Photo by Berty Mandagie
jeffrey h. le —
I’m a destination wedding and elopement filmmaker based out of Seattle, Washington. Basically, that’s just a really cool way of saying that I am a professional third wheel who knows how to use a camera and editing software efficiently.
In all seriousness, I love hanging with rad couples and documenting the moments they have with one another. It’s a passion of mine to document those real, genuine moments as it forms their own unique story into a film. It has always been important for me to document and not fabricate.
As of 2022, it is my fourth full time year and I am beyond excited for what’s to come. It’s been a tremendous honor having been part of so many special weddings and elopements. Whatever the adventure is, I’m always up for it!
Whether I’m up in the mountains documenting a small-intimate elopement or traveling over the states for a destination wedding, it brings me joy to know that I’m able to share the stories of amazing people.
how I got started
Believe it or not, I had a graphic design business that I started at the age of 13. I was on YouTube making “backgrounds” and other designs for people in the gaming community. I was fortunate enough to work for a team, FaZe, that would end up being a powerhouse in the gaming community and content creator space. Through that, I was able to save up money for a camera and began watching tutorials on how to edit the videos and photos I would capture.
Fast-forwarding to five years later, I was a student at Washington State University looking to study for my Finance degree. That quickly ended as I realized I wanted to create, document, and share with others. I’ve been blessed to meet incredible mentors along the way that were involved in the industry and quickly got my filmmaking business up and running full time.
Much of my inspiration for creating and documenting stems from simply scrolling up my iPhone gallery to find old videos and photos of moments that make me laugh and smile. I want everyone to be able to relive these kinds of moments. Moments that make them smile, shed a joyful tear, and laugh so hard their face hurts. Genuine moments will always stand the test of time.
a little more about who i am without the camera —
JARVIS
Jarvis is my 1-year-old mini Goldendoodle. He has quite the personality, loves people, and only eats when he sees another dog eyeing his food. He’s been incredibly fun to have around. You might even see him make an appearance during one of our video calls! It’s always a nice time when we get to hang with couples and their dogs as well. Do you have one? Let’s meet up!
movies and shows
Some of my favorite movies include Interstellar, Dunkirk, Matt Reeve’s Batman, Booksmart, The Revenant, Uncut Gems, and Dune. I base many of the films I watch on not just the actors, but the director. Some of my favorite directors include Christopher Nolan, Denis Villeneuve, and the Safdie brothers.
As for shows, some of my favorites include Ozark, Game of Thrones, Chef’s Table, and Formula 1: Drive to Survive. I also love watching documentaries. Specifically climbing or mountaineering documentaries from Jimmy Chin.
the outdoors
As someone who was born and raised in Washington State, it’s hard not to admire the scenery we have. I’ve always been one to love adventure and experience life away from a screen. Each year I go on a number of hikes, snowboarding trips, backpacking trips, and weekend “overlanding” trips with my FJ. It’s always fun getting out there to explore and create memories with friends, family, and even couples that I’ve had the pleasure of working with in the past!
I love sports
As someone who grew up playing soccer, basketball, and football, it’s natural for me to love sports. In recent years I’ve come to love baseball, MMA, snowboarding, and my current favorite, Formula One racing. In many ways, I find them all to be a unique art form that allows the athlete to operate both technically and creatively in their respective craft. Currently, I’m training jiu-jitsu and it’s been a fun few years of learning!