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}:

I spent last weekend at Lake Taupo, where I have had a family photo session and many more. Lake Taupo is one of the best family destinations in New Zealand. I have been invited to capture precious moments of a baby turning 1 year old - a fabulous present of his parents. Birthday party at the mountains all covered with snow. First time to encounter snow – what can be more exciting for a child!

What a great experience!!!

I love to travel. I have been so happy that they have decided to share with me these special moments.

Mama Lena specially made a cake to celebrate one year old, and parents’ friends brought some cool presents. Gorgeous little boy has been so happy to have a ride on a toy-train with funny music and play with balloons. Later this day we drove up to the mountains passing by snowy trees and amazing landscapes everywhere you look. What a magic atmosphere it has been!

Not to mention it was just freezing up on the top of the mountains and it has been a little bit challenging to shoot with cold fingers, but it’s definitely worth it: beautiful nature around us and family walking on snow, laying and playing together. I have found that I'm not used to snow anymore, after few years away from Russia (there was really freezing temperatures - 20-30 at winter!!!), so now I’m more used to summer all year around. But it's great you can find so different landscapes in New Zealand, all in one spot! Love it!

Next day it was time to leave our location, beautiful house we spend the most amazing weekend. It was pity to leave this beautiful place. Lake Taupo was a short drive from where we have stayed, so we decided to continue with a photo session with a change of the background and of course more positive emotions, especially when so many interesting birds, swans and ducks around us. What a great experience for little one - watch all these new moments for him and feed those birds!

What a great weekend and amazing time! Enjoy our pictures and watch this space!