Family | Christchurch Wedding Photography

Kuryan Family

Posted February 23, 2012

When I started taking peoples portraits. I seemed to have started in the hardest way possible. Going up to people and asking for their photo in a language I don’t speak. It’s a scary thing. But I think I definitely grew some nads while travelling. ‘Can I take your photo please’ is the largest sentence I can remember in Spanish. And it did me well… foooor the most part ;-)
But that was just a snap snap here and there. I had yet to direct a shoot where the beautiful people I’m photographing only understand my little hand signals. And lets face it, I’m pretty crud with those lol.

The Kuryan Family have come alllll the way from Russia. RUSSIA. My oh my is that an intriguing land. They’ve travelled the best spots in the South Island (yip that’s A LOT) over the last month. And with this being their last week in pretty little NZ, we had to do a shoot in a place that has it all. Mountains, Ocean and Forestry. I call upon my favourite spot. Leithfield Beach!

Denis and Yulia are a gorgeous couple, together 10 years, married for 6 and they haven’t had any pro photos done since their wedding. They’ve had young wee Vlad in that time. So its only appropriate to rectify that by having a shoot in our beautiful NZ lands.

You’re not surprised… are you?? hehe.

The ALMIGHTY Vlad! (Kind of like Hurcules, yes?)

He is such a cool wee chap. He gave me all the goods. Future male model, don’t cha think?!

With friend and translator at our sides. The gorgeous GORGEOUS blue skies and sunny day and not to mention the perfect ingredients of a gorgeous family. We had a lot of fun!
Enjoy the rest of your stay in New Zealand Denis, Yulia and Vlad and safe travels back to the homeland! :)

Campbell Family

Posted February 23, 2012

Am I the snobby Christchucrcher that has always thought of Dunedin as dreary and wet? (Much the way I thought of England when I was a kid). Well… I apologise for that RIGHT NOW!!! Because last week on my trip to Dunedin to see a friend and meeting the Campbell Family where they took me to a secret possibly not so secret spot not far from Brighton. Well holy moley did my view change on the place.
Epic blue skies, a crazy awesome sand dune to jump off and a family who was all to willing to do so. I am now officially, if only on the border before… in LOVE with Dunners.

Sanae, Mum of 3 boys contacted me not long before my planned trip and said ‘I’d love for you to bring some of our crazy to the photographs’ … you had me at Hello Sanae. :o)

Foster, Lauchlan and Magnus are 3 super awesome brothers.

We found out soon enough that Mum jumping in a skirt was just NOT.GOING.TO.WORK! lol

But doesn’t mean the kids can’t do it over and over again! (Even I got a big jump in).

They’re a good looking family! …

Hmmm… perhaps not?

They are most certainly a FUN family. Ones who do not sit still! I love it!

Big bro Foster told guns of steel Lauchlan that the way to help a natural smile is to make yourself do a fake laugh. Now Lauchlan just does a butt wiggle and he’s away laughing. lol.

From beginning to end there was smiling, laughing, running, jumping, a little bit of crazy and A LOT of amazing madness! Thank you guys for amazing afternoon. You are a truly awesome family and I hope we get to meet again soon!

Ester & Brendon

Posted February 16, 2012

Time.
It’s a fickle thing. Sometimes you wish it would just hurry the heck up. Next thing we turn around and complain that it’s winter again!
Time is a funny thing.

What happens when it comes to knowledge that 2 weeks may be all the time you have? What happens then?

***

Ester and Brendon.
I met them under the circumstances that you wouldn’t wish upon anyone. Under circumstances that has you holding your head back in order to dry the tear ducts. And has you crying without choice when you hear a terminally ill Ester whispering to Brendon that she loves him.

9 years knowing each other. 4 years of marriage. 3 different cities. 1 major earthquake. 1 full degree. Amongst all the wonderful small things in every day life that make up the love of a relationship.

Ester and Brendon met through a friend from church. Something must of been right because within a couple of years Ester wakes up to go to the toilet and when she returns to bed she finds a ring on her pillow and Brendon asking her to marry him.
31st of May 2008 marked a truly happy occasion. On a beautiful Autumn day, they were now able to call each other husband and wife.

Through various moves, between Dunedin, Wellington and Christchurch, they found themselves back in Christchurch for the long haul.
The Christchurch Earthquake was a scary day for a lot of people. Even scarier for Ester having been in Dunedin at the time, knowing Brendon was working in the Ibis Hotel. On the 7th floor. Not knowing whether he was ok or not. It was a loooooong 6 hours.

As dust settled on the Earthquake, Ester was in her final year of Uni. She graduated from a Bachelor in Oral Health on 10th Dec 2011 with A+ passes. She got a job at the Christchurch DHB in January 2012 and was diagnosed with stomach cancer that very same week.

This is just a blip of their story. A story that Dr’s have deemed a story cut short. But their friends, their family, their church members. They are all praying. Praying for a miracle. Praying that this beautiful woman with a heart more golden than the sun will see another healthy day.

But in the meantime, you don’t know what is around the corner whether good or bad. So what can you do other than enjoy the company of the one you love? …Well, you capture all that with photos too.
Ester summoned all her strength, her sister put on some make up and Ester brought a smile. I could see that it was tough. But she smiled, she smiled the entire time.

Ester

And I’ve never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful.

This is their story. The story of a husband holding his wife’s hand. And a wife that is smiling on his.

This is Ester and Brendon. A love that will last forever!

Heather Ellis Photography

Category Archives: Family

Kuryan Family

Campbell Family

Ester & Brendon