Wedding Video Sydney | Encore Media

Vincent Lai - Photographer Profile #1

2009-07-03T08:20:00.007+10:00

On your wedding day there are many professionals all trying to do their job to the best of their ability. It isn't always easy trying to co-ordinate everything but at Encore Media we pride ourselves on our ability to establish strong continuing relationships with our industry peers, particularly photographers.

We have been very fortunate to be able to work with some of the best photographers in the industry and have decided that we will introduce some of them on our blog. I would love to hear your feedback on this idea.

For those that visit our blog regularly you will already know of our first "interviewee". I hope you enjoy this little insight.

Photographer Profile #1:

Vincent Lai - www.vincentlai.com.au

Today we will be introducing the work of Vincent Lai Photography. I have known Vincent for a number of years and he is not only one of the most decent guys I know but his work is also of the highest quality.

Q1: Tell us about yourself.

Microbiologist in my previous career, worked at Sydney University for over 10 year. My girlfriend (wife now) bought me my first slr and after capturing a few rolls of film the passion started :) I love to spend more time with my family.

Q2: What are your most proud of accomplishing so far in your life?

Able to document all the special couples on their wedding day. Being my own boss and loving full time photography.

Q3: When and why did you begin wedding photography?

That was 10 years ago, I started with film and now I am fully digital. No particular reason, it was a natural progression after finding that it was fun capturing friends weddings.

Q4: What inspires you when you shoot weddings and why?

Hmmm...I don't know really..I just get a buzz every time i pick up my camera. Maybe is the found moments I see through the lens.

Q5: Who or what influenced your photography over the years?

I love looking at other photographers images..that gives me inspiration. One of my favorite site for inspiration is the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA) @ www.wpja.com

Q6: What do you consider the most challenging aspect of shooting weddings?

Delivering consistent results at every wedding.

Q7: What is your greatest strength as a photographer?

Capturing moments as it happens.

Q8: Tell us your latest news?

Not much happening in my life...too busy with post processing and album designs. 2009 is is a very busy year. It was great receiving Gold and Silver awards at the recent Canon AIPP Australian Professional Photography Awards (APPA).

Q9: Can you share some of your favourite photos and explain why you like each one?

I don't have any favorite ones...but here are some recent wedding photojournalism images that I like

01. love the enthusiastic guest laying on the ground trying to capture the brides garter

02. the facial expression on the brides face is classic - "Pain"

03. all the attention was on the "Mother of the Bride"

04. real reaction after the ceremony as husband and wife

Q10: Where do you see yourself in five years?

5 year...still documenting weddings. Enjoying life and some travelling.

Q11: When you wish to end your career, stop photography and look back on your life, what thoughts would you like to have?

That is a long time away...haven't really thought about it. The one thing I enjoy is the look on my clients faces when they see there images the first time.

Q12: How can couples get in contact with you and see more of your work?

Check out my website @ www.vincentlai.com.au and especially my BLOG @ www.vlblog.net. It is a running journal of my work, and I put photos up there from every wedding I photograph, you can really get a sense of my documentary style.

And lastly, just to show that we are still a video blog afterall, here is a clip from a wedding that Vincent and I shot together.

Nicola & Nimish - Indian Wedding By Encore Media

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Sandy & Fiat - 10th May

2009-06-18T16:08:00.013+10:00

I often get asked by couples what can they do to make the video better. My answer is always the same....just enjoy yourself. If you smile and have a good time it is so much easier to shoot good video.

Sandy and Fiat are a great example of this. An awesome couple who really knew how to enjoy and make the most of their day.

They didn't stop smiling all day and the end result is some great footage.

Sandy & Fiat were one of many great referrals we have received from Vincent Lai. Vincent is one of the nicest and most talented photographers in Sydney and it is great working with him on a regular basis. Check out his photos of Sandy & Fiat on his blog.

The rings were brought down the aisle in a small remote control car. Also check out the cool Fiat wedding car supplied by Toy Car Weddings Ph: 0403 030 801.

For something different we asked Sandy and Fiat to a few simple questions to learn more about them and their wedding day.

Biggest planning surprise:
The ring bearer and the Fiat (our wedding car).

Favorite wedding planning resource:
Wedding Central Website and Complete Wedding Magazine

I wish I'd spent more time:
Eating at the reception!!!

I wish I'd spent less time:
None.

I am glad I/we did:
Have professional staff.

I am glad we didn't:
None.

Favorite wedding moment:
When I saw my husband cry as I was walking into the church.

Detail that was worth it:
Every moment.

Detail that was a waste:
None.

Best wedding splurge:
Photos and Video Footage.

Best wedding steal:
Bought my wedding dress at 75% off.

(Blatant Plug) What was your favorite part about working with Encore:
Meeting and dealing with a very professional and most reliable person.

Love your work always.

Best regards
Sandy and Fiat

Sandy & Fiat By Encore Media
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Macedonian Wedding

2009-06-18T15:57:00.003+10:00

We don't do alot of Macedonian weddings but when we do they are alot of work...err...I mean fun! They are long days full of dance, drinking, music, drinking, singing and some more drinking, not necessarily in that order.

Mishell and John were fantastic to work with. Very laid back and allowed us to work our way. We certainly slept well at the end of the night.

I love the colours of Daltone House during the reception. It looks fantastic on video. The photographer was Simon from Deyan Photography.

Mishell & John - Wedding Recap By Encore Media
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Kudos

2009-05-28T12:54:00.002+10:00

We have had some great couples to work with over the last summer. Below is just a sample of thank-yous and feedback we have received.

"Thank you so very much for our wedding DVD's. They brought me to tears, they were that beautiful. You are very talented and did a fabulous job. Something we will cherish forever!" - Stacey & Trent

"Thank you so much for filming our wedding day. Your amazing videography captured every moment of our special day and we can now watch our memories over and over again! You are truly talented! Thank you again." - Amy & Ray

"The highlights is very very very cool!!!!!! You have done an amazing job. THANK YOU!" - Jessica & Nicholas

"Thank you for the vide We received it on Friday and have enjoyed watching it very much. We loved your style and it's truly an amazing work" - Elisabeth & Suwandi

"Thank you, thank you for a wonderful, touching, romantic wedding video - I can't tell you how pleased I am that we went with your company. It really has the look and feel that we wanted for the day and is perfect as a wedding keepsake." - Fiona & Glenn

Family Shoot

2009-04-12T19:38:00.003+10:00

This is something I had wanted to do for ages. If you have kids you will understand when I say they seem to grow up too fast. So with the help of some good friends, Dave from DnM Video and Kate from Uber Photography, my family and I set off last week for a quick photo/video shoot.

The video has been put together and gives us a great memory of our family. It is definetly something I intend to do at least every year. The final video will also incorporate some of the photos when they are ready but for now here is some of the footage shot by Dave and edited by Encore Media.

Family Shoot By Encore Media
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Elisabeth & Suwandi

2009-03-04T15:23:00.011+11:00

Elisabeth and Suwandi were married in November last year. They are a fantastic couple. Elisabeth is an has represented Australia in Latin Dancing and Suwandi is a very succesful IT guy.

They were very easy to work with and come from two very close and caring families. Siblings, Aunts, Uncles came from all over Australia and Asia to help celebrate the occasion.

With two tea ceremonies, a church ceremony, photo shoot and reception at Manly Golf Club it was certainly a long day.

Here is the video we put together to capture the essence of the day.

Elisabeth & Suwandi - Recap By Encore Media
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Photography on the day was by Gordon Jovic. You can view some of the photos on Gordon's blog (half way down the page).

Michelle & Kevin - Sydney Harbour Wedding

2009-02-25T22:23:00.003+11:00

This wedding was one of my favourites of all time. I hadn't met Michelle or Kevin until the wedding day. Usually I like to meet at least once just to have a chat, get to know each other so that we are not complete strangers on the day.

However, this wasn't necessary with Michelle and Kevin. They are one of the most relaxed, easy-going and friendliest couples I've met. To top it off they were married at the beautiful Lindsay House in Vauclause followed by the reception on Fort Denison in the middle of Sydney Harbour. Needless to say, it was an amazing day. Not to mention perhaps the hottest day I have experienced at a wedding.

The photographers were Kate & Chris from Uber Photography...they even make a couple of appearances in the video. See if you can pick them out.

Michelle & Kevin By Encore Media
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Do you Really Remember your wedding?

2009-02-23T15:33:00.003+11:00

Do you really remember your wedding?

Ask yourself: what was my wedding really like? Chances are you’ll remember all the running around, busy planning, and crazily hectic schedules. If you ask your best friend the same question, he or she will probably tell you more than you knew about your own wedding! Let’s face it: weddings are a chaotic circus and most brides and grooms survive it in a state of daze. They barely get to interact with their guests and miss out on a lot of the precious moments. More often than not it goes by too fast to be able to capture timeless memories in one’s mind. Thankfully videography changes all that!

It may seem like just another useless expense at the time, but wedding videos are truly worth every penny in retrospect. Not only does a skilled professional videographer capture the big moments of the special day, he also manages to capture the subtle yet significant personal touches that really make a wedding a cherished occasion. Moreover, the wedding video is the only wedding expense that’s not a one day splurge. The video can be shared with close family and friends who were unable to make it to the wedding itself. Most importantly, they can be enjoyed over a cup of hot chocolate while taking a trip down memory lane. Imagine the thrill you would get if you had the chance to sit down and watch your grandparents wedding on tv.

Weddings have become increasingly expensive affairs and more and more couples are seeking to tighten their budgets by cutting down on the so-called frills and sticking to the basics. There is however no bigger mistake than eliminating the idea of hiring a professional wedding videographer or equally bad, asking a friend or cousin to do it for you on a handycam!

Gone are the days of cheesey video with tacky effects. A skilled camera operator and editor can now weave your wedding video into a timeless movie capturing the true essence of your day.

So while you’re weighing up all the expenses for your big day, remember that it could be just one special day or a memory that lasts forever. The choice is yours to make, although I would personally recommend wedding videography as one of the best investments not only for your wedding, but for all of your marriage.

Highlights - Natalie & Luis

2008-12-18T21:36:00.003+11:00

Natalie and Luis were a laugh a minute. I don't remember a couple that has smiled and laughed so much throughout the day.

We worked with Lucas from Inlighten Photography and as usual they were very easy to work with.

The reception was held at the fantastic Waterview Venue at Bicentennial Park.

A great day with an amazingly photogenic bride. Enjoy!

Natalie & Luis By Encore Media
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Dance Concert Video 2008

2008-12-15T21:36:00.004+11:00

The end of the year is an exciting time for us. Not only plenty of weddings to keep us busy but also alot of school and dance concerts as well.

Many people assume we only do weddings, however specialising in live event coverage we are also often entrusted to cover concerts in and around Sydney.

Recently we had the pleasure of travelling to Shell Harbour to shoot the annual dance concert for Marshall's Dance Company. I included the highlights clip below for those that may be interested to see how we apply our skills in non-wedding environments.

Hope you enjoy 'The Year That Was'.

Marshall's Dance Concert 2008 By Encore Media

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Le Han & David - Wedding

2008-12-01T08:57:00.002+11:00

Le Han & David had a very personal wedding shared between close family and friends. I had a fantastic time during the day and it was a true pleasure working with them both.

The Ceremony was held in the Chinese Gardens at Darling Harbour with the reception at The Waterfront Restaurant at the Rocks.

Le Han & David By Encore Media
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Same Day Edit - Julie & Johnson in HD

2008-11-05T08:15:00.005+11:00

We've just completed a pretty hectic weekend. Long days, lots of shooting and just to give ourselves more of a challenge we also had a same day edit.

Julie & Johnson had a full day starting with 2 Tea Ceremonies, a church ceremony, photo shoot and then action packed reception.

The same day edit covers the events up to the reception and was then shown on a big screen to all the guests. It received a fantastic response.

Also, I can't forget to mention that once again we had the privilege to work with Ilona & Wiki from Fotoexpression. Wiki is always good for a laugh and helps make the day easier. Ilona is the sensible one and together they compliment each other perfectly.

You can view the same day edit below in all its High Definition glory.

Be sure to ask us about how you too can have a same day edit at your wedding. Don't forget to leave comments too.

Same Day Edit from Encore Media .

Doris & Alan - Martin Place

2008-10-14T14:42:00.004+11:00

Doris & Alan flew back from Hong Kong to celebrate their wedding ceremony with family and friends at the historical Garrison Church in the Rocks area.

The weather forecast was bleak however it turned out to be a beautiful day.

Following the afternoon reception at the Waterfront Restaurant, Doris and Alan spent some time getting photos around Martin Place.

It was a pleasure to work with such a fun couple.

Here is a short snippet of their time at Martin Place.

Delvene & Eddie - 28.09.08

2008-09-30T16:29:00.006+10:00

It's been awhile since we have posted any video samples on the blog. I will be putting up a few new trailers/highlights over the next few weeks but today's entry is from Sunday's wedding.

Once again I had the pleasure of working with Vincent and Milton Lai. You can see their amazing photos from the day here

Ceremony decorations - Events By Nadia

Marriage Celebrant - Wendy Bull

Ceremony music - Sydney Ensemble

Reception - Doltone House

Here is the trailer:

AVPA Award 2008

2008-09-10T03:23:00.006+10:00

Finalist: Wedding Day Short Form

While away we were extremely glad to hear that one of our productions was entry was awarded Finalist in the Wedding Day Short Form category at the Australian Video Producers Assocation (AVPA) annual awards.

AVPA is the leading organisation for Video Producers Australia-wide. As usual the standard of entries was extremely high and we were thrilled with the result.

This was our first time to enter our work in such a competition and is a great result. It is pleasing to receive some recognition for the hours of hard work and creative effort that goes into making YOUR videos.

We look forward to continuing to produce quality videos that represent your day and personalities in a creative and exciting manner.

Wedding in Italy

2008-09-10T02:42:00.019+10:00

It's not everyday we get to shoot weddings in exotic overseas locations. However,this week I had the pleasure of working with Mark Gibson of Moving Presentations on a wedding in Italy.

We travelled about 40 hours to arrive in the scenic Lake Como region, not far from Milan. It is an absolutely beautiful area of the world. It was my first trip to Italy and I enjoyed every minute of it.

I am now writing this, sitting in a small pub in Prague where we have a couple of days R&R before heading back to Sydney.

Here are a few pictures just to prove I am not making it all up.

With brothers, David & Steve Hughes from David Hughes Photography based in the the UK.

Mark working hard with the steadicam.

Setting up the camera for a Timelapse shot of the clouds.

Encore Media | Pollies for Small Business 2008

2008-08-12T15:31:00.003+10:00

Yesterday, Encore Media participated in the annual "Pollies for Small Business" programme.

Organised locally by Hornsby & District Chamber of Commerce & Industry this annual event sees politicians both federal and state roll their sleeves up and get to work in the coalface of small business in their local area.

We were privileged to have our local member Judy Hopwood MP visit our studio and learn about all the processes involved in creating our video productions. It is a great chance for small business owners to voice their concerns and provide feedback to those representing us in government.

Mel & Damo - Hunter Valley

2008-06-25T15:33:00.006+10:00

At the end of last month we had the pleasure of filming in the sensational Hunter Valley. This was for the wedding of Mel & Damo, who are a very fun-loving and adventurous couple.

The location was amazing with the sun going down and some very cool hay bales to play with. Luke from Luke Gow Photography and his assistant Thierry were great to work with and set up some fantastic shots. You can view some of his shots from the wedding here.

We haven't got around to editing the full wedding yet however I wanted to just put together a small snippet of the photo shoot to show everyone how beautiful it was. Enjoy.

Trailer for Kate & Nick- 10.05.08

2008-05-13T15:33:00.004+10:00

Still recovering from another busy weekend. On saturday we had the privilege of shooting Kate & Nick's wedding. It was a fantastic day with two very loving families coming together. Lots of emotion, lots of fun.

I also had the chance to work with Vincent Lai & his brother Milton. 2 very professional and creative photographers.

Check out the 2 pink spotlights on the backdrop during the ceremony. Great touch.

Here is the trailer:

An Inspiration!

2008-04-10T14:38:00.004+10:00

Last week, I had the honour of recording a trivia/fundraising night for a close friend of mine who is suffering a rare form of cancer. He is a real champion and with the support of his amazing wife, three beautiful children and literally hundreds of friends is fighting this awful disease head on.

This video was by far the hardest I've had to put together but I wanted to share the recap with you all to help raise awareness for Rob. I can't imagine that I would have as much dignity and courage as Rob, if I were in his situation. He is truly an inspiration.

This event was organised by members of the NSW Police and demonstrates what a close- knit community they are. Well done to all the organisers.

If you would like to donate even a small amount (everything helps) please contact me for further details.

It's a girl!

2008-04-01T09:50:00.002+11:00

I don't normally post personal notes on this blog but due to the many enquiries from our clients keen to know the latest news I have decided to post a short message.

Also, when you have a new addition to the family it's hard not to tell the world. It is such an amazing feeling to have a baby.My wife and I have been fortunate to have 3 beautiful children.

Our latest arrived on the 20th March, just before Easter. We now have two girls and one boy and couldn't be happier.

My good friend Kate from über photography (one of the best photography teams in Australia) came over and took some great pics of the new bub and family.

For weddings and/or portraits you can't go past über photography.

Pre-Wedding Video- Roni & Robert

2008-04-01T09:35:00.003+11:00

Although it is common practice for photographers to shoot pre-wedding photos not many people are aware that we can also do the same with our video productions.

Some of the advantages of having a pre-wedding shoot are:
* The couple are generally more relaxed
* More time to shoot, allows for extra locations if needed
* Locations are less crowded during the week
* It's a chance for us to get to know the couple better which inevitably makes it easier to work together on the actual wedding day.
* It's a great record for the couple.
* Often, if the photographer is willing we can shoot it together to save time.
* They are also just simply fun to do.

Here is an example of a recent pre-wedding shoot we did for Roni & Robert who flew out from their home in London.

Australia Day Wedding

2008-03-03T17:38:00.004+11:00

What better way to celebrate Australia day than by attending the wedding of an Irish Groom and Croatian bride. Perfect weather, family and guests from all over the globe, loads of fun and probably a few sore heads the following day.

Here is the trailer:

Hunter Valley Weddings

2008-02-20T12:37:00.003+11:00

Although Sydney would have to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world to be able to shoot weddings, we are fortunate to have so many amazing places nearby.

Last week I was down at Wollongong with it's fabulous beaches. Last month I was in the Hunter Valley for a wedding that also co-incided with my own wedding anniversary.

I have put together the highlights and I am sure you'll agree that Fiona and Tim are a great looking couple. It was a fun trip and the guests were still partying well into the night long after I left.

This wedding was shot in Pokolbin, Hunter Valley.

Sydney Harbour

2008-02-03T11:58:00.000+11:00

At Encore we provide a number of styles of edit to suit each couple. These can be in long or short form.

Todays post is a long form photo session we did last year around one of the most beautiful locations in the world, Sydney Harbour. It was a glorious day and working with the great people from Candid Pro Photography makes it easy to get great footage.

Shirley & Fedric are also a fantastic couple and kept us busy with 2 Tea cermonies on top of the usual workload. I will load up some footage of the tea ceremonies soon but for now here is photo session.