Episodes

  • Do Your Couples Actually Feel Cared For?

    Do Your Couples Actually Feel Cared For?
    Jun 8 2026
    What does it actually mean to care about your couples? Not in a vague, wholesome sense - but practically, between the booking email and the wedding day? This week the four of us are back together after a busy stretch of weddings (and one very long drive to Skye), and this question pops up in most of what we're talking about today.Liam kicks things off with tales from the road - a 22-hour round trip to the Isle of Skye for a four-hour elopement, accommodation that shared a building with a funeral director, and a mid-ceremony nature emergency that he handled with more resourcefulness than dignity. There's also the heartwarming news that Bee's daughter Betty shot her very first wedding and, by all accounts, absolutely smashed it.Pete and Laura relive their Paris trip - a 1920s indoor fairground, a ringmaster officiant, Britney-soundtracked backup dancers, and the "Inception bridge" - before the whole group spirals into debating whether they should all move to Scotland (Pete: no; midges: also no).From there, things get deep: a recent opinion arguing that photographers and videographers should position themselves as "creative leads" on wedding days. The group picks that apart honestly - where the idea has merit, why it mostly doesn't work (for us), and what actually happens when the makeup artist is still doing BTS portraits while you're trying to shoot. Pete raises something that's been coming up in consults lately: couples are booking "editorial" photographers thinking the word signals a natural, unposed approach - because "documentary" now sounds old-fashioned to them - when editorial often means the opposite. The terminology has become almost meaningless. It's the same problem that existed when everyone called themselves documentary photographers but still whisked couples away for two hours of portraits.And then: a TikTok from a wedding-industry bride saying no vendor made her feel cared about. Do we? Should we be doing more between booking and the big day - automated check-ins, WhatsApp groups, gifts? Or does showing up fully and delivering exceptional work speak louder than any amount of pre-wedding communication?Honest, warm, and occasionally extremely disgusting - this is a good one.Timestamps00:00 Intro & welcome back Liam 03:45 How long can you leave an inquiry unanswered? 04:10 Isle of Skye elopement - the drive, the cost, the hostel 07:00 The wilderness incident (you'll know when you get there) 09:25 Betty's first wedding shoot12:30 Paris Musee des Arts Forains wedding - fairground, ringmaster, Britney17:50 Filming vs. photography - why variety makes both better 18:35 Should we all move to Scotland? 20:00 Stefan sells up and goes full Viking 21:30 Should photographers be "creative leads" on wedding days? 27:00 The rise of content creators at weddings & its knock-on effects 30:00 Editorial vs. documentary - the language is broken33:30 The wonky camera trend & the Adlington Flip 37:00 Do our couples feel cared for? 38:50 Automated check-ins, WhatsApp groups 42:00 The photographer who delivers nothing for months44:00 Highs & lows of the past few weeks 46:30 A funeral & finding joy in hard days 48:00 What's coming up - Devon, Scotland, and Liam's eight-day gauntletSay hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommuneGet a free 14 day trial of Musicbed: https://www.musicbed.com/invite/935CyThe British Wedding Film Festivalhttps://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.com/Lawson Film School: https://www.lawsonfilms.co.uk/lawson-film-schoolliamandbee.comlawsonfilms.co.uklawsonphotography.co.uk#weddingphotography #weddingvideography #filmphotography #creativepodcast #weddingindustry #ourcreativecommune Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    50 mins
  • Less Website, More Bookings

    Less Website, More Bookings
    May 25 2026
    There's a photographer out there who has received 430 enquiries since January. We don't fully know how she's doing it - and that's kind of the point. Is this level of success replicable, or largely accidental?This week Pete, Laura, and Bee dig into what's really going on in the wedding photography and videography market right now: why some people seem to break through while everyone else is fighting for scraps, whether your website might actually be working against you, and the uncomfortable truth about pricing: most of us haven't raised our rates in nearly a decade, even as everything around us has got more expensive.We also get into a debate that's been doing the rounds on photographer socials: where does your responsibility end for how your couples look in photos? Should you be straightening ties, smoothing dresses, and fixing every wrinkle - or is that just not the job? With AI making clients think any edit is a simple fix, is that expectation about to get a whole lot worse?Plus: Bee's extraordinary doctor's appointment, Pete and Laura reflect on what it feels like to shoot a wedding together again, Bee & Liam's daughter Betty is about to second shoot her first wedding, and Liam is, once again, somewhere on a motorway.Honest, unfiltered chat for wedding photographers who are trying to figure it all out alongside everyone else.Timestamps00:00 - Intro: post-yoga chaos and sweaty coats03:00 - Saturday's wedding at Middleton Lodge - why it felt like the good old days06:40 - The joy of switching between photo and video09:00 - Upcoming schedule: Paris, half term weddings, and Scotland09:59 - Liam's Isle of Skye elopement: 11.5 hours of driving, and the great mattress debate11:19 - Betty's first wedding as second shooter13:12 - Industry chat: the photographer getting 430 enquiries since January17:00 - What's actually driving all those enquiries? Referrals, likability, and being flavour of the month18:45 - Pricing: why haven't we all raised our rates since 2015?22:14 - Should we be listing future year prices on our websites?26:24 - More photographers, fewer weddings, less money - the market in 202531:26 - What Jade's four-page website tells us about friction and attention spans33:57 - Who's responsible for how couples look in photos?38:50 - AI retouching expectations: the bow on the dress that broke three pieces of software43:50 - Highs and lows: no edits, Rivals, Betty's big debut, and a very confusing GPMartin Chueng’s podcast with Jade Greenbrooke: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/430-enquiries-since-january-how-jade-built-a/id1685148348?i=1000767529953 Jade Greenbrooke’s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jade.greenbrooke/ Say hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommuneGet a free 14 day trial of Musicbed: https://www.musicbed.com/invite/935CyThe British Wedding Film Festivalhttps://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.com/Lawson Film School: https://www.lawsonfilms.co.uk/lawson-film-schoolliamandbee.comlawsonfilms.co.uklawsonphotography.co.uk#weddingphotography #weddingvideography #filmphotography #creativepodcast #weddingindustry #ourcreativecommune Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    49 mins
  • Please, stop making it so hard to book you

    Please, stop making it so hard to book you
    May 11 2026

    Half the episode was recorded before anyone noticed the mic wasn't on. That's the vibe this week.


    Pete, Laura, and Bee (Liam is off conquering Scotland and London simultaneously) are talking about the real pressures hitting the wedding industry right now - and what, if anything, we can do about it. Bookings are shifting. Budgets are tighter. Midweek and shorter-coverage weddings are on the rise. And one person out there reckons full-time wedding photography might not even be viable anymore.


    Then there's the ghosting. Bee's Instagram post on the subject got 30,000 views and 122 comments, almost entirely from suppliers saying same. So why is it happening - and is it actually couples being rude, or are we just making the booking process too hard? The Coda Podcast gets a mention, contact forms get a roasting, and Zoom calls are on trial.


    They also untangle the word "editorial" - which apparently now means "natural and relaxed" to couples, despite meaning the opposite to everyone who actually shoots it. And when a content creator couple rocked up in a Lake Como wedding group claiming to be the only people capturing candid, in-between moments, the documentary photographers and videographers in the room had some thoughts.


    Plus: Bee's Super 8 film comes back from the lab. Pete's British Gas bill arrives and it is not good news. Table tennis glory. And the completely startling realisation that this podcast is nearly four years old. Oh, and then we end with Pete being packed off to live on a narrowboat survivng on only Huel, and no cushions.


    Timestamps

    00:00 - Didn't record the first half, Pilates is evil, and Liam is everywhere at once

    01:50 - Work lethargy: the post-holiday slump is real

    04:07 - The Mandela Effect: both Pete and Bee have vivid memories of uploading galleries that never happened

    08:05 - The state of the wedding industry: midweek bookings, shorter coverage, tighter budgets

    13:25 - Is full-time wedding photography still viable?

    14:06 - Bee's viral ghosting post: 30,000 views and 122 comments

    20:50 - Is the booking process the problem? Zooms, forms, and friction

    22:15 - The Coda Podcast: what videographers discovered when they became the clients

    28:05 - Rethinking how we communicate with enquiring couples

    30:03 - "Editorial": what couples think it means vs what it actually means

    33:28 - The content creator controversy: who's capturing the in-between moments?

    38:35 - Highs and lows: Bee's Super 8 film and Lawson Film School

    43:05 - Pete's £1,400 British Gas nightmare

    47:25 - Laura's TV high and general tiredness low

    49:04 - The podcast is nearly four years old


    Say hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommune

    Get a free 14 day trial of Musicbed: https://www.musicbed.com/invite/935Cy


    The British Wedding Film Festival

    https://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.com/


    Lawson Film School: https://www.lawsonfilms.co.uk/lawson-film-school


    liamandbee.com

    lawsonfilms.co.uk

    lawsonphotography.co.uk


    #weddingphotography #weddingvideography #filmphotography #creativepodcast #weddingindustry #ourcreativecommune

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    54 mins
  • Should We Stop Doing Client Zooms?

    Should We Stop Doing Client Zooms?
    Apr 27 2026

    The busy season has officially arrived, and we are already feeling the heat (literally and figuratively).


    This week on Our Creative Commune, Pete, Laura, Liam, and Bee sit down in the sun to catch up on a wild few weeks of local weddings, destination showcases, and the ever-changing landscape of booking clients. Are we all suffering from Zoom fatigue? We debate whether it’s time to stop video consultations altogether and build a brand enigma instead.


    We also share some wild on-the-job stories, including a dream local shoot at Rivington Barn, the chaos of tracking fire-breathers in Spain, and Liam’s incredibly awkward encounter with a "secret" second photographer hired by the mother of the bride. Plus, we dive into some massive business milestones - including the joy of finally paying off that dreaded COVID bounce-back loan!


    Grab a coffee (or a matcha) and join us as we chat through our highs, our lows, Pete's foray into the EV world, the heartbreak of airport security ruining analog film, and a surprisingly mind-blowing fact about apples.


    If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review on your favourite podcast app - it really helps us grow the commune!


    Chapter Timestamps

    00:00 - Catching rays and the start of the busy season

    03:20 - Zoom fatigue and changing client booking psychology

    05:13 - A dream local photo & video shoot at Rivington Barn

    11:10 - Bosh! Smashing out a one-week video edit turnaround

    13:26 - Wedding horror story: Dealing with a secret second photographer

    17:18 - A rapid road trip to France and scanning questionable family negatives

    19:30 - Destination wedding showcase at Castell d'Empordà in Spain

    23:22 - Photographing fire-breathers and a rogue drone incident

    26:24 - Business strategy: Should we stop doing client Zooms entirely?

    30:43 - Are jet fuel prices and logistics threatening destination weddings?

    32:57 - Pete's new car: Buying an EV for wedding travel

    37:22 - Pete's Highs: Disputing energy bills and paying off the bounce-back loan!

    41:24 - Liam & Bee's High: Quality time in Spain and overcoming separation anxiety

    44:43 - Liam's Low: Heartbreak as a driving instructor

    46:55 - Bee's Low: Left-behind outfits and airport security ruining film

    51:12 - Laura's High & Low: London museum trips and canceled Pilates classes

    56:18 - Mind-blowing apple facts and wrapping up


    Say hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommune

    Get a free 14 day trial of Musicbed: https://www.musicbed.com/invite/935Cy


    The British Wedding Film Festival

    https://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.com/


    Lawson Film School: https://www.lawsonfilms.co.uk/lawson-film-school


    liamandbee.com

    lawsonfilms.co.uk

    lawsonphotography.co.uk


    #weddingphotography #weddingvideography #filmphotography #creativepodcast #weddingindustry #ourcreativecommune

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    58 mins
  • Why "Human-Made" is the New Luxury

    Why "Human-Made" is the New Luxury
    Apr 13 2026

    This week on Our Creative Commune, Liam is missing in action, but for a good reason: he is currently surviving a chaotic schedule of destination weddings, 16-hour days, and driving lessons. Pete, Laura, and Bee sit down with a coffee to discuss the very real dangers of the "hustle mindset" and why saying yes to every inquiry might actually be hurting your business. We also chat about the rising trend of analog wedding filmmaking - from Super 8 to 90s camcorders - and why "human-made" art is becoming the ultimate luxury in a world increasingly flooded with lazy, AI-generated content.


    Plus, we recap our recent destination wedding in Spain, talk through the painful realities of buying expensive new camera gear (hello, Canon R5 Mark II), and ask a question every creative eventually faces: at what age do we actually retire?


    Where is the line between a successful wedding season and total burnout?


    Finally, we wrap up with our weekly Highs and Lows, featuring wild podcast listener encounters, the isolation of solo parenting during wedding season, and why sleeping alone in a hotel room is the ultimate parent fantasy.


    Oh, and If you see us in the wild, come say hello! Getting recognised on the street made Bee's day!


    Timestamps

    00:00 - Intro: Where is Liam? (The reality of creative burnout and extreme schedules)

    04:30 - The danger of saying "yes" to everything and managing the VAT threshold

    06:00 - Pivot to corporate: Why we still prefer the emotional connection of weddings

    10:30 - Laura’s trip to the Wedding Videographer Podcast Summit in Glasgow

    11:45 - The Super 8 revival and passing a 90s camcorder to a bridesmaid in Spain

    16:45 - AI vs. Authenticity: Why "human-made" is the new luxury in the wedding industry

    21:30 - Recapping our beautiful destination wedding in Spain

    24:30 - Gear Talk: Pete’s broken drop-in filters and buying cheap grey market replacements

    26:10 - Do we need the Canon R5 Mark II? (And the struggles of financing gear)

    28:40 - Will we be shooting weddings at 68? Discussing the myth of creative retirement

    34:25 - Divide and conquer: How Pete and Laura tackle a wedding day together

    35:50 - Highs & Lows: Bee gets recognised by a podcast listener in the wild!

    37:20 - Bee's new fine-line tattoos and her pottery wheel dilemmas

    39:50 - The hidden loneliness and decision fatigue of solo parenting during wedding season

    44:00 - Pete’s Highs & Lows: Booking weddings and the absolute nightmare of car shopping

    49:30 - Laura’s Highs & Lows: The bliss of a solo hotel bed vs. the struggle of being away from home


    Say hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommune

    Get a free 14 day trial of Musicbed: https://www.musicbed.com/invite/935Cy


    The British Wedding Film Festival

    https://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.com/


    Lawson Film School: https://www.lawsonfilms.co.uk/lawson-film-school


    liamandbee.com

    lawsonfilms.co.uk

    lawsonphotography.co.uk


    #weddingphotography #weddingvideography #filmphotography #creativepodcast #weddingindustry #ourcreativecommune

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    53 mins
  • Ghosted after a perfect Zoom call

    Ghosted after a perfect Zoom call
    Mar 23 2026

    Grab a cup of tea and join Pete, Laura, Liam, and Bee for another catch-up inside the Creative Commune. This week, we're diving deep into the frustrating reality of the modern wedding industry. Ever had a consultation where you absolutely nailed it, gave the couple amazing advice, shared a few laughs, and then... absolute silence?


    We’re breaking down the psychology of "ghosting," debating whether giving too much free advice on a Zoom call is actually hurting your booking rate, and discussing the exact timeline of when you should be sending your follow-up emails.


    We also take a hard, uncomfortable look at inflation. If you haven't significantly raised your prices in the last five years, you might actually be taking a massive pay cut without realizing it. We crunch the numbers on what a £2,000 wedding from 2010 should cost today.


    Plus, we talk about the pains of getting shooed away by wardens while shooting in London, why Pete absolutely refuses to set up those cliché "groom by the window" prep photos, and Bee shares the surprising results of letting ChatGPT dictate our Instagram strategy for a month. Finally, we share our weekly highs and lows—including the tragic loss of a local village legend and the anxiety of developing a six-year-old roll of film.



    Timestamps

    00:00 - Intro, morning coffee, and Pete’s table tennis heartbreak

    01:17 - The secret joy of cancelled Reformer Pilates classes

    05:40 - Upcoming destination weddings: Scotland, Spain, Italy, and Vietnam

    09:33 - Getting kicked off private land in London and National Trust rules

    13:30 - We let ChatGPT run our Instagram (and it's actually working)

    17:33 - Marketing vs. Art: Should you post what works or what excites you?

    18:50 - The ghosting epidemic: Why do couples vanish after a great Zoom call?

    22:50 - Zoom strategies: Pitching and advising vs. just chilling out

    26:15 - How and when should you send the follow-up email?

    32:00 - The inflation calculator: Are you secretly taking a pay cut every year?

    36:40 - How the photography industry hustle has changed over the last decade

    38:50 - Highs & Lows: Developing 6-year-old film and the horror of wet leggings

    41:29 - RIP Hilda: Mourning our 94-year-old village window-waving legend

    43:40 - Liam’s Isle of Skye elopement excitement

    46:27 - Pete's return to blogging and the debate over staging groom prep photos


    Say hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommune

    Get a free 14 day trial of Musicbed: https://www.musicbed.com/invite/935Cy


    The British Wedding Film Festival

    https://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.com/


    Lawson Film School: https://www.lawsonfilms.co.uk/lawson-film-school


    liamandbee.com

    lawsonfilms.co.uk

    lawsonphotography.co.uk


    #weddingphotography #weddingvideography #filmphotography #creativepodcast #weddingindustry #ourcreativecommune

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    52 mins
  • Couples Don't Care About Your Instagram

    Couples Don't Care About Your Instagram
    Mar 9 2026

    Spring has finally sprung, and the wedding season is officially waking up! In this week's episode, we’re back on the sofa to tackle some of the biggest shifting trends in the wedding photography and videography industry.


    Liam kicks things off by sharing his experience working alongside a dedicated content creator at a recent London wedding. Have content creators just become a normal part of the day, or is the hype starting to fade? We also dive deep into the latest Bridebook survey to find out what couples are actually looking for right now. Spoiler alert: they don't care about your social media following, and the "editorial" trend might not be as dominant as Instagram makes it seem.


    We also tackle the frustrating reality of getting "ghosted" by couples after seemingly perfect Zoom meetings. Are we making it too hard for clients to book us? We discuss the power of WhatsApp, ditching 20-page PDF brochures, and streamlining your workflow to capture leads while they're hot.


    Plus, Bee shares the wild ChatGPT strategy she’s using to completely retrain their confused Instagram algorithm, Pete questions if it's finally time to stop hoarding terabytes of old raw footage due to skyrocketing hard drive prices, and we wrap up with our weekly Highs and Lows—featuring magazine awards, film festival backlash, Reformer Pilates, and Pete's quest for table tennis glory.


    Grab a coffee and join the commune!


    Timestamps:

    00:00 - Intro, spring vibes, and Laura’s high-maintenance gardening

    03:34 - Liam’s first London wedding back and working with a content creator

    09:08 - Bee’s darkroom update & Pete/Laura’s Spice Kitchen commercial shoot

    13:30 - Pete’s table tennis championship (Rocky montage pending)

    15:25 - Bridebook 2024 Survey: What styles and traits do couples actually care about?

    22:00 - The ghosting epidemic: Why are couples disappearing after great Zoom meetings?

    28:00 - Streamlining your booking process and the power of WhatsApp

    34:30 - How to retrain a broken Instagram algorithm (and Liam's weird "zooming" theory)

    42:00 - Skyrocketing hard drive costs: Is it time to delete a decade of raw files?

    47:20 - Highs & Lows: Professional Photo Magazine's Top 50 list & Reformer Pilates!

    53:30 - Handling complaints and backlash from the wedding film festival

    01:01:48 - Liam’s shiny new mountain bike and driving instructor woes


    Say hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommune

    Get a free 14 day trial of Musicbed: https://www.musicbed.com/invite/935Cy


    The British Wedding Film Festival

    https://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.com/


    Lawson Film School: https://www.lawsonfilms.co.uk/lawson-film-school


    liamandbee.com

    lawsonfilms.co.uk

    lawsonphotography.co.uk


    #weddingphotography #weddingvideography #filmphotography #creativepodcast #weddingindustry #ourcreativecommune

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Arriving late for a wedding! Plus a debrief on the first British Wedding Film Festival.

    Arriving late for a wedding! Plus a debrief on the first British Wedding Film Festival.
    Feb 23 2026

    Grab a coffee and join us at the holiday cottage! We're recording straight from our annual Shropshire retreat to catch up on everything happening in our creative lives right now. With the cost of living crisis changing how couples plan their big days, we dive deep into the rising trend of reduced-coverage weddings.


    Are these shorter, "smash and grab" days a refreshing change of pace, or do they rob us of the chance to truly connect with our couples? We also debate the modern relevance of bridal prep and detail shots - do brides really want a photo of their shoes on a tree, or are we just shooting out of fear of missing something?


    We’re also pulling back the curtain on the very first British Wedding Film Festival! We debrief on the incredible highs of the glamorous night at the Manchester Art Gallery, the financial realities of hosting a major industry event from scratch, and the controversy of international filmmakers dominating the final shortlists. Plus, we talk through our plans and category changes for next year.


    Finally, we share our weekly highs and lows, featuring the magic of Victorian tintype photography, the sheer terror of M6 traffic, the sting of buying four new car tires, and a painfully relatable vent about couples treating our Zoom consultations like interviews only to ghost us afterward.



    Timestamps

    00:00 - Morning Coffee & Shropshire Holiday Vibes

    02:40 - Are Reduced Coverage Weddings the New Normal?

    07:30 - The "Smash and Grab" Reality of Short Weddings

    08:30 - Do Couples Actually Want Detail Shots Anymore?

    14:50 - The Danger of Missing Crucial Props (The Pen Story)

    16:35 - Shooting a Bar Mitzvah & Traffic Nightmares

    20:10 - Our Worst "Late to a Wedding" Stories & Box Breathing

    23:25 - Identity Crisis: Are We Still Calling Ourselves Photographers?

    25:55 - The British Wedding Film Festival Debrief

    33:00 - The Financial Reality of Hosting an Industry Event

    35:00 - The Controversy of International & Destination Winners

    42:20 - Highs & Lows: Victorian Tintype Photography in Shrewsbury

    48:30 - Highs & Lows: £650 Tyres & Toddler Colds

    50:10 - Why Are Couples Ghosting After Great Zoom Consultations?

    52:45 - Dinner Debates & Wrapping Up


    Say hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommune

    Get a free 14 day trial of Musicbed: https://www.musicbed.com/invite/935Cy


    The British Wedding Film Festival

    https://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.com/


    Lawson Film School: https://www.lawsonfilms.co.uk/lawson-film-school


    liamandbee.com

    lawsonfilms.co.uk

    lawsonphotography.co.uk


    #weddingphotography #weddingvideography #filmphotography #creativepodcast #weddingindustry #ourcreativecommune

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    54 mins