European holidays

If you noticed its been a bit quiet here as I just spent a few weeks in Europe - traveling and participating in ISU Adult Ice Figure Skating competitions in Oberstdorf (Germany). Perfect timing at the end of the busy season with so many weddings and sessions! I needed to change the atmoosphere! :)

It was a fun time full of positive emotions, fulfilled with beautiful connections with people, making old and new friends, supporting each other in a warm and welcoming atmosphere; connecting to the beautiful nature of Bavarian Alpine village - can you imagine cows walking on the street waking everyone up at mornings with their bells.

Place to be surrounded by gorgeous mountains!

Enjoy highlights of the trip and a few photos from the competitions! Its always fun to be creative and express yourself in a different way. I didnt had much time to take photos, so here only a few :)

Skating photos by Luca Tonegutti.

Nature and mountains: trip to Oberstdorf - Germany {personal photography}

Its been a bit quiet here lately as I being away to a short trip overseas to nature and mountains, skating and yummy food, fun and freedom in Oberstdorf, Germany. It was a breath of fresh air to finally get out of New Zealand after few years not been able to travel and do things that I love.

I went to participate in adult ice figure skating competitions that been rescheduled from 2020 and take a first time after pandemic 23-28 May 2022. It was a pleasure to meet all the amazing people, push myself in trainings and competitions {its was hard after lockdowns and not enough competitions experience, but we all pulled it out as a hero on ice}. It was important for me to come back to Europe, my homeland and feel again all this beautiful nature and breathe it all in! it feels and looks absolutely different from New Zealand. We been in a beautiful place of Bavaria, surrounded by mountains in a cosy town of Oberstdorf {you can literally walk through the city in 15-20 min from one side to another}. So beautiful and peaceful, great to recharge after all the hard work!

If you ask about competitions results - it went well {I took 4th and 7th place in a new for me category}, but mainly it was a great learning curve {learning never stops!} and great inspiration!

Enjoy a quick highlights {I did took my camera with me, but pulled it out only a few times}

By the way, if you like to push your photography to the next level, my next online workshop “Love, Light and Laughter” at Click Photo School begin 11 July, not long to go!

And just in case you would like to see couple of photos from competitions by talented Luca Tonegutti, here we go {photo proof lol}:

Best of 2018 | 2019 - family-kids personal photos {Auckland wedding engagement photographer}

BEST OF 2018/2019 {AUCKLAND FAMILY-NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHER | NEW ZEALAND WEDDING-ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHERS}

This season pass so quickly, one of the best so far! . I mostly benn shooting in Auckland {family-newborn photographer} and travel around New Zealand and beyond {to Pacific Islands, Germany, and Bali as wedding engagement photographers with my husband Matt - associate}. i would love to share with you best family, newborn photos as I already shared top wedding-engagement photos of the season.

As a photographer and mum I treasure all these special moments that fly by so fast! Enjoy highlights of this season in the gallery.

Contact me with any questions!

P.S.: Im so excited about my upcoming workshop “Love, Light & Laughter” at Click Photo School. It’s going to be amazing 4 weeks full of learning, inspiration, new friendships and personal feedback and growth. I would love to have you join!

{Contact me with any questions!}

Ice, Mountains and Passion {travel journal - Auckland wedding photographer in Oberstdorf - Germany}

I want to share with you my recent travel news, in case if you noticed how quiet lately in our Blog: I been few weeks away , in Oberstdorf, Germany, for ISU International Adult Figure Skating Competitions, at Ice, Mountains, and share the Passion with amazing people from all over the world, with love to ice skating.

It is a honour for me not only be an Auckland wedding photographer, mentor, a mum, and wife, but also continue to do my passion - figure skating, such incredible sport with passion and grace! It always been a dream to participate in international competitions of such a big rank, and Im not shy to chance my dreams and just go for it, even if I back on ice only for a one year, after almost 8 years break with having kids and building a successful wedding photography business in Hamilton and Auckland, NZ, mentoring and running multiple educational projects. Hard work did paid off!

Such incredible rewarding experience with so many new friends, with warm support and cheer!

All dreams can come true if you believe in yourself and really want it to happen.

Enjoy these highlights and chase your dreams!

{thank you for my ice skating photos to Luca Tonegutti}

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Shoot & Share Contest Results - Best photos {Auckland wedding photographer}

Im so excited to share with you recent Shoot & Share contest results {this is a truly amazing competition/awards where only audience voting for best photos}. Its such a honour for me, Auckland wedding photographer to get acknowledgement , be notices from hundred of thousands of submitted photographs.

Quick statistics:

One of my photos got 5th place from 46000 submitted in Couple/Engagement Category; 3 photos became finalists in Engagement, Lifestyle/Documentary and Travel/Landscape category; 12 photos got in top 10% in their categories and 17 photos in top 20 % in their categories. Such amazing results, a bit better then last year.

Im so grateful, thank you everyone who voted and to my awesome couple who made this results come true; also thank you to my little one, her photo got in the finalist in Documentary category.

Enjoy highlights with best photos and contact me with any questions!

5th Place - Couple/Engagement

Finalist - Couple /Engagement

Finalist - Travel / Landscape

Finalist - Lifestyle / Documentary

Hobbiton Movie Set {New Zealand wedding-family photographer - personal}

Did you ever been in Hobbiton Movie Set, one of the most famous New Zealand attraction? Im as a wedding photographer cant help myself and capture some personal images in this beautiful setting!

You may noticed how quiet its been here over last couple of weeks/months. The answer is easy, I been giving more of my time to my family before busy wedding season start rolling {I actually almost don’t have a break during this winter, such a busy time all year long}. So Im keep shooting weddings, photo shoots, but also get an opportunity to sneak out to picturesque places for a few days with my family and kids.

This time we spent couple of nights in Rotorua and visited Hamilton Gardens on the way, Was-o-Tapu Thermal wonderland, Rainbow Springs and highlight of our trip - Hobbiton movie set. Need to mentioned my mum come over to New Zealand from Russia for a first time, so good to travel around and show our amazing country with tranquil and beautiful landscapes!

Enjoy highlights of our trip in this photo gallery!

Contact me with any questions!

Everyday Moments - Family Time {Auckland lifestyle kids - newborn photographer}

You might know very well my wedding and couples | engagement work, but do you know that I also love to shoot different personal projects and document my everyday moments - family time with my little kids and also had sessions as a newborn - baby - maternity photographer {I totally  have only limited spaces available for these lifestyle sessions, as most of my time dedicated to my wedding clients and family ;) }

I decided to put together a gallery with my everyday moments during last few months, including our Zoo trip, holidays up North and daily routine.

Enjoy this highlights with my little ones!

It was amazing year and I also have such amazing news - my big educational project that I've been working on almost one year!!! goes live - "Tales of the Moment: Your Secret Formula for Picture Perfect" at Click Photo School. Check it out if you want to improve your photography, find your sweet spot! I poured all my knowledge, my heart and my soul in it!

{CONTACT ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS}

The Traveling Dress Project {Auckland lifestyle photographer}

Im so excited to share with you amazing project that I shared with 8 incredibly talented photographers from all around the world -  The Traveling Dress Collective project {we had photographers from USA, Spain, Australia and New Zealand, yours Auckland lifestyle photographer}.

Its such an exciting way to push your creativity - one dress travelling around the world and different photographers with their own eye for details and creativity need to capture this gorgeous item thinking outside the box.

I had a chance to try something that push me out of normal routine and moved in front of the camera, shooting how if feels with not much control over results. Its for sure a challenging task to be in front of the camera, but so rewarding as its truly allow you to shoot with intent and move with preview and visualisation.

Enjoy these photos from the shoot as well as other amazing photographers that I can call my friends! By the way another exciting project that are live right now is my Online Course "Tales of the Moment: Your Secret Formula for Picture Perfect" at Click Photo School. Get in now!

Olga Levien {Auckland, New Zealand}

Cindy Cavanah {Sydney, Australia}

Amber Talbert {Dallas, Texas}

Megan Tully Boggs  {Tulare, Ca}

Jyotsna Bhamidipati {Sacramento, California}

Sarah Gupta {Manhattan, New York}

Sol Sanches {Madrid, Spain}

Angie Manns {Ashland, Missouri}

Holly Nicole {Imlay City, Michigan}

{CONTACT ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS}

Rangefinder Contest Winner {Auckland - New Zealand lifestyle wedding-family photographer}

I have amazing news: my personal project photo just won a Rangefinder Contest - first place in Children category!

You might know already I not only a wedding photographer, but also mum of two active little ones and often enjoying take a family photos. It is truly rewarding experience and allow me to remember different moments of my kids life and practice in photography, allow to show my Voice and artistic vision. Its a great honour to get amazing recognition from photographers not only in Auckland, New Zealand but all over the word!

So thrilled to be in the row with such a talented photographers and been publish in such prestigious publication as Rangefinder {New York, USA}.

I appreciate this attention to my work and recognition! Thank you so much for all kind words!

Another amazing news, this photo just been published in Click Magazine as well {check their latest issue!}. Can't be more pleased with this! My advice to all photographers - Don't be afraid to put your work out there, it eventually paid off !

News: We are back in Auckland! {New Zealand wedding photographers}

Hi everyone! You might be noticed it been quieter during last few days. The reason is - we have fantastic news - we are back in Auckland. Yes, as wedding photographers we are travelling all around New Zealand and beyond with destination weddings overseas, but most of our work and family is based in Auckland.

Hamilton has been kind to us during last two years - great community, everything handy, no much traffic :) But everything pushed us back in Auckland where our photography journey started.

We are still live on the boxes, such a hard job packing and unpacking, with next wedding shooting just in one day and meetings with awesome potential clients almost every day, it's been challenging, but hopefully will be rewarding too.

Our little ones happy to explore a new place and they got something new - a big bunk bed. What else can you wish for Christmas :) 

Looks like a community in Hobsonville, West Auckland is terrific too. Double bonus we not far from the great wedding venues in Kumeu and around the Rodney area, travel to Matakana or South Auckland not take much time either. Short stroll to North Shore or Auckland City as well.

Hopefully, dreams come true, but who knows where destiny line will move us next {it seems like two years living in each place is our tradition now :)

Excited to connect with more awesome clients up this way, in Auckland, Northland and all around New Zealand!

Warmly,

Olga & Matt

P.S.: Picture for attention with Jenna & Brodie on Raglan Beach. We truly appreciate all the opportunities that we got in Waikato with such amazing couples, nature and short drive to Tauranga, Rotorua and Taupo

Jenna & Brodie

P.S.: To my lovely brides | couples - please hold on, we will do our best to deliver all wedding galleries in time {but there apparently been a few days out of office time when I physically can't do any editing work}.

Contact us with any questions!

My everyday personal moments in 365 Project - October {Hamilton - Waikato family-wedding photographer}

Excited to share with you my recent photos - everyday personal candid moments with kids and family in 365 Project around Hamilton, Waikato and Auckland. Kids had lots of fun in October, such a great mont. For me as a mum and wedding photographer its such a treasured moments, they allow me to remember milestones in kids journey and development and also practice and progress with my photography, always have camera ready for moment to happen!

Also big news of the month - we done our first in 5 years!!! family photo shoot with Anne Paar {Anne Paar Photography} in Raglan beach, it was exciting experience {of course kids been running wild with a true freedom spirit, but we are expected it! Our photographer been full of patience! Thank you Anne for this sneak peek!

Anne Paar Photography

Enjoy these lifestyle everyday moments and let me know if you have any questions!

{BOOK YOUR SESSION}

Monthly Newsletter - Wedding planning and Inspiration {Auckland weddings photographer}

Hello, friends!

Do you know you can receive all News and Updates first in our Monthly Newsletter - Wedding Planning and Inspiration {Auckland wedding photographers - Levien & Lens Photography}.

We try to keep you on track of all our events, photo shoots, Blog posts, engagement, and weddings sneak peeks, new Instagram and Facebook feed, Publication | Awards in prestigious Blogs and Magazines, peek in my personal life and much more. You can just get a feel of our work, plan your wedding or enjoy our imaginary after your event already done.

We love to keep in touch with our clients | friends and wedding vendors. I amazed by the amount of response I get after each Newsletter went live, it's so lovely to keep communicating with my audience.

Hit Submit button below or fill the form on our Contact page and receive Monthly updates {you know you can always unsubscribe from newsletters, just in case, so you know as I receiving so many notifications from everywhere I registered or shopped around, so I try not to forget to unsubscribe from junk emails {its not about my Newsletter though, ha-ha}

Contact me know if you have any questions!

Personal everyday moments - September 2017 {Hamilton-Waikato family photographer}

Time goes so fast, but there always some moments what worth to remember, everyday personal moments with family and kids.

I pull out some photographs about our life and memories in Hamilton, Waikato. Enjoy these everyday highlights and see how active my little ones:

Contact me with any questions!

My everyday moments August 2017 - 365 {Hamilton Waikato family - wedding photographer}

Winter has flown by so fast; it's hard to believe Spring time is coming, warmer and sunnier weather on the way!  Another month with my 365 Project {third year in a row}.  August has brought some amazing moments.  We spent some time away from Hamilton, Waikato and stayed at Omokoroa holiday park with hot pools for the weekend.  The kids had so much fun!  I have also been sick for almost three weeks (exact time in between of my weddings - engagement work), I guess my body just felt like it needed to have a rest, which almost impossible with two little ones!  Our everyday moments have been documented all month long, and you can have a look at this final gallery, with some highlights capturing all our moving and messy moments.

Enjoy these photographs and contact me with any questions!

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My everyday moments July 2017 - 365 project {Hamilton, Waikato lifestyle wedding photographer}

Hi there! Its time for our monthly update on my kids, just joking. Its my monthly shares of 365 Project, my shooting time in between of weddings and engagement session of everyday moments with family and kids. We been doing day trips for school holidays around Rotorua, Auckland and most of the time just stayed in Hamilton, Waikato, NZ. 

Enjoy this month July 2017 highlights. Let me know if you have any questions about my lifestyle family or wedding photography.

Contact me with any questions!

Everyday moment - June 2017 {Hamilton Waikato wedding photographer}

Winter time is coming and we are having a blast here in Hamilton {Waikato, NZ}, more time to spend with kids and family and capture everyday moments, who else can do it as not mum-photographer {my kids probably already had enough of my camera, but they still really enjoying to see their baby images come up o Facebook, so cute to see how they grow}.

June was amazing month, we had some time off shooting weddings as its off wedding season in New Zealand, but there still so much things to do, we are heading to exciting changes, watch this space for more info.

Enjoy these documentary everyday moments in 365 Project and let me know if you have any questions!

x Warmly,

Olga

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My 365 Everyday moments - May 2017 {Hamilton lifestyle wedding photographer}

Hi everyone! Wedding season in new Zealand is coming to the end and i been crazy busy to catch up on editing and other things but manage to get a few images with my personal lifestyle everyday moments with kids and family for my "mostly 365 Project" :) 

Enjoy this gallery with my everyday moments in May 2017 around Hamilton, Auckland {ClickinWalk at Muriwai Beach and surroundings:

Contact me with any questions!

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ClickinWalk 2017 - Muriwai beach Auckland {New Zealand lifestyle photographer}

Im second year in a row took part in international ClickinWalk and helped to organised it in Auckland, New Zealand. We been doing it in Wynyard Quarter last year, check Clickinwalk 2016.

This time we decided to make it more challenging and head over to Muriwai beach {Auckland, New Zealand} for shooting more landscape photography just before the sunset {funny enough we still tend to put people in the shot, to make a point of interest :) hard to give up what we use to}. It was a great opportunity to enjoy surroundings, breath in and try some technics as double exposure, camera painting with slow shutter speed, freelensing and more. We also talk about photogprahy, how to became a ClcikPro photogpraher and even thought about organising CM camp in New Zealand. Fingers crossed!

It was amazing walking, talking and evening at Riverhead Tavern with amazing women-photogprahers, ClickinMoms. Look forward to next year and more challenges and inspiration to try something new on another walk and talk.

Enjoy these highlights in unusual for me genre, but its make life more interesting! :) Highly recommend to everyone to change the routine and try something new and unexpected!

Contact me with any questions!

Everyday moments - April - 365 Project {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga lifestyle wedding photographer}

Amazing month April, keep going third year in a row capturing my personal everyday moments with kids and family. Such amazing time together on playgrounds, mini-golf, cafe, museum and home.

One of my April images been featured in LooksLikeFilm, yay! :)

Enjoy these highlights - images with so different moments and emotions around Hamilton NZ, Auckland, Rotorua,Tauranga and other areas where we had day trips {and just remember - my boy turned 5 years old, such a big date, we spent this time celebrating his birthday in Rainbow Springs and Agrodom, great memories!}:

Contact me with any questions!

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Best of March 2017 in 365 personal project {Auckland-Hamilton-Tauranga wedding-family photographer}

Hi everyone! I just want to share with you some highlights - best images during March 2017 in 365 personal project, photos taken in Auckland, Hamilton NZ and Tauranga areas of New Zealand. Between my busy wedding photography season such a pleasure to capture some lifestyle family moments with kids, such a treasured memories!

Now when I became a Click Pro at Click and Co you can find my everyday moments in Daily Project.

Enjoy these highlights of my personal 365 project and contact me with any questions!

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