asking to do for them maternity or newborn | kids photo shoot, it's so treasured moments and a big pleasure for me :).

Last weekend we spent with my last year awesome couples clients - Olga and Martin and their 3 years old daughter Maddy. They expecting second baby girl and decided to remember these special moments. The session took place on Kariotahi beach, Auckland. Olga been brave enough to move into the wild waves on the beach after some family shots.

Sunset was so beautiful and pictures turned just amazing!

Enjoy this gallery!

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Wedding workflow {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga lifestyle couples-engagement photographer}

Im a really organised person, love to create different todo lists, put together items in logical order and create a workflow. Today I decided to share with you my wedding photography workflow. Im as a lifestyle wedding photographer travel a lot around Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga areas, sometimes even up North or down South and its important to keep on track with all events and clients | vendors.

A lot of people who are really far from photography business can think that our work as photographers just arrive on location, shoot event and right away deliver the images (believe me I thought that too before joined amazing world of photography), but its so much more! 

Shooting a wedding day can take usually between 5 and 12 hours depends on quantity of events and locations, but pre-wedding process and post wedding production can take weeks and even months! Usually I spend on each wedding at least 80 hours work and even more.

wedding workflow - photography tips {Auckland wedding photographers}

Let see my usual workflow (Im not going to put down quantity of hours | time spend on each item, its easy to guess :)

1. answer for enquiry, follow up

2. organise meeting for discuss wedding details an see if we on the same page

3. create and send quote, contract, questionnaire, invoice. Sometimes send a reminder {in 17 hats - management software}

4. answer for all following questions,

5. contact clients few months before the wedding day, organise an engagement | pre-wedding session (do all session workflow including choose and scout location, shooting, post-processing, deliver the gallery, blogging etc.)

engagement - couples photo shoot {New Zealand wedding photographer}

6. contact clients one month before the wedding, send an invoice reminder for final payment, questionnaire

7. organise pre-wedding consultation | meeting, go over all details again {online or via the phone}

8. scout wedding location

9. check last minute changes one week before the wedding

10. prepare equipment, all addresses, directions to location, contact creative team | all vendors

bride getting ready {New Zealand wedding photographer}

11. shooting wedding according the timeline and any unexpected changes / delays with first dance, cake cutting etc.

12. copy all files, back-up files at the end of the day {Im using two external drives and online Amazine Drive storage to be absolutely secure}

13. culling (choosing best images) - sometimes I move through images twice, as second time allow me to look at images with fresh eye

14. post-processing | retouching images

15. post sneak peek on Facebook or email

wedding photography New Zealand | destination wedding photogpraher

16. download images in online gallery and USB stick

17. organise prints | products

18. send to a client letter with link on online gallery (3-4 weeks after wedding day)

19. post USB stick with high resolution files + web quality images and prints | products

20. back up final galleries

21. write and publish a blog post with best images from the wedding day

Auckland wedding photogpraher

22. choose best images for portfolio and publications

23. send a gallery link to all creative team

24. submit the gallery for publications, keep on track with publishers (i love to share my images, because Im really happy with results)

25. submit best images for various awards | contests (thats motivate me to do more, progress and move forward :).

26. post wedding results on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media etc.

Im sure its not a full list, probably I forgot some other little details :) But hope you get an idea about how much work involve into the weddings and I love this work :)

wedding photographer Auckland - Hamilton - Tauranga NZ

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Happy one year anniversary {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga lifestyle wedding photographer}

I been really surprised to know on last weekend Maria & Ben's wedding that they knew my last year wedding clients Toni & Eddy and one of the groomsmen was Eddy's cousin.

Toni & Eddy just celebrated their one year anniversary (28 February). I'm so thrilled to captured their wedding and been reminded about it at my last wedding.

Their little girl turned 5 years old right on the Maria & Ben's wedding day, congratulations guys!

Happy future together and happy one year anniversary! I remember your wedding with so warm feelings!

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Nana's 90 {Auckland-Hamilton-Morrinsville event-wedding photographer}

Some events are so special! I love to shoot weddings and travel a lot around Auckland-Hamilton areas. Last weekend I been capturing different event - 90th Nana's birthday party at the farm near Morrinsville. I been happy to see this family second time (I captured Lisa's 21st at the same location last year), with Nana, her children, grandchildren and much more :)

What a special memories for this amazing family! There was special warm atmosphere, Nana so proud of all her family! Is so great to be surrounded by so many loving family members.

Enjoy this gallery!

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International wedding award by Lemonade and Lenses {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga lifestyle couples-engagement photographer}

Im so excited to share with you amazing news: my image won the First place in wedding category "Winter 2016" international contest by Lemonade and Lenses magazine. Im so honoured to be in great company of talented photographers from around the world.
Olga & Zydon's wedding was just amazing! Thank you so much guys for sharing with me your special moments!

Now I can call myself multi-award winning wedding photographer, ha-ha, just joking :) But Im really happy that something what I really love get acknowledgement, especially in world photography community.

Olga & Zydon

Olga & Zydon

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17hats for wedding photographers {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga lifestyle couples-engagement photography}

Sometimes having a wedding photography business can be overwhelming: contacts from wedding couples, enquiries, keeping on track with current clients, meetings around Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga areas, organise workflow, contacts with other photographers and vendors etc. Thats why I decided to share with you how 17hats made my life so much easier. Truly amazing transformation! :)

17hats for wedding photographers {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga lifestyle couples-engagement photography}

1. all my clients base in one place (contacts, emails, phone numbers, addresses);

2. ability to organise different projects for each client;

3. online documentation (life saver!) - quotes, contracts, invoices, wedding questionnaires in one place with ability to create a template;

4. email tracking (you can answer for emails right from 17hats :)

5. todo list | calendar (you can put different events and tasks in the calendar and have a reminder each day);

6. ability to create a workflow and apply it to certain project (I have over 15 todo tasks for each project including contact, meeting with clients, send questionnaire, scout wedding location, prepare equipment, send an invoice, check last minute changes in wedding day timeline, check address, get directions, post a sneak peek on Facebook, send link on online wedding gallery, post USB and print | products etc). You see its a lot to remember and can be hard to keep on track with few weddings in a row and future (next year) enquiries :)

7. bookkeeping (I just love the ability to connect business account to 17hats and categorise all income and spends, my accountant loves it too :)

8. ability to send clients galleries etc.

Im sure there a lot of other opportunities what I still need to discover. I just can tell you 17hats became a game changer for me during last few months what Im using it and Im happy with everything.

I need to mention there another systems for clients bases and keep on track as Pixifi, Tave etc. Im sure people who are using them happy with everything. So its just matter to try and find out what interface suits you the best.

Hope this blog post will be useful for my friends photographers, as I see a lot of discussions and questions in local photographers groups about how to keep all documentation and track clients base etc.

Contact me with any questions! I like open book and happy to help :)

Ataahua Garden Venue {Tauranga-Payes Pa wedding-couples-engagement photographer}

Wedding location have a huge influence on wedding day atmosphere and feelings. One of the best wedding venue what I been recently shooting in Tauranga was Ataahua Garden Venue on Payes Pa Road. 

What a beautiful place to be married! (and believe me as wedding photographer I been shooting weddings in a lot of different magical spots around New Zealand, but Ataahua have so much to offer to every wedding couple:

- warm atmosphere

- great stuff and service (smiley women met me on wedding day right at parking entrance and politely show the way around, everyone in the venue was friendly, helpful - brought snacks in basket for couple on location shoot, it was so helpful!)

- amazing garden area with beautiful fountain, fireplace in front of bride and groom on the ceremony, arches, metal gates, greenery walls, and much more, hard to describe all the details!)

- beautiful views and tall trees around (light just magic way move through them and creating so stunning pictures, its so important on couples and bridal party location shoot)

- its not enough words to describe each detail what make this location so stunning. If you planning the wedding in 2016-2017 around Tauranga area just visit this stunning place and contact me, I will be happy to have the opportunity to capture your beautiful wedding in this stunning garden venue!

Enjoy this gallery!

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North Head {Auckland lifestyle wedding photographer}

North Head is a very interesting place to visit. Located in Devonport, Auckland big historic reserve with beautiful views on Auckland city, Rangitoto Island, Waiheke Island and surroundings. There also some tunnels what been build during World War II.

We used the opportunity to visit this site with family last weekend in North Shore (Auckland) and kids had chance explore around, go to tunnels with torches and had freedom to run around :)

I captured some lifestyle moments and beautiful views. 

Interesting I been contacted the same day about couples photo shoot prior the wedding on North head. Sounds like a destiny, place to be :)

Enjoy this gallery!

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Sweet 1 year boy birthday party {Hamilton event photographer}

Lincoln just a perfect baby boy, I been happy to capture his one year birthday party in Hamilton. What a special event for his parents and their close friends.

Its always feels so special to celebrate kids first year in this world, they grow so fast (first you counting days from their birth, then weeks, month and years finally :) Its such a treasured moments!

We spent a great time at birthday boy's house on first day where family's friends joined the celebration and in "Good George" pub on another day. It was amazing atmosphere! I been happy to capture lifestyle moments on this event and some portraits with Linconl's family and their Taiwan and Kiwi friends with their babies and toddlers ;)

Enjoy this gallery!

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My 365 Project - February {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga wedding photographer}

February was a second month of 365 Project and its second year as well. It was a great month full of positive emotions.

I finally had a chance to have a short family holidays in Tauranga in between of busy wedding season with shooting weddings and lifestyle sessions in Auckland and Hamilton. I been happy to catch up with my awesome wedding clients who planning their wedding in 2017 (some of them even one and a half year in advance! thats a great timing). Its always pity to get inquiries for the same date, so my advice to book your venue and photographer right after engagement and move it out of the way :)

Back to my lifestyle everyday moments with family and kids (they grow up so fast!).

Enjoy this gallery with best photographs captured for 365 Project in February:

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Second photographer on wedding day {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga lifestyle couples-engagement photographer}

I have a lot of questions from my couples about second photographer on their wedding, do they need it, what coverage better to order and what actually the point to have a second shooter on wedding day?

Im shooting weddings around Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and surroundings areas and can tell a lot of times I can cover wedding all by myself with all my activity, creativity, fast move around the space and try to capture all important for couple moments :).

But sometimes its just not enough, especially when you need a full day coverage, you having a big wedding with a lot of guests and events. So second photographer can capture:

  • groom getting ready when main shooter capturing bride getting ready on different location,
  • ceremony from different angles and sides (one photographer shoot bride with her father walking down the aisle, another photographer groom's reactions and even tears in their eyes, thats a priceless moments),
  • one photographer doing bridal party shots and intimate session, another one shooting them  from different angle with different focal length of the lens or doing receptions details shots and wedding guests candid shots (schedule always running late and often bride and groom enter the reception with main photographer when guests already took their places (so there is no time to capture all these beautiful details of decoration, cake etc.).

Don't forget a peoples factor: everyone can miss the moment, be tired, and just be in a different spot when something important happening. Thats why the ability to have a second shooter can save the day. I can also tell you a secret: everyone love to have a buddy at work so you feel less tired, more inspired and less stressful, wedding can be a hectic event :)

So its totally your personal choice, but I highly recommend to have a second photographer on wedding day (most of our packages offering it).

Im also like to help out other talented photographers in Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga areas with shooting their weddings and be a part of couples special day, take of responsibilities of main shooter, don't waste the time on post-processing and enjoy creativity and fun of the day (if I have any free spots in my busy schedule, of course ;).

Have a look at these few images what I took as second shooter with Erica Jane for Kelly Oliver in Ataahua Garden Venue, enjoy this gallery!

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Lake Rotoroa playground {Hamilton lifestyle family-kids photographer} personal moments

It was a good morning and we had a great idea to drive with family and kids to Lake Rotoroa playground in Hamilton.

Its such a great place full of fun for children all ages. I really like to have an opportunity to have relaxable time with kids with picturesque views to the lake.

There also a great channels with water. My little one love to walk around there and move into the water. I captured some lifestyle personal moments at this great playground. Look forward to have there fun next time with picnic as well :)

Enjoy these photographs!

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Family fun with kids - personal lifestyle moments {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga wedding photographer}

Sometimes its really good to just relax and to have family fun with kids. Last evening we took kids out to Te Rapa playground  near shopping centre {Hamilton} and kids been happy to run around near closed shops and even found some trolley, what they decided to ride.

Do you think its hard to shoot weddings? These two little ones making my life really busy, hands full, more hectic then on wedding day, ha-ha :)

I captured some lifestyle personal moments and their freedom to discover and do things what they feel like to do, it's such a treasured moments!

Enjoy this lifestyle gallery with my family personal moments (few last images taken by my husband :)! It was our 4 years anniversary by the way :)

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Whangaparaoa beach birthday party {Event-family-kids photographer Auckland-Hamilton NZ}

I love to shoot weddings, but also happy to capture all other special events - treasured moments for each family - newborn, kids, birthday parties. I drove to Whangaparaoa {Auckland} few weeks ago to capture a beautiful 1 year old boy's birthday party.

This trip from Hamilton to Auckland was special for me because just half year ago I been doing this gorgeous boy 6 month baby lifestyle photo shoot at Lake Tarawera {Rotorua}. I love to travel to clients sessions around the North and South Island and capture treasured for them moments. Sometimes clients want to keep pictures private and I absolutely respect their privacy (it's a personal choice), but I always excited to share some pictures from session for give everyone a feel of my style and how I love to shoot. This time I had permission to share a few pictures with you, what Im doing right away :)

We captured some beach family pictures before the party and then joined big family celebration with so warm and enjoyable atmosphere!

Enjoy a few pictures from this Whangaparaoa beach birthday party!

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Groom Getting ready {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga wedding-couples-engagement photographer}

Getting ready moments is a most interesting and special time of each wedding. Im usually capturing a lot of bride getting ready moments during weddings in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and surroundings areas. 

It's really important for couple to have a complete story of their wedding day: from getting ready till reception. I found this moments really special and full of fun, romance and some thoughts and wisdom atmosphere.

It's lucky when I have a complete story of the wedding day with capturing both - bride and groom getting ready moments, because groom often stays behind the scene as bride have her priority place, ha-ha!

Here is a few pictures from my recent wedding which shows the spirit of groom getting ready moments. Groom and groomsmen, relax atmosphere, details shots with environment, atmosphere, suits, rings, shoes, tie etc.: moment of putting suits on, father or groomsmen helping, pictures with groom's family (they so important on wedding day!).

Sometimes I have time to shoot groom in between of bride getting ready when they staying in the same location, but I am also love to help out other wedding photographers and do second shooting work, when I able to shoot groom and his groomsmen getting ready for a longer time before the wedding ceremony, it's such a fun moments! 

Enjoy this gallery!

Contact me with any questions!

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Timeless photographs {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga lifestyle wedding-family photographer}

Sometimes photographs what you captured have some timeless feeling. You don't know why but they deeply speaks to you as photographer. Its can be a colour or shape, emotion or atmosphere, lines or composition, or something else what hard to describe. I found out black and white images often feels stronger connect to what I want to see in the my art.

Im doing my 365 Project and capture everyday lifestyle moments with my family and kids. Its a family storytelling in between of wedding photo shoots around Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga areas :) This part of my personal photography projects is really important to me.

This time I captured how kids had fun after pre-school colouring on the concrete drive way. They enjoyed it and I used the opportunity to capture these moments with my Lensbaby, which gave the opportunity to be more creative and get really interesting shots with timeless feeling to them. Its not so easy to get right focus (there absolutely manual control), but its let you to feel the camera and lens and get some retro and timeless feeling to it what I really love! :)

Enjoy this gallery with my little ones!

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Bride getting ready {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga lifestyle wedding-couples-engagement photographer}

One of the most exciting part of the wedding day for me is bride getting ready - it's start of the day, start of wedding story and I also love to capture lifestyle moments behind the scene :) Im doing weddings around Auckland, Hamilton and surrounding areas and most of the time couples want to capture these special getting ready moments for complete the story of their wedding day.

Bride with her bridesmaids having fun, laughing, eating their breakfast, relaxing after late night :) Capturing lifestyle moments around and some portraits before putting dresses on. Details: veil, dress, rings, jewellery, other accessories, shoes - all items what been thoughtfully chosen with love for wedding day. 

Then time for putting dress on, bridesmaids or bride's mother taking big part in helping the bride, its so special atmosphere!

Bride along portraits and capture moments with bridesmaids. Its usually one of the most beautiful portraits from the wedding day!

Then rush, pick up all items and move towards the car for meet groom on ceremony site, so exciting moments.

Enjoy this gallery from my recent weddings around Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and surroundings areas. Im so in love with my beautiful stunning brides!

DOMINIQUE

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Family holidays in Tauranga {Auckland-Waikato-Bay of Plenty lifestyle wedding photographer}

Its been a happy family holidays in Tauranga (Bay of Plenty) last weekend. We been waiting for these moments from Christmas time because of busy summer wedding season (I been shooting a lot of weddings in Auckland, Waikato around December-January time).

So it was a real treasure to move into the hotel with swimming pool, take kids to the beach, have fun at Memorial park in Tauranga and just try to relax, what not so easy to do with two little ones around :)

I still been doing some work, catch up with my awesome wedding clients in Tauranga: two meetings during one weekend, but thats me, work is never stops, especially my one where you need be on track 24 | 7 :)

I had the opportunity to capture some lifestyle moments around when had feeling I need take this shot because of beauty around, light or just memorable family moments :)

Enjoy this gallery from our family holidays in Tauranga!

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Kariotahi Beach wedding feature Be Minked {Auckland couples-engagement photographer}

Its such a great pleasure to see my photographs published by Be Minked, international wedding magazine. This beautiful wedding in Castaways, Kariotahi beach {Auckland} was so memorable with full of fun and positive emotions atmosphere.

Juliette & Jonny such a stunning couple, their photographs deserves to be featured and goes live around the world!

Thank you so much! Happy future together!

Contact me with any questions!

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Ataahua Wedding {Tauranga-Bay of Plenty couples-engagement photographer} Jessica and Jason

Some weddings just feels so special, couple looks stunning and wedding venue just gorgeous. Thats what I been capture at Ataahua Garden Venue in Tauranga {Bay of Plenty region} in January. It was amazing wedding from start to finish with so enjoyable moments in beautiful environment.

Jessica & Jason are a stunning couple, pictures turned just amazing. Im always in love with my beautiful brides! All these come together: beauty, hair style, make-up, dress, long veil and of course happiness! :)

Im so happy to capture these special for couple moments in Ataahua Garden Venue in Tauranga, amazing location, atmosphere, warm family and friends around bride and groom.

Thank you Kelly for take me on board, I been happy to help out at short notice and capture these beautiful couple's wedding day moments as second photographer with Erica Jane.

Enjoy this gallery!

Contact me with any questions!

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