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.

Elopement on Piha Beach (Auckland wedding photographer}

Natalie & Ronald come all the way from Germany to get eloped on beautiful New Zealand beach Congratulations to happy couple!

We met with couple at the beautiful Piha beach with stunning landscapes and beautiful atmosphere. Elopement ceremony was just gorgeous and weather cooperated (luckily no rain till the very last minute of the shoot when skies are opened up and pure rain started!)

Amazing Celebrant: @valeria_celebrant Valeria Antipenko lead the ceremony on Russian and English languages, perfectly suitable for couple with multicultural mix.

Enjoy highlights of this beautiful wedding and couples intimate session afterwards.

Happy future together!

Family of four beach photo shoot (Auckland kids - wedding photographer)

It was great to see Nicole & Brian again, a few years after their wedding day, with +2 - two gorgeous little ones! What a beautiful family!

Please to photograph on one of the gorgeous New Zealand beaches - Muriwai Beach!

Enjoy highlights of couples family gallery. I can not wait to see them again and watch their kids grow.

Love, Light & Laughter online workshop begin 26 June on Click Photo School. Reserve your seat early!

Proposal on Muriwai Beach {Auckland wedding photographer}

It was an incredible moments that Allen & Ruby shared with me - amazing proposal on Muriwai Beach {Auckland} just few days before their wedding. What a pleasure to witness and photographer!

Happy couple shared with me their story and incredible moments.

Enjoy highlights of their photo gallery and contact me with any questions!

Engagement session on Muriwai Beach {Auckland wedding photographers}

We met with Jess & James for their engagement session on Muriwai Beach {Auckland}, one of the best location for a photo shoot - dream for everyone, especially surfers and wedding photographers. This place have amazing waves, and stunning rocks, but they could be tricky, when they come unexpected. So watch out for them, big chance to drive back home wet and covered in black sand.

We had so much fun, laughter and positive emotions with this beautiful couple, such amazing people! James shared some fun facts about their relationship: “We found out on our first date that Jess works in the same office as my brother in law just from the stories we were telling. Turned out she had already my sister too at the Christmas party a few weeks earlier. After our first date and a few more in early 2020 we managed to survive the first March lockdown and moved in together for the subsequent Auckland lockdowns and never looked back”

Enjoy highlights of this engagement shoot and contact me with any questions!

Settlers Country Manor - Katie and Robert {wedding photographers in Auckland}

Amazing celebration in Settlers Country Manor - such a stunning venue out west. Katie and Robert made their way from New York {USA} to share their special day with friends and family. It was a pleasure for us to provide a full wedding coverage with 2 photographers to not miss a thing! Such a perfect location in West Auckland with so many photo opportunities on one site!

Place to be! Day started from getting ready at groom’s family home in Kohimarama and bride getting ready right on site at Settlers, through first look and ceremony, bridal party and family photos and amazing reception with incorporating Chinese traditions with two dragons {even bride’s red wedding dress looked amazing paying traditions of Chinese culture}.

Couple shared their story: “We met on Bumble, the dating app in New York in April 2021. We've been together since then.” Proposal: “On a Friday evening after dinner at Katie's favourite speakeasy Japanese restaurant, Robert took Katie for a walk in the West Village and got down on one knee in front of a place called Greenwich Mews - the road we hope to own a house in one day and raise a family.” Such a beautiful memories of these beautiful people!

Enjoy highlights of couples wedding gallery and contact me with any questions!

Family photo shoot on the beach {West Auckland photographer} reunion

It was a pleasure to meet this big family for a photo shoot of their reunion after Sara and Chris with their little one come back from Alabama {USA} to visit their family in New Zealand, after so many years and lockdowns {to see grandparents and aunty}.

We met at Muriwai beach - stunning location in West Auckland, joy for photographer and place with many photo opportunities. We had so much fun, and laughter, and some amazing moments, not even capturing all family together, but sneaking an opportunity for mum & dad photos away from the kid {they definitely needed this time alone}.

Enjoy highlights of this big family photo gallery and contact us with any questions!

Markovina rainy wedding: Sarah and Paul {West Auckland photographer}

It was a beautiful celebration in Markovina, even though rainy day wedding, Sarah and Paul enjoyed their special day with their two little ones, close friends and family, such a special event in West Auckland and pleasure for me to be their chosen photographer to document all important moments through the day.

Day started in the Auckland City hotel QT at Viaduct with ladies getting ready through travel to Markovina Vineyard Estate with rainy ceremony {lucky venue have a cover option for couples}, couples and bridal party shoot under umbrellas and fun reception celebration.

Enjoy highlights of their wedding gallery and contact me with any questions!

Pre-wedding couple session on the beach {West Auckland photographer}

We met with Robert and Katie on their pre-wedding session on the Muriwai Beach {West Auckland} , stunning location for document couple’s memories, dream to be for any photographer.

Couple made their way from New York for their engagement session and upcoming wedding in Settlers Country Manor. Keep an eye on this blog for a future picture share from their wedding day which coming very soon, as well as their romantic story and proposal.

Enjoy highlights of their pre-wedding session gallery below! Contact me with any questions!

Castaways wedding with Indian traditions - Meera and Tom {Auckland couples photographer}

It was a pleasure to shoot this small Castaways wedding with mix of Indian traditions when Meera and Tom who come all the way from Ireland celebrated their special day with close friends and family. The venue is a stunning location in Auckland with amazing views overlooking the ocean and rocks, such a dream for any couples and for me as their photographer!

Couple shared their story: “We met in a pub in Ireland while I was on my OE , and we’ve been together for 5 years. I’ve moved to Ireland since meeting Tom, so I’m happy to home for the wedding!” He proposed “On a beach which we had our first date on”. What a romantic story!

Even though it was very rainy on their wedding day, it can’t stop this beautiful celebration!

Enjoy highlights of their wedding gallery and contact me with any questions!

Family of four on sunset beach {Auckland kids--maternity-couples photographer}

Today is my birthday and what can be better then sharing my recent photo shoot!

Exciting times with beautiful family of four meeting sunset on Muriwai Beach {Auckland}. So great to meet this couple after two years {they booked their wedding coverage last year but delayed this event for important reasons and decided to go ahead with capturing so special memories with their kids at family photo shoot, together with some maternity moments ;)}. Congratulations on expecting baby number three, Katrina and Quintin! So special for couples moments and pleasure to shoot for me as photographer and mum myself.

The weather been very tricky with rain on the way - couple made their way from Waikato area, so luckily right at arrival sun come out giving a beautiful golden light on the beach. So much fun for kids to run around, play and enjoy the views and for parents to have some one on one time and capture some moments alone as well as together with their boy and girl.

Enjoy highlights of this gorgeous photo gallery with Katrina and Quintin’s family with two little ones" and contact me with any questions!

Top nine on Instagram | Happy New Year

This is the perfect time to look back and reflect, how far we come, where we want to head, set some goals and look ahead!

I decided to share with you a simple grid of top 9 photos on my IG accounts @olgalevien and @levienphotography - you never know which images going to be the most favourite at the time you posting them and only time can tell. Even though likes are not matters, its a fun way to see “most popular” moments of the year.

Looking back, this year brought more freedom {after all the restrictions and lockdowns}, giving me an opportunity to travel overseas to Germany and also letting couples and families come from overseas to New Zealand. Exciting times connecting to new people and capturing some beautiful, emotional and real moments!

Looking forward, I decided for the right balance in my life with little ones to take only limited number of sessions, and only small weddings, concentrating on creating timeless memories in a best way possible without burning out and bring more creative juices and mojo flowing in my work and life, as well as some personal projects. Exciting times ahead!

Enjoy these best moments of the year {according to IG} highlights - top 9 at @olgalevien and then @levienphotography

Thank you for these moments and for your constant support and love! Happy New Year and happy holidays!

New Zealand elopement on Piha Beach: Anna and Devin {Auckland wedding - family photographer}

Exciting times in New Zealand - with couples allowed to enter the country after Covid lockdowns, more travels and elopements became real, like this one with Anna and Devin who come all the way from Germany to get married on Piha Beach {Auckland}.

Amazing and romantic event that is a pleasure to photograph for me - wedding and family photographer, such a beautiful moments and memories that will be treasured forever.

Even small rain can’t stand on the way of this special celebration of love!

Ceremony been run on German and English by amazing celebrant Angelika De Vere next to rocks with ocean views. What a beautiful event full of fun, love and laughter!

Enjoy highlights of couple’s wedding - elopement gallery and contact me with any questions!

Family photo shoot on the beach {Auckland kids-maternity-wedding photographer}

Amazing time with family of three with 2 years old little one and aunty at photo shoot on Muriwai Beach {Auckland}. So much fun, love and laughter together with couple, their kid and moving around this stunning location capturing so beautiful, emotional and real moments that treasure for me to photograph as a family-maternity-wedding photographer!

Couple made their way from Sydney - Australia to Auckland, NZ for holidays and documenting so special moments at their session. Amazing fact - the dad had an injured foot but bravely moved through the photo shoot like a hero!

Enjoy highlights of this photo shoot in this photo gallery, contact me with any questions!

Parnell Rose Garden - Orakei Bay Venue: Laura and Raj {Auckland wedding photographers}

Amazing celebration in Parnell Rose Gardena and Orakei Bay Venue with Laura and Raj and their family and close friends. Couple made their way from Melbourne, Australia to Auckland, New Zealand after 2 long years of lockdowns, waiting for this moments to happened, rescheduling their wedding and anticipating the moments with us, their photographers.

Finally it happen, as mean to be! Such a beautiful, emotional and real moments! Pleasure to photograph!

Couple shared their story - they met in Las Vegas and been together for 3.5 years. He proposed “on one knee in our beautiful home on a sunny Sunday afternoon”. Such a romantic story!

Enjoy highlights of this amazing day and contact me with any questions!

Pre-wedding session on the beach - Aimee and Jason {Auckland engagement photographer}

We met on a beautiful day for pre-wedding session on Muriwai Beach with Aimee and Jason, on one of the stunning locations in Auckland, perfect for engagement and family photo shoots and just a dream spot for any photographer.

We walk down the hill to the beach, amazing landscapes with rocks, cave and ocean. Walk and talk and had so much, fun - love and laughter!

Couple met just few years at work and not looked back. Love is all around!

Enjoy highlights of this engagement pre-wedding session on Muriwai Beach and let me know if you have any questions!

New Zealand Ice Figure Skating Championships {Sports Photography}

As you may know Im not only a photographer, but also adult skater and been fortunate to be asked to became an Official Photographer for New Zealand Ice Figure Skating Championships, Nationals competitions in Auckland, NZ {18-21 October 2022}. It was a pleasure to dive in sports photography, so similar to events/wedding photography when you need to keep focused at all times and watch for the right moment to happen, putting attention on lines, composition, body language, emotions - passion and grace that skaters express in their programs.

You need to be on point, pre-view the moment that just about ro happen. Knowledge of figure skating and all the skating elements, programs requirements and layouts definitely a bonus for ability to get things right in camera. It was a challenging task with many thousands of photos captured over 4 days, but also very rewarding.

So much beauty, grace and talent!

Enjoy this quick sneak peek! Final galleries will be ready in 3-4 weeks {not late to make your order at www.levienphotography.com/new-zealand-nationals

Let me know if you have any questions!

Pre-wedding session on the beach {Auckland engagement photographer}

Wedding season started rolling and Im excited to share with you Mo & Shay pre-wedding session on Muriwai Beach {Auckland}, exciting engagement celebration just few month before their wedding, Im so excited to be their photographer and capture so many beautiful moments, full of love and laughter!

We had an amazing time on the beach, enjoying our short session, no matter cloudy weather! Couple made their way from Hamilton and it was a pleasure to walk and talk, documenting some special moments and making memories for years to come!

It was amazing to meet this couple again after they been in the bridal party of one of my past wedding couples which wedding I shot not long ago in Markovina, such a great times in a gorgeous venue!

Enjoy highlights of this pre-wedding photo shoot gallery:

Memories of 2021-2022 wedding-family season {West Auckland photographers}

What can be better then remember memories from 2021-2022 wedding-family season when new one is approaching shortly with so many beautiful weddings and family photo shoots. Always a pleasure to capture all these beautiful, emotional and real moments, mostly in West Auckland, for us as photographers.

It was an amazing season full love, light and laughter! <3 We had incredible time with many gorgeous couples as photo shoots and weddings, I also been running online workshops at Click Photo School, got some photography awards, and travel overseas to Germany, feeling freedom after long time in lockdowns in pandemic.

Thank you so much for this incredible time!

Winter engagement session at the beach {Auckland - New Zealand photographer}

Winter sessions are the best - moody atmosphere and snuggles to keep warm :) We had an amazing time with Imogen & Peter at their winter engagement session at Muriwai Beach {Auckland, New Zealand}.

Its such a honour for me as photographer to document all important for couple moments and emotions, such a special memories. Couple met one year ago and as mean to be just got engaged. Congratulations and happy future together!

Enjoy highlights of their engagement gallery at the winter secluded beach and contact me with any questions!

By the way, if you want to move your photography to another level, not late to join my online workshop “Love, Light & Laughter” at Click Photo School.