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

If there is any project that I really regret that I couldn’t do it due to my schedule this year was Amanda and Des’s wedding. I seriously hate the situation that I needed to be overseas trip on the wedding day. From the start, they showed the potential to be my perfect couple. But well, it’s all good at least, my boys from Foto Expression will surely look after them with special care *lol*.

But well, at least I could still play a little bit of them for creating this simple portrait films for them. Love love love love… you can call me bias. But I really think this really suits to their personality – cheeky and lovely. Please check it out!

You know that I am good of picking up songs for my couples based on the personality, but this time I couldn’t take the credit out of this. It’s too perfect, it’s so them. They also brought up how they never liked something that’s too commercial. I guess how they love me too, low profile *lol*.

I love the fact of this simple concept how it doesn’t overwhelm the connection or chemistry between them. According to Amanda, Des was always romantic. So she had no clue of whatsoever that Des would propose to her on that day. It’s because Des always treated her like any other day. He’s always relax, fun and treat her with care . It’s really great to hear their relationship story.

They reckon that people started thinking that they never got married any time soon as they have been engaged over 2 years. So they felt that they need a reminder to their friends and families.

Most of footages were mostly filmed in palm beach, so we needed to drive a bit. In fact, it was my first trip there. It’s totally worth it. I guess the location spots were all decided because of Des’ bike. Do you all see the bike? I admitted that I am no a bike person. But I totally call it as one of the best piece of art in motorcycle I ever seen. It looks so cool and vintage (what Des mentioned it was an old restoration). When we parked for lunch, everyone just stopped by to have a look at it. Now, I knew why Des really insisted to have the portrait films done. He wants to have a piece of memory to remember his darling (Of course, it’s Amanda ).

Anyway, I really had a great time even though it was such a short time that we enjoy each other companion. I am sure listing you guys are one of my favourite couples that I ever work with. Please check out a bit of behind the scenes photos here of how much fun we had.

Wow, I can’t believe that I am late for 6 months to blog this post.

Their wedding was back in last December. I promise to blog their wedding video next week at the latest.

Today is the turn for their portrait films.

Check it out the teaser before watching the full version one below:D

What can I say about them? I think for someone who know them, this films clearly tells about them. How photography and cars describe who they are.

Both of them are driving Honda type R. They both love photography.

On the meeting when we discuss about the story for the making of the portrait films, Dianne said that she wanted to have to be based on something real but not a cheesy one. She loves the idea of the movie from “Sliding doors” that tells what happens if Helen (Gwyneth Parlow) misses the train that she wouldn’t catch his husband cheating.  Dianne felt the same way if only she didn’t agree to do a favour for Felix, it wouldn’t be the same now. What favour? I think you should check out the video below

They met each other in one unplanned meeting (not stated on the movie). It leaded one another until they exchanged ICQ details. But then they lost contact for a while, until one day Felix randomly called her. And that’s how it all began.

The concept “sliding doors” on this films is if only Dianne didn’t backspace “No” on her chat, Dianne’s car drifts away from Felix (btw, anyone notice both of them have cool number plates). However, the reality is that Dianne accepted to do a favour for Felix to buy a lens on his behalf to get a staff discount. I hope Canon didn’t see this because I don’t think Dianne allowed to do that But I almost title this film “Canon change our lives” hhahaha *lol*

I really love the ending from this films that we shot the scene after their ceremony was over. I gave Felix, “Here is a camera for you to shoot Dianne”

Thank you thank you thank you. It’s been awesome shooting the portrait films especially we shot them on the rain. I had so much fun, and of course my canon didn’t

Richard and Virginia are like a heaven for me. First my camera loves them, and they love me. So it can’t go wrong from there

Like any other couple, they wanted the best of the best for them to treasure their wedding story. They were ready to do whatever it took.

On the other hand, I am Wiki Lee, a professional and does 1000% committed to every wedding or project that I am commissioned with. I know exactly who I am. I am even ready to reduce number of weddings that i do in 2011 so I can focus on the quality.

But for someone who never known me and said in the first email inquiry to give me ’20 reasons why I should do their wedding’, I was so deeply honoured to know someone really wanting me to go out from my sabbatical so badly to shoot their wedding. I seriously didn’t ask much for someone who wants to book me. I just want them to love me the way I am, just let me to be the artist that I can be. But this couple gave me twenty. Even in their list, one of them was that they were willing to sell their car to fund to have me. (No no, I am not that expensive ). But knowing the sacrifice they were willing to take was something that I wouldn’t dare to dream for someone to do that for having my service. It’s quiet flattering to know that. After all, I believe I am just an average photographer who has a great God (quote from Ken Duncan).

In short, they are awesome and cool people like us

Like most other couple who came to my studio for meeting prior to the making of portrait films, they didn’t know where to start. That’s why I asked from the simplest questions to the very personal questions. From there, normally I can sense they wanted to open up or they were too shy. Sometimes, I feel my job is like a pre-marriage counsel . But mostly they always come up with pretty much similar story than the others. The question is how I can create an unique and personal.

Ok here was what I learned about them.

1. They love Thristy merc, because they enjoyed their concert as a couple. I even spotted a thristy merc poster on their bedroom.
2. They’ve been going out since high school. It’s never easy for Richard to get Virginia at the start as she had a boyfriend when Richard made the move to her.
3. I could sense from the story, Virginia was kind of like Richard’s companion too.
4. When Virginia was finally available, Richard was so excited to woo her back.
5. When they dated back in high school time, Virginia’s parent was a strict one. Thus, they went out behind their back
6. Richard is kind of man with a gift love language. On the hand, Virginia is a more devouted person who loves making card to show her devotion to Richard.
7. Richard is a basketball freak. He is a professional basketball referee.
8. Richard proposal to Virginia was a tricky one. How he made a sign “Marry Me” with rope lit by fire on the beach.

So I hope all of your questions after watching the below films, you found the answer there

But when coming to create some works for a couple, sometimes my taste can be a bit too much. That’s why my question after that meeting, I asked them “Do you want a nice one or a creative one but kind of weird?” Their response was “In Wiki we trust”. They wanted me to deliver the best as I can be. So there you go below, my kind of the benchmark work for the portrait films; creative and yet storytelling

As soon as I heard how much they love Thristy Merc and listened their story, I knew straight away that All my life by Thristy Merc would be the soundtrack for their portrait films. Their video clip was the inspiration for this portrait films to portray the journey in backward. The morale of this film is for Richard always remember the day of when he fell in love with Virginia.

The films was premiered at their reception. With a blurry projector, I thought it went well. I received so many people stopped by to say the great work on that presentation. So thank you Richard and Virginia for the opportunity you gave us to document some part of your life story into something to remember. I definitely treasure the friendship we made

Their wedding story will definitely come up soon (I hope) in this blog. It was a busy day but it was definitely a fun day but not so much fun for me as they were too many tall people around them . Yes, I am a short guy .

Come back tomorrow, I promise that I will at least pick one photo from their wedding to be the photo of the day.

In the mean time, you can also see the behind the scene (BTS) images taken by Adiv and Ilona of Foto Expression during the portrait films shoot and of course their engagement session in between the making of portrait films. You’ll see now why I love this guy now

About one month before their wedding day, was my very first time I met Khemara and Maria. Since it is my promise that every project that I do in 2011 will be personal than ever, I love meeting them in person before the wedding. After a little bit of chit-chat, then I asked them a trivial question “what do you want to be remembered by from your fusion portrait films?”. Then Khemara started to share his life and his 10 years relationship with Maria. They admitted there were ups and downs. After hearing their story, I then proposed to create a story, my wish they can see this video everytime they have a fight to remember what they’d gone thru with their relationship. It is the message from the past for present and future that they must fight for their relationship till the end. That’s what this portrait films is about.

Since I started my personal approach in 2011, I heard and created nothing but masterpieces of my works. It really transforms what I want to become. I guess the couples get to know me better, what I think and what I wish to do for their best. But on top of that, they must work hard too. In this case, they must act. There was one scene where we ruined Maria’s make up .

I will keep doing this as much as I can to produce a beautiful moment about the relationship as long as I am still appreciated. Talking about appreciation, here is what Maria wrote to me on my facebook after the meeting.

Before you watch the film, you must know both of them are Anime and games fans.

This film was premiered at their reception last Saturday. What I heard from Khemara and Maria, it’s been the hot topic that night.

I can’t thank them enough of how they treated me with nothing but with respect and trust. It’s never easy to open up their struggles to a stranger. Thank you thank you…

Please come back to this space to watch their awesome wedding fusion video. The day was rainy and a lot of traveling but their bridal party is a crack up. We still had a great time.

I still remember vividly the first time I met Ronald and Henny at starbuck in Sydney cbd. I had nothing to hide telling them then how I just started my motion pictures career. And they had no hesitation to show full faith on me. I still remember how she referred me as one of people she has met who’s doing their works with passion. Yes, I will remember when people say the right thing to me.

Also, big thanks for the photographer of the day, Jenny Sun who’s my loyal supporter to my motion pictures career. Thanks for keep referring jobs to me. It’s much appreciated, Jen

Anyway, the below prewedding/portrait films below was to portray two people with different background and met and fell in love. One was an IT geek who loves wearing a google t-shirt and always go to bed at 10pm. The other one was an outgoing, friendly, always full of life and surrounded by many friends. In fact, based on their speeches at the reception, Henny was chased by many guys before Ronald came to rescue. Ronald mentioned his recipe on how he won Henny’s heart “It’s all about persistent and consistent”. That’s what the film is about, how Ronald showed his determination to love and surprise her.

Talking about surprise, there are at least two surprise stories in this film. We mocked up their proposal story of how Ronald surprised Henny a year before the wedding. The second one was the real surprise for Henny at their wedding reception when their prewedding film was presented in front of their guests. When I asked Ronald whether he’d prepared something special for Henny, he said that he would love to prepare a photo album featuring their dating moments and also all printed emails of how Ronald communicated with Henny in the past. As soon as I heard that, I know that I got the concept about this film.

During presentation of the film at the reception, we intended to separate Ronald from Henny. When the screen showed to look for Ronald, that’s when Ronald walked toward Henny with his prepared gift. Henny was completely clueless. But that’s what we hoped for.

We also included some footages shot from their wedding day to end the story. Henny is a fairytale bride whom I bet loves a happy ending. So that’s a surprise happy ending I gave to them

Anyway, here is their relationship story in motion pictures:

Stay tuned soon for their wedding story in motion pictures.