No words can describe how rad these humans are. Vince and Justine are two of the sweetest people I've ever met. We spent the day relaxing at their home, then drove an hour out of town to the destination of their 2018 wedding, the beautiful Hunua Falls. I cannot wait to shoot their wedding. Vince & Justine. Enjoy!
Jamie and Courtney's wedding was nothing short of magical. They're super down to earth people, who know what love is all about. I was lucky enough to capture these special moments for them. Their wedding was chill, intimate, and beautiful. And did I mention that Courtney is an amazing singer? I’ll let the images speak for themselves. Also, a huge thanks to my friend Fay Carey photography for her help and hard work on the day. Enjoy!
Press Play!
I usually don't shoot this kind of work but I thought why not give it a try, so I reached out to my good buddy Austin and his fiance Azria for a maternity shoot, who is due in a couple weeks time. They are super awesome and I was stoked they followed through with my crazy ideas, although I was kind of worried something might happen on the day, but thankfully it didn't. We took a drive out to the beautiful Piha beach and were gladly greeted with amazing sunlight. As usual Piha provided the goods. Scroll down to see for yourself. Congratulations, friends, I know you are both going to be awesome parents.
Enjoy!
Warren & Eireen approached me for their wedding two years ago and without any hesitation I agreed, as it would be my first ever international wedding. I was super stoked about shooting their wedding in Brisbane, Australia. Even though I grew up in Australia, I've only ever been to Brisbane a couple of times so I was excited to be part of their special day. It was not your ordinary, black suit, black tie kind of wedding as the groom and his groomsmen wore their "Barongs", an embroidered formal shirt and something that is considered the national dress of the Philippines, especially at weddings. Warren and Eireen's ceremony is probably one of the coolest wedding's I've got to be apart of this year, so I want to thank them for letting me document these special moments for them. Also, check out the church :)
Enjoy!
Dress by : Samford Couture
Makeup artist : Krystal Rosero & Kim Charisse Laciste
Hair : Indescribable Beauty
Venue : St Brigid's church // Gambaro's
Barongs : Kultura, Phillippines
Caterings : Gambaro's
Dj : 3Beatz
Walter and Silo were such an awesome couple to work with, super down to earth and chilled which made my job so much easier on the day. Thanks for letting us capture this special moment for you both. Enjoy!
Dress : Kelly Bridal
Catering : Manukau Event Centre
Church : St Patrick's Catheral
Dj : Dj Noiz
Second shooters : Hannah Baker & Julia Chung
Sam and Madina were two of my favourite clients to work with this year. Their wedding wasn't a tradditional affair as it was held in the heart of the city at one of Auckland's proclaimed clubs, Roxy. This provided me with a different atmosphere that pushed the boundaries of the weddings I was accustomed too. The overall vibe made capturing their special day a highly enjoyable experience, one that I hope translates through the photos from the event. Enjoy.
Venue / Catering : Alyse Gentry at Everybody's
Make up artist : Megan Rawlings
Hair : Exile Hair
Dress : Secret Lace boutique
Second Shooter : Fox and Fern Photography
Luke & Ibanez are the most down to earth people I've met. I met Luke back in our dancing days and a couple of years later he approached me to photograph their wedding. Without hesitation I said yes. The weather didn't play its part but the day still turned out beautifully with family and friends by their side. Thank you for letting me capture your love and happiness.
Enjoy.
Venue : Cornwall Park // Auckland
Second shooter : Hannah Baker
Second Shooter - Jeff Wang
We chose Misi Chan Photography to do our photos for our engagement and after being blown away by how amazing the quality of his work was, we just HAD to get him again to photograph our wedding day. We were very pleased with how our photos turned out. They were very original and high quality. You can always guarantee that he will find a location that is perfect for the occasion and his warm and friendly nature made working with him so much fun. We would highly recommend Misi Chan Photography to anyone, whether its for an engagement shoot, a wedding, you can guarantee that your photos will be amazing every time. Very talented photographer with an eye for detail and originality. You will not be disappointed. Thank you Misi Chan. You're amazing - Pau & Rebecca.
Mark and Hayley were married Saturday March 5th, 2016 at the serene and ever so tranquil, Huia Settlers Museum. The sun was shining, the water was calm and there was not a cloud in sight, A perfect day for a wedding.
The bridesmaids were dressed in simple, yet elegant white dresses. The bride to be wore a designer floral dress that was not your traditional white wedding dress, but sophisticated and delicate. The groomsmen were dressed to the occasion and the groom polished up nicely.
Family and friends were all gathered to celebrate, drink, laugh, eat and enjoy what turned out to be a spectacular day. There were tears of happiness, drinks flowing, plenty of delicious food to be eaten, numerous pies for dessert to be shared and the sounds of music and laughter filled the air.
Go on their journey with them as you enjoy the photos from their special day...
Venue : Kiwanis Lodge, Huia // West Auckland
Brides Dress : Olivia Huitema
Brides Makeup + Hair : Danielle Posa
Floral : Rosebud & Willow
Caterings : Federal Delicatessen & Moustache Milk & Cookies & Chicken'n'things
Hire : Raj tent club & Arkade furniture Insphire Group
Second Shooter : Ivan Jan Ocampo
The South Island has always been somewhere I've wanted to explore. This summer, I finally had the privilege of making the journey down to Queenstown with my fiancé. It was an unreal experience , and hopefully the first of many trips to come.
Queenstown // Day 1
I noticed the difference between Queenstown and Auckland immediately. The air was fresh, without a trace of humidity. Our hotel was in the middle of town so once we had settled in, we explored the shops and walked the short distance to the waterfront. Wanting to make the most of our trip we planned our days in advance.
Lake Wanaka // Day 2
Wanaka was at the top of my list. Having heard so many great stories about it, I knew we definitely had to make the journey there. After an hour of windy roads and numerous stops to take photos, we finally arrived. We were met with wind and cold temperatures, so we found solace in a small cafe in the middle of town. From there, we braved the cold and visited the famous Wanaka tree. We tried to hunt for snow around Mt Aspiring, but were sorely out of luck. Despite the weather not playing its part, the views were still breathtaking and well worth it.
Glenorchy // Day 3
The rain had settled in by the third day. We tried to wait it out, but it didn't ease off at all. Not wanting to let the day go to waste, we ventured to Glenorchy. However, to our luck, halfway through the drive the sun decided to make much-needed appearance. It was short lived though, as the clouds came rolling in again soon after.
Having seen Glenorchy through the photos of others from time and time again, it was unreal to finally see it with my own eyes. The combination of the huge lake and vast mountains was something I won't forget anytime soon. There was so much to capture so we spent the better part of the day exploring the settlement and learning about its history. As we were leaving, a tourist thanked us for our beautiful country, and I couldn't help but agree with him. I am so thankful I'm able to live in such a beautiful country with amazing scenes around almost every corner.
Milford Sound // Day 4
The fourth day of our trip was a big one, but one that I would recommend to anyone who's traveling to the South Island. We drove 6 hours to Milford Sound in hope of seeing some amazing scenery. We weren't disappointed at all. Despite not seeing the sun the whole day, and the temperature dropping from 16˚C to a mere 6˚C, we still ventured forward. Our travels took us through Homer tunnel, and when we emerged out the other side, it was as if we were in a whole new world. We were in absolute awe of what confronted us. Vast mountains amongst low hanging cloud sat to our left and right, as numerous Keas flew down to greet us.
Upon arriving, we were lucky enough to take a two hour cruise around the Sound. We learned about the history and saw large waterfalls that ran down the mountains edge, but nothing prepared us for what we encountered next. Seals littered the nearby rocks, and unexpectedly, dolphins slipped in and out of the waves under and around the boat. Seeing the dolphins in their natural habitat was one of the most amazing things I’ve experienced in my life. To see such majestic animals so close up was humbling. Overall it was unbelievable, and definitely worth the amount of driving I did that day.
Arrowtown // Gondola, Queenstown // Day 5
Our last day was bittersweet. We made the journey up the Queenstown Gondola to see the views it offered one last time. We also enjoyed the sleepy surrounds of Arrowtown, a lovely finish to what was an exciting trip. Being our last day, we were sad to be leaving, but felt priveleged to have experienced what we did. I finally managed to adventure down to the South Island, and I know for a fact it was the beginning of many more trips to come.
"We’ll wake up at 4am," is what the crew had planned prior to doing the Tongariro Crossing.
However, that is one of many things that didn't work out that day.
Our troubles started at the base of the mountain where we were greeted with strong winds and freezing temperatures.
Determined to experience the track, we started moving.
The early stages offered incredible views; from the hills filled with flora, to the huge majestic valleys and icy cold streams that flowed through the volcanic rocks. The views were indescribable.
Further ahead, the terrain became more difficult. Suddenly, we were faced with a warning, "STOP. Are you really prepared to continue your alpine crossing trek?"
With a unanimous yes, we moved on, unaware of the challenges that we were about to face.
Our first challenge came in the form of stairs. In what seemed to be a neverending climb to the top, we pushed onwards in hope of reaching the peak.
As we went higher and higher, the temperature got colder and the wind became stronger.
Clouds enveloped us from all directions making it difficult to see the higher we got.
Our first moment of respite came when we reached a flat piece of land high up in the mountains.
Unfortunately we had only trekked a quarter of the track and our biggest challenge was yet to come.
As we continued to climb up, the cold winds continued to punish us, forcing us to huddle behind boulders for comfort.
Our teeth chattering, vision weakened, we were anxious, and afraid for our lives.
However, the crew broke through it all, we had conquered the most difficult part of the trek and were rewarded with the beautiful Emerald Lakes.
We descended the red crater and proceeded to have lunch by the lakes.
With our spirits lifted, we continued on to another and much bigger lake known as The Blue Lake.
We managed to see everything we could see, and started our descent down the mountain.
The descent was a completely new experience as we trekedk down an endless path to the bottom.
The view on the otherhand was a different story.
We continued to trek down the mountain and were greeted with the lush vegetation at the base of it.
After ten hours on the track, we reached the car park exhausted but satisfied.
We had officially crossed the Tongariro Crossing.
Scroll down to see images.
Sunset on top of Mt Ruapehu
Mist rolling in on top of Mt Tonagriro
Cameron and Ken leading the 10hr walk.
It was not an easy walk up but we manged to reach the top and this wasnt the end of it.
The beautiful Emerald lake from top
The beautiful blue lake
Epilogue
The last stop of our adventures however, ended in the Redwoods of Rotorua.
Engagement is the time when you have a clear view of how wonderful your coming life will be.May you get the best vision of a great and wonderful future waiting for you.Happy Engagement!
Photos are meant to be printed out. Handled. Touched. Passed around. I make albums + books because when you're 50 years into your marriage and your grand kids are visiting, they should have something from your wedding to look through with you. So if you are still looking for a photographer for your special day then flick me an email.
Sometimes our lives have to be completely shaken up, changed, and rearranged to locate us to the place we're meant be.
Alexis Williams is an awesome talented artist and its her last year studying performing arts at Manukau Institute of Technology. We linked up recently for a portrait session. Enjoy!
The Pule’anga brothers: Johnny, Phoenix and Matthew, born and bred in Ōtara; The heart of South Auckland, better known as The Home of the Brave or The Promised Land. Growing up on Clayton Avenue in the early 2000’s, the three mischievous boys stayed with Mum & Dad and older brother George, attending Bairds Mainfreight Primary School. In 2005, they moved to a new house on Vickerman Road, Flatbush where their lives changed immensely…
The three experienced so many obstacles, such as financial struggle, family issues, underlined bullying, class intimidation, injuries, unassisted puberty and many more. But above all of that, they gained things like brotherhood, life-lessons, the value of yumyum noodles, and a childhood that this generation could never relive: playing manhunt, 2-step tiggy on the park, go home stay home, bull-rush, creating bikes from the organic, weeklong sleep overs at a friends but most importantly, they met a youth program that they could not be more grateful for.
Cross power Ministries’274 Youth-core – Team of 2007, led by Allan Va’a, ran events for Ōtara youth that had such a huge impact on the kids who came through their doors. Through this initiative has brought out some of the most influential leaders in South Auckland because of the sense of purpose they instill into all the lost children in the hood. Which leads me to the birth of KRASH Dance Crew (Keep Real And Stay Humble) – a bunch of hoodlums from all over Ōtara, who were interested in dancing. Next to Cross power, was Dziah Dance Studio; where most of the legends of New Zealand Hip Hop have derived from. Phoenix was offered to go over to dance for a Dziah crew called DejaVu in 2009 where he competed in Nationals, placing 2nd and qualifying for his first international competition. He went onto his first World Hip Hop Dance Championships in Las Vegas, placing 4th in the World Junior Division. Then went on to compete in the World Supremacy Battlegrounds in Melbourne, placing 5th. In 2010, Matthew joined DejaVu and went on his first World Hip Hop Dance Champs where they placed 13th then lastly Johnny joined Dziah Dance Academy. In the end of 2011, the original KRASH came under Dziah as a Varsity crew, and the three brothers were dancing altogether again. They entered their first competition: Groove NZ, where they placed 11th. The next year (2012), they were training hard for gigs and competed in Battlegrounds (formally Groove) again and this time they placed 3rd – qualifying for Battlegrounds in Australia but due to a mishap with ego’s and attitudes, the Team got disciplined by cancelling the trip.
This is where it gets interesting! So in 2013, KRASH competed in Auckland Regionals and unexpectedly came out on top, placing 1st and qualifying to National Champs. Up against some very prestigious crews, KRASH placed 3rd after Sorority and Kani Krew; qualifying to our very first World Hip Hop Dance Championships as brothers from the hood. Going on, we placed 4th at Preliminaries and placed 11th in Semi-finals and not moving onto Finals. Then the next year (2014), KRASH placed 4th at Auckland Regionals, and something very compelling took place at Nationals.
In pre-lims, KRASH placed 10th. Knowing that only Top 3 in the Varsity Division would qualify to the World Hip Hop Championships, they were working all night; altering the set to kill it at Finals the next day, giving that they had nothing to lose. So after the boys slayed the stage at Finals, they had no thought of jumping up to Top 3 so when results were being read out, they were just sitting down at the back of the crews backstage. But when Varsity results came up, Judges announced “In third place, KRASH…….” All the crews backstage were in total shock, more so Dziah – and after realization, the KRASH Boys all sprung up in triumph and ran onto stage jumping for joy and thinking ‘what the heck just happened?’ Never in history has a crew jumped 7 places and KRASH did just that.
The 3 brothers, and Mark all auditioned for Prestige 2015 Mega crew and they all made it into the crew. Although it was hard to let go of Dziah and all the memories they’ve made with them, it was time to venture out and grow in a different environment. Well they were in Prestige, they competed in Nationals and placed 2nd, under the return of The Royal Family. But instead of going to the World Hip Hop Dance Champs, they had something else in mind: World of Dance. They travelled to the capital of New Zealand: Wellington to compete in the qualifying round for World of Dance Finals, which was held in Los Angeles. Placing 1st, the boys represented NZ in LA and managed to place 7th against 60 crews across the globe. Then Prestige ended off on a quiet note and concluded what was an awesome year.
As 2015 came to a close, the Pule’anga brothers were in a predicament on what they were all doing for 2016. With Johnny just finding a job, Phoenix graduating from High School, and Matthew entering Year 12 (NCEA Level 2). After a meeting with their Dad, the boys agreed that Johnny would put Design school on hold while he works and re-audition for Prestige, Phoenix will minimize extra-curricular activity (including dancing) to focus on his first year of University, and Matthew will audition for the Royal Family under a scholarship.
Now the Pule’anga brothers are separated for the first time, after dancing together for 5 years, but are still rooting for each other whilst they grind in their own fields. And have established a new name for the Trio: ‘Parliament’.
Story by Phoenix Pule'anga / Photo courtesy of Misi Chan Photography
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.” – Muir
