My 365 Project - July 2016 {Hamilton lifestyle wedding photographer}

Middle of the year - july come with relax atmosphere at its a quiet wedding season and I have time to reflect, prepare to next weddings season, look back at last season, so some inspiration shoots and of course continue capture my everyday moments with family. 

We had 2 big dates this month - 5 years anniversary from our first meeting with my husband {we met overseas in Brussels, Europe} - time goes really fast! and my little one princess turned 3 years old! What a big date. Kids grow so fast. Now she more independent, know what she wants and loves {as kittens, dancing and singing}.

There was a lot of beautiful and emotional moments. I been practicing in self-portrature and show my emotions. We even set up a selfie - photo shoot with my husband, it was a mess, we have no idea what we are doing and I totally understand my wedding couples who need a little bit direction {its not so easy if you cant see yourself from the side :) You can see some of our results in this gallery!

{also note: Don't be surprised with different colours! I tried to show emotions and feeling through the colour choice at editing of my personal work. Im not using a strong colours at clients work as weddings have different atmosphere and emotions, but maybe I will apply new techniques at some parts of the wedding day :) }

Contact me with any questions!

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Light and lifestyle {New Zealand wedding-engagement photographer}

As all photographers {especially wedding-engagement ones ;)} I love the light, and can't help myself when I see the beautiful light coming through the trees {at our family walk at reserve not far from our house}.

This time we took kids on the bike truck and they had a lot of fun running around and riding bike {my older boy who is turning 4! this week first time been riding bike with 2 wheels and he just confident jump into it without any trouble at all, been so happy}. My smaller one loved to have freedom, lay on the grass and enjoy herself :)

I used the opportunity to grab camera fast and capture a few lifestyle moments with kids.

Enjoy this gallery!

Contact me with any questions!

Commercial photography Auckland | Pictures for website

What could be better playing with toys? Having a photo shoot with a lot of toys! :)

So many cute little things what can make kids and their parents so happy. Thats what I done last Saturday - had a commercial photo shoot for Pioneer Wooden Toys. Pictures turned out just amazing! 

I was so happy to see them live on their Facebook page straight away: little wooden furniture, bed set, living room, kitchen etc Also big trucks, cars, rocking chair, riding truck, real kid size ironing board, washing line and much more. Kids were so happy to play around all these toys! My little models: William and Anna-Bella did a wonderful job just by having fun with these little treasures while I been shooting around.

What a fun time! Enjoy this pictures.

Please let me know if your interested in taking pictures for your website, blog, head shots for your company or social media. I would love to help!

Contact me with any questions!

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Everyday moments. Kids in the air. Lifestyle photography Auckland

We every day take kids to playground where they playing, running, sliding etc.

And a little bit climbing too. So I took my camera and captured these moments in the air. Just love to move back to them when my kids grow up and I will miss all these little cute moments.

So don't forget to take a pictures with your kids and other things what you want to remember!

Love this back light:

kids photo

children pictures

loving light

light

Lifestyle photography

One little girl and a Big hat. Lifestyle children photography

I just want to share with you my everyday moments with kids. Its great to capture all these little moments what we will treasure in future when kids grow up. Sometimes its really handy to have a camera beside.

I been with kids at playgroup today and did some shots with their play and craft.

Brother and sister

But then my daughter found big hat, and I just follow her with camera (lucky I had it with me) :) Its looks so gorgeous and cute! I just can't help myself :) So here big picture share. I like this old style retro feeling what give us these pictures:

Its shows how many interesting moments you could capture for shot moment with kids :) Just have camera ready :)

Lifestyle photography

Kids Portrait

Something old and something new. Everyday moments. Lifestyle photographer

My mum send to me an old preschool album and shoes. It was really unexpected surprise - parcel from Saint-Peterburg (Russia).

 I decided took picture for my 365 Project for memory and .... 2 little one come at this moment and started have own fun! They watch the album, explore all around and climbed on the table. Yes, Thats my everyday moments! No any quiet and restful second with kids, but so much mess and fun! All days so different and full of surprises (Im not open you all, you explore yourself with your kids - surprise-surprise!!! :)

Here our 2 minutes with OLD album and NEW for kids items and emotions:

Lifestyle photography

Location. Location. Location! Place for photo shoot. Family photography

Good photographer could do a great job in any place and location, work with different lighting situation, composition, landscape etc. But its really important question for you - what location to choose, what best suits your personality, your style and photo session ideas?

Place for photo shoot can have a great influence for picture atmosphere. Look at this picture. Girls walking forward something. If we have it in usual place (road, grass field) its could be a usual picture. But look at this background - beautiful beach, sand, water, hill, rocks, moody atmosphere. And everything just looks so magic and unreal, what a gorgeous atmosphere! 

Location - Location - Location!!!

So lets talk about photo shoot locations! what the options we have? Here list some obvious places what you could choose:

1. Your house and garden/ back yard. Did you ever consider to take a pictures around your place? You could always find nice spots around and be in familiar place, what sometimes really important, especially with newborn, kids, family photo shoots, head shots etc. 

Here some snapshots from our dance photo shoot around the house :) 

and newborn and family sessions

Nature- is one of the best option for photo shoot. Freedom, natural environment, beauty around, natural light

2. Park / forest / gardens - 

3. Beach / seaside / rocks

4. River / Lake / Waterfalls

5. Field - good for family / couples photo shoot / kids and actually any session, especially if you have some hills/mountain or forest at background.

6. Barn - its a farm style feeling, country spirit. Go for it if you love it.

City, building by peoples places:

7. Church / office / and other official formal places

8. Show place (stage) - your singing, dance show, and any other entertaining thing, we capture all this on-stage moments!  

9. Sport place (field, ice rink, ) - competitions, matches, rounds, sets - all for shooting. Fast, passion, alive moments!

10. City buildings, factory and other industrial places - you could do portraits, couple session, engagement and any others in modern industrial style, with buildings around, lines, different textures and materials. Its also works good for black and white pictures.

11. Kids places - childcare / playground / play centre - where else to shoot kids - in their natural environment when they happy, love to play, and enjoy any second of photo shoot

12. Mix of natural and building environment - its good to have different options in one location - park near the beach, field and barn, playground and park, place near your house and your own rooms etc. So you can have different variety of shots with different atmosphere and outfits.

13. and Any others ideas - you can use any ideas what pop in your head, be creative and thoughtful. Where you feel comfortable, fun, what place connect with your soul and your photo shoot ideas? if you don't know the answer yet we can discuss different variants and choose the best option! And have fun!

Hope this post will help you with some ideas :)

Look forward our sessions!

Everyday moments. Lifestyle photographer Auckland

I love to capture everyday moments, especially if its about family storytelling, my kids actions or my work with clients. Its also help to remember all little moments, and move back in memories afterwords. Thats why I also took part in 365 Project with capture Daily photo. Its a great way to fix memories and practice and progress in photography.

So here my little everyday moments with kids and some other life moments (for example yesterday I visit my friend photographer Jay from the same area (Franklin) and had a big fun watch her patient work with little one with cake smashing and water play. And my kids been happy to play in her child proof house and had fun. I manage to took some behind scene pictures :) Thank you Jay for this opportunity!

Some work for clients - like scout wedding venue for upcoming wedding. So exciting:

And here other everyday moments with my kids, treasure everyday moments:

What to wear to photo shoot? Tips. Portrait photographer Auckland

Choice of clothes - what an important question to discuss! Its really hard to choose what to wear to photo shoot, especially family, group sessions, where you need match clothes with all members.

So lets talk about clothes. What you need consider when you choosing clothes:

1. Your family style and personality. 

What close to your family, what your style, what you wearing in usual life? What made you feel comfortable and happy? Your clothes show you character and personality - you love casual, or formal style, country or modern, neutral or bright colours? Thats question what you need answer.

Do you want photos show your everyday moments or something special and different from usual? (so you choose casual or opposite clothes)

2. Photo shoot style.

Do you want lifestyle pictures or formal portrait (head shots)? in first type - casual clothes, second - formal - easy to decide :)

If you thinking about glamour, fashion portrait - clothes choice obvious - fashion and glamour :)

So follow your photo shoot ideas and style of session what you planned.

3. Location.

Can be great if your clothes match with your location, and surroundings colours. Think what main colours will be around you on location and what colours in your clothes could match with it.

If its beach you want some white, blue, green, teal etc colours. And probably not so formal clothes, bear foot welcome! You can have fun in water, play on the sand, made a mess, became dirty (be sure to take spare clothes!)

If you on the grass area (field, trees etc)  probably green clothes not a good choice otherwise will be hard to find you on the pictures :)

If you in the city formal clothes complements building lines and architectures styles. Lines everywhere :) If its old style township could be great if you wear some traditional, country style, or even historical clothes.

Its again depends of what type of pictures you want to get.

4. Matching.

If you have a group of people, family members you need think about matching clothes all together. Yes, its hard, but you can find a lot boards on Pinterest what show examples of different colours palettes and clothes colours.

Another way to match - add accessories with similar colour what your partner wear (for example, scarf or heat, belt, gloves, neckless, earrings etc)

But clothes no need be too match-matchy! Less is more! :)

5. Bright and neutral.

My advice go with neutral colours, what allow you fit in any landscape and location and also put attention on your face and emotion but not on your clothes colours.

Exceptions: 1. bright emotional photo shoot style - where bright clothes works for shoot idea

                    2. kids clothes - let them be themselves - kids, having fun, wear favourite clothes, what they love. Otherwise its easy to made them upset and get grumpy faces :) Sometimes need just relax, and remember - kids love made mess, so spare clothes required! :)

6. No big logos!

This advice connect with previous - you don't want your eyes go on logo on your T-shirt but not on the face or pose.

7. Bring few outfits!

You can't choose what the best option for clothes? Easy - bring few variants on location and we together will decide this question! :)

8. Enjoy yourself and have fun!

At the end of the day its your photo shoot - so relax and have fun, with clothes too!

Hope these tips will help you with choice of clothes. If not contact me! Always happy to help :) 

Special day. Birthday photographer

Today 8 of January and its special day for me - Happy Birthday to me! :)

Nice wake up at morning next to baby (come to our bed at morning), see shining husband eyes, receive kiss and birthday card what daughter wrote last evening,

drop kids at preschool, drive to city, catch up with friend and her baby,

meet with hubby for couple of drinks at pub...

have a birthday cake with all family and some thai food afterwards. Yes, not a traditional order :)

Funny my husband put light on the candle lots of times because kids tried blow it (William first then Anna-Bella, and again and again). And finally all family together blow light at lonely candle :)

Happy me! And day not finished yet...

Christmas 2014. Celebration with family. Event photography

Christmas  - its a special time for everyone (adults buying presents, kids waiting Santa and Christmas morning).

This Christmas day we woke up early and found presents under the Christmas tree. William became old enough (2.5 years) for understand whats happening. He been really happy get his new big truck. Anna-Bella, our little one, get pretty doll with pram. So morning start with presents and continue at my mother- in-law's place at North Shore where we spend nice and relaxable Christmas day with family (5 adults, 3 kids and 2 dogs :).

Christmas presents, wraps everywhere, cards and decorations, barbecue, Christmas lunch slowly move into dinner :), Pavlova (yummy desert called by Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova - close to me), kids on the slide, bubbles, fun...

And We finished this day with driving back home late evening through City centre and seen beautifully decorated Franklin st. Here lives Christmas spirit - Lights, reindeers, Santa, elves, angeles, love hearts...   Traffic was really slow, all people in cars been watching great decorations, slow down near each house, enjoy, take a pictures (me too!). Thats made our day!

And when kids been sleeping in car we realised its was first Christmas celebration when we could relax (kids now big enough for not take all our attention and power :) It was really cute to watch William playing with his new cars - put them in line and counting. I clear heard numbers up to 6, impressed :)

Merry Christmas everyone and enjoy your family time and holidays! Have rest and relax!

Here pictures coming :) 

Treasure in our life. Children and kids photography Auckland

Our life running fast and changeable. We have only one constant basic thing - our treasure - our family.

We should appreciate all these moments, but sometimes we just move through them, looking forward future, waiting when kids will be older and its all will be easier and not so busy and stressful. But we could miss this RIGHT NOW moment, when kids so little and need us.

Dont hurry to live, enjoy each moment, capture it and look again.

Here my little treasures. And i really sorry for all moments when I'm not been near or been but not realised how priceless each moment with them.