Sydney, Australia | Jakarta, Bali, Indonesia | Wedding photographer | Wedding cinematographer

How’s your reflection for 2011? It’s been a fantastic year for you as well? Mine is superb.

This blog is going to be a long one. So be prepared, but I promised you, it’s worth it to read

2011 is the year of believing.

This is also the birthday of this blog. it’s been one year from my first post featuring my pick of the wedding of the year in 2010. It’s a same day edit of Ken + Celine in Bali. Probably it’s a worth to watch to see what I am talking about below.

I still remember the great feeling and proud of shooting this video. It was the wedding that I involved deeply as their friends. As a wedding artist, when you produce the creations that are truly reflecting with your true belief of what wedding story should be, it’s a rewarding. It’s never easy to please clients and your passion at the same time. It’s even harder if you want to create a memory for the couple to treasure, at the same time you would like to remember for your own sake. For me, that’s the new “professional” term for me.

It’s the promise that I made to myself for all couples in 2011, there was always something that is uniquely yours.

In order to that, I must treat the couple who knocked on my doorsteps as if they were all my close friends. It’s no surprise most couples confessed that they felt a bit weird of how much I wanted to know about them a lot in the first meeting. What I needed to do to have a little faith from you guys. Thank youuuuu so much for having faith on me in 2011. It’s the year of believing myself that I can still do what I believe in, not just to make couple happy.

I am sure all of you agree that weddings are pretty much to have the same routine over and over again as the others. How can you remember the story if it is the same as others. I still remember how my first date with Ilona (aka my wife). It was one night to remember. It’s an unique one. Please don’t ask how it was. It’s a secret But the point was that I would remember that event forever. That memory stayed forever and glued us together because of that one unique memory. Every time we were feeling down, we will be fighting to have that memory alive right? That’s why it’s important to have an unique story for the couple to live for it. I truly mean that.

It’s not like that I don’t believe in the beauty of how gorgeous the couple are on their wedding photos anymore, but I believe that the story is way more important. Well, this is just me.
Wedding memory should be evaluated not for 5-10 years but more it’s 30-40 years. It’s an investment that I wish to convince all couples to do. Let’s make your priority right.

Here is some of proud works that I think it’s uniquely theirs.

Thank you to Andrew and Eva who believed in me to do the wedding fusion video into a musical wedding storytelling video. Check out the blog post

Even though it’s unlike any other prewedding films that’s full of positive vibes, but this films itself is an art for me. It’s because it’s valuable for them to cherish. High five to Khemara and Maria. Check out the blog post.

Desgi + Ngan’s street prewedding is definitely one of the kind. I don’t count how many people admitted to me this session was one of their favorite of my works. But definitely it’s a lot. Thanks guys, you are awesome. Check out my blog post about it.

Last but not least it’s the prewedding/portrait films of Richard and Virginia. It’s my favourite work in prewedding films. They had no clue of what I was doing for them until it was presented at their reception. The true storytelling work told the story from the beginning of how Richard fell in love with Virginia at his high school time to the day they finally tied the knot in backward check out their blog post.

2011 is the year of learning.

It’s such a blessing year that I can still learn and grow.

I swallowed my own words a few times that I admitted I didn’t see that coming. But I was wrong for good

For example, after the wedding of Ken + Celine in Bali, I said that the perfect wedding video had to be personal, I didn’t believe that having cinematic/movie-like could bring the personal feeling about it. It’d be fake and unnatural. Then I went to Mayad Academy back in last July, I learned if I can make the soundtrack of every wedding video can be truly theirs, the film can also reach the personal level.

Check out my three same day edit video that I was with the BIG films team.

Same day edit of Matt + Jennie featuring a opera house reception that includes the lion dance and also some prewedding footages on the beach

Same day edit video of Phim + Jarina featuring Laos culture

Same day edit video of Haison + Hannah

Besides the new brand in the BIG films, this year I also founded a photo booth company Foto Xpress this late year. This new brand is to leverage our studio lighting skills to produce some memory for the guest to bring home. It’s a photo booth because it produce an instant print but it’s not a photo booth because there is still a photographer who poses and directs creatively on the spot and the quality is absolutely stunningly a photo studio quality. Just watch out this baby to go crazy at your nearest wedding

In 2011, I took a 3 months sabbatical off between May and July so that I could spend valuable time of planning for my pet project Wiki School Pedia. The fruit of the project was the event in Jakarta, Indonesia back in last July. It was a success.

On that event, I taught “Client Education” and “Basic branding” in the 4 days event. I never thought that I actually learned a lot by preparing and listening what I said for the workshop. As a result, I went back with the new idea of re-branding Foto Expression. So thank you more than 70 people who attended the Wiki School Pedia workshop and seminar in Jakarta, Indonesia that I still believe that I still have so much to learn.

Another note that “2011 is the year of learning” is that at the beginning of last year I spoke out being original was important when it comes to arts. I always believe whatever it came to my idea was original. But somehow I lately realised that it was a plain incorrect assumption. It could be no such thing a pure original anymore. It’s because what we produce is always affected by what we see, think and like. The late Steve Job said on his autobiography book that we shouldn’t feel bad to steal others’ idea if you truly believe it’s good. Like what Picasso stated “Good artists copy, great artists steal”. I am still against the word “copy”, but I steal or am inspired. If Steve can do it perfectly, why can i not do it?

2011 is the year of inspiring.

It’s my 7th year in the wedding industry. I am so blessed with what I have achieved. I make sure that I always spare time to give away to community as much as I can.

At the beginning of 2011, I said to myself that I wanted to inspire strangers. Well, I was fortunate to receive a call to mentor a high school student who wished to see what photography was. Check out this blog entry.

This year, I was also fortunate to be able to spare my time to join my church’s mission trip to Ternate and Halmahera island in Indonesia. It’s definitely a mind-blowing experience. Check out the blog entry about it.

2011 is the year of achievement.

I can finally call myself an awards winning photographer now. This year, I won two fearless photographers awards (one of them was picked as the best of show) As the person who lost faith in the competition, I finally encouraged myself to try on. I reckon this was the toughest wedding photography competition in the world, I am so glad that I still manage to steal two pieces.

Here are two award winning photos:

Honestly, there was another new years’ resolution from 2011 that I missed it. I wanted to be a wedding artist recognised in photography and videography. Well, I didn’t manage to receive anything from my videography career yet. I think I was just being naive. It’s definitely a long way to learn to master in photography and videography. I believe that I was on the right track that I could say more than 60% booking I receive in 2011 was fusion (Still + motion pictures). I am not sure where there are not many people crazy enough like me who takes the challenge to shoot photography and videography by myself. Please note this is not like that I simply add an extra videographer. But I am responsible to lead my team to be storytellers to shoot both media in the same time at the wedding. The couples booked me as a storyteller, not as a photographer or a videographer. Check out my latest fusion works in Bali, Indonesia.

Desgi and Ngan’s wedding is my best wedding in 2011. I love every bit of their wedding. I still haven’t blogged their wedding properly, there are too many breath-taking photos that I took. But in the mean time, just check out their same day edit slideshow presented at their reception. Check out the blog post please!

I don’t think I had a good year in 2011, but I had a fantastic and blessing year in 2011. It’s definitely full of excitement to look back into. It is such a proud moment to look back the whole year to reflect of what I have achieved. It’s not bad at all for a guy who is in the industry of almost 7 years and still fired up

I can sense 2012 will be another challenging year. My team and I are so looking forward facing 2012. I will blog it later about the new years resolution and target. The title will be “2012 is the year of the revolution”. Watch this space, OK!

Once again thank you for everyone who supported me and my team. I can’t name one by one obviously and I believe you know who you are.

As a Christian, I only know a new year that’s based on the history of how the birth of Jesus Christ separates the history of BC (before christ) and AD (Anno Domini – {latin} In the year of Our lord). Forgive me, I absolutely had no clue. I only got that info from googling

But I am celebrating every Chinese new year. In fact, it’s probably one of only Chinese traditions that I still keep doing it. As you may know, I am Chinese born Indonesian who does not speak Chinese. It’s pretty sad, isn’t it?

I maintain this tradition in my family simply because it’s great when all family member comes together having dinner and exchanging red pockets for kids. It’s such an excuse that all family members drop their busyness for one dinner and are willing to give others (Kids) money. I still remember how I was always looking forward for Chinese New year every year when I was a kid. I remembered how my family enjoyed each other companionship and had a good time. Also, because of the red pockets, my parent taught me how to put money given from them into my piggy bank for me to buy toys in the future with my own money. I learnt how I needed to earn everything by myself. It’s beautiful thing, right? That’s how I want to share this tradition with my kids for them to learn too.

Here is my two sons, saying Happy Chinese New Year to all of you

This is my first share of my thought for my beloved colleagues in wedding photography (or cinematography) industry. So I hope it’s more to come to share or rather for a reflection to consider. Remember this is my site, so I wish to tell how my mind works. If I offend you, I seriously never have any intention to hurt you personally. Just share my thought.

Before I jump to today’s thought, some of you may not know that I have created Wiki School Pedia (WSP) site mid last year. I honestly admit that the website is currently sort of stranded due to my wedding commissioned works. However, I definitely will visit and come back with the improved visions and structures that allow other photographers out there to share and to learn one another.

The failure of maintaining the wsp site in the first year was totally expected as I am still very much involved in shooting weddings and also leading Foto Expression team. It’s one hell works to do. This year, I am trying to clear up my calendar as much as I do this year. I reduce almost half of my wedding jobs I shot from the previous years. Thus, I hope I have more free hands later after this February. It’s after all one big wish to do.

As mention in what I shared previously of why I started WSP, somebody has to do it. I want to inspire others of what beautiful life I see. And I definitely see myself to have that kind of passion. Wish me luck for that!

WSP is my media to help or inspire others too using my knowledge and previous experience as an IT professional. Talking how being for others, today is Australian day. As you know, I am not native Australian but I love to call this adopted country to be my home.

Obviously, I may not know much being of Australian as I grew up more in Indonesia but I know how Australia is called ‘Down Under’ with reasons. Being Australian, we are pretty much separated among the rest of the world. For example, only lately, the Socceroo (Australian soccer team) was considered to be part of Asian. Btw, well done. We are on the final. yayyyy!! What I am trying to say it’s never easy for us to be recognised among others. We even called Oprah to come here. So that’s to give idea of how hard it is to be a recognisable figure with such a big disadvantage like us, down under geographically.

You must be wondering what it’s got something to do with my thought in photography. Hopefully you got my drift after reading the whole article

I remember I started my photography career because I naively thought I only need personality and passion of wedding photography was all that mattered. My definition of professional wedding photography was that if the images has blur background then it must be professional ones. Yes, you can laugh me now. But I tell you there are sooooo many photographers out there who only know how to make the blur background called themselves professional photographers. If that is the case, Jamie my 4 years’ old son is a professional photographer. He shot Ryan, my other boy, with my camera with a nice piece of lens. For couples who looks for wedding photographers, if you are seriously falling in love with your prospective photographer just because the blur image, then you should consider hire the camera and lens and get your uncle to follow you around. I give a quick 1 hour tutorial of how he can become a photographer whom you wish to book. You should look more just the blurry photo, but the big question is whether you can see your wedding day are captured like what’s in their portfolio photo are what the matters the most. Not because the wedding is held in the same location/venue or time, but how the photographers can capture the memories.

yeah this is just a random shot by Jamie on Ryan, my youngest son, with only one minute holding my camera. Well, it’s professional enough, dont you think?

Well, I guess I was lucky to start my career based on how I thought the professional images should be because back then, the trend of being wedding photographers was not popular yet. Nowadays, I believe everyone can call themselves a professional photographer. I saw one of the recent weddings that Ilona and Aswin shot, one guest came to the ceremony with three professional cameras in his hands. I am serious. I guess I am trying to speak up about the challenge or disadvantage of being a wedding photographer right now. With nice websites or blogs, It’s easy to be a professional wedding photographer. I should say there will be emerged trend of being a wedding cinematographer too because the technology becomes so affordable now.

I am not sure I saw how many wedding photographers out there are known not because of their images, but with something else. It’s kind of sad to know that honestly. A photo artist is known not because of his/her artistic photo. That just like a popular actor/actress known because of their look only. I hope you get my drift.

The today’s message? It’s easy to be drawn to copy some success story of somebody. Inspired is what you need to be, not copy. Let’s believe in yourself that you are unique and don’t stop learning. I am sure you heard that a lot. But it is very true that being unique is the most important to survive in the disadvantaged competition. I will share more details of how I stand among crowds later in the future. But now, let’s learn from the Oz. Australian must be proud to talk and to act like oz. We turn the multicultural diversity into their uniqueness. Well, I am not trying to criticize Indonesian. But I reckon Australian shows that they are proud with their own country because they are different, and they are unique. They have their identity to stop being influenced too much by some success stories from other countries. Yes, I am proud to call Australia to be my home.

Happy Australia Day, guys!