ANNIE & SIMON "Here goes nothing."

In the best stories, the whole tale is told right at the outset, with the rest of the story functioning to bring that tale to life. In this video, the opening shots and the poem are a metaphor for Simon's journey to Canada, and his meeting Annie. The sun rises over Australia and brings a blinding whiteout to snowy Canada. In their travels, Annie and Simon journeyed to Whistler to meet their destiny: each other.

Soha of Countdown Events had described Annie and Simon simply as "very much in love." I had to agree after meeting them a few days before the wedding. They seemed perfect together. They were also a joy to talk to, sharing their story and giving me the insight I needed to film their wedding. I'm sure anyone whose life is touched by this couple and their amazing families, cherishes them.

I combined three different songs to create the soundtrack for this video. I tried to present a variety of moods, from epic and ethereal, to exultant and off-beat, to impassioned, and finally to glee. With this amazing couple, just one mood would not have been enough. It's a day in the life, a very complex life, with the different strands of experience somehow combining into a unified story.

「 engagement 」KIRAN & PERDEEP

LSM has now filmed MANY Indian weddings and have learned a lot about the traditions. And we never ever get tired of capturing them. The engagement ceremony is a mini-ceremony unto itself. I used to cover so simply, just myself with two cameras. Which is perfect for many of the pre-wedding events, but not quite enough for an engagement. Two videographers, three cameras, and a lot of movement are just right.

It's interesting to compare this video with Crystal and Andy's. Both incorporated traditional ceremonies, but Kiran and Perdeep were I think more interested in spending time with their families and having the maximum amount of fun with the traditions as a backdrop. Actually, it took some convincing for them to let me use Indian music with the video. I think it's perfect but we are still open to a different song. Suggestions welcome!

It was also great to have so many foreground elements, to enhance the motion of our steadicam and slider shots. Candles, photographers, whatever it takes. Dynamically linking each shot like a tapestry where everything in the finished product is unified is one of the joys of videography. I also had fun designing the closing title, overlaying, blurring and warping the text against one of my favourite shots.

「 sde 」CRYSTAL & ANDY

Some people seem so calm - almost too calm. They take everything in stride and are always able to make decisions internally, consulting some inner world that they are secure in. Crystal and Andy got engaged only two years after they met, and got married just over two months later. Certainty is a wonderful thing.

One way to make choices is to consult the traditions of your culture or your family. It's so interesting to see how people incorporate these into their weddings. Some push against them and others welcome them. Some pick and choose what suits their vision, others take on tradition in its entirety.

From when she put on her qipao until the end of the tea ceremony, Crystal was covered and surrounded by red fabrics and patterns, even under her feet. Everything she touched was red, from her gloves to the tea cups to the red envelopes. To me it seemed like a metaphor. The individual is surrounded by tradition and yet is free to grow within it.

I personally am not a fan of rules, but in creative work there is often too much freedom. Having rules forces you to direct your creativity, forcefully, in one constructive direction. It's like having a room in which to construct both a ceremony and a reception. Restriction spurs growth. Perhaps it is the same in life.

SFU YWiB Women's Day Conference

Life is full of contradicting truths. For example: There is no greater priority than empowering yourself and seeking your own happiness, no matter what others may think. And, there is no higher calling than serving others, than making their lives better. I think as an entrepreneur I have the opportunity to serve both of these truths. So when Shonika Narayan of SFU Young Women in Business contacted me about the International Women's Day Conference, I knew exactly why I would say yes to the project.

YWiB SFU strives to engage emerging female leaders within our community by providing opportunities for personal and professional growth. It didn't require a lot of thought to realize this was something I wanted to support. Shonika tasked me with capturing the event and producing a same-day-edit to cap off the afternoon. What better way to spend a Sunday! I hope you enjoy this video and find it inspiring.

Jasmine & Jae ... To Build a Home

Every building needs a solid foundation. And building a building is hardly proof that a foundation is in place. Time is a powerful tester and only the strongest home or relationship can stand up to it.

For me Jasmine and Jae epitomize what an ideal couple look like. I've never met two people more self-assured and yet more flexible; more secure and yet more fluid. They prove that once you are happy in yourself, and have reached that point of maturity where life is pure joy, you are ready to give yourself 100% to another person.

For them, I broke the rule of never using the same piece of music twice, and donated a few (joyful) hours spending time with them at the site of their new abode and at a few of their favourite West Van locations. And with them and with Chermaine Wu and thanks above all to Harumi Suzuki, we put together a beautiful wedding film I'll always be proud of.

We've had to hold off on releasing this one, but here it is in all it's directness, openness and glory: Jasmine & Jae's wedding.

Edith ♥ Kelvin { Highlights }

Weddings are such an amazing place to meet people and experience new things. This video begins with Kelvin's mom playing a traditional Chinese instrument, the Guzheng. It was quite the surprise for Kelvin to see this kick off the same day edit, as his mother very rarely plays. We only asked her to play for a few seconds, but she blew us away with her dedication and focus. She played an entire piece, beautifully, though she was bashful and asked me to not use the actual sound of her playing. But she had turned what I thought was just a touch of home decor into a living, breathing piece of culture.

Edith and Kelvin chose Hycroft Manor for their ceremony, truly the ideal setting for their wedding. In addition to my favourite of all ceremony settings, it features gorgeous old world rooms, with windows opening to reams of ivy. These became the background for most of the detail shots, including one of my favourite ring shots. An old window slowly opens and pushes aside the ivy, as the camera comes to rest on Edith and Kelvin's rings. A sweet and gentle ending, for a sweet and gentle couple.

Dorothy ♥ Ken { SDE }

Something familiar, but with a twist. That's the basic recipe for creating something interesting. Not too weird, but not too normal either. Same thing makes a fun wedding, too! I could never get tired of this industry, considering the one-of-a-kind, envelope-pushing talent I get to capture. It was awesome to capture Debut Events transforming the Four Seasons, to watch Harumi Suzuki be invisible and yet everywhere, and to watch Steve Bebb get the most out of a photo shoot that was cut short.

Dorothy and Ken definitely have a twist! Theirs is a very unique relationship, extremely humorous and, even more so, sarcastic. On the surface it's hard to see any romance... but of course it's there, as is very deep emotion. The point is, they do not try to blend in. It takes courage to be yourself, to not care what people think, and Dorothy and Ken have courage to spare.

The morning was chaotic. No, actually it was crazy. I don't understand Chinese but based on Sofia's doubling over with laughter, there was some super funny stuff going on. I did pick up on the "perfect man" joke involving an oversized sausage that was prominently displayed to everyone's approval on a plate of crackers and cheese. No, it was not the standard bridal prep. It was also interesting to see the father of the bride show that it's never too late to be gangsta.

As a videographer, I like to keep evolving. In this video and several from this year, I've tried to shoot footage that is not as polished, on purpose. Footage that feels raw gives the video a more unpredictable feeling, as though you are watching something that is happening NOW rather than something perfectly packaged and served up like a frozen slice of prettiness. I'm not sure if what I'm trying to do comes across; that I'm intentionally including "flaws", and if I should allow this to be a bigger part of my style. It takes courage to be yourself, for sure.