Our Creative Commune

It’s just the boys in the studio this week! With Laura and Bee away (all that end of year editing!), Liam and Pete sit down to debrief on a recent luxury wedding they shot together in Whitehall, London.While the venue was five-star, the day wasn't without its hurdles. We discuss the reality of shooting in high-end establishments - from the stress of strict dress codes to dealing with "smothering" service that eats into your shooting time. We also have an honest conversation about a struggle many creatives face: how do you politely tell a venue coordinator to back off and let you do your job?Also in this episode, we chat about the physical toll of wedding photography (what is "Photographer's Toe"?), the panic of surprise speeches for videographers, and a terrifying gear malfunction that saw a camera hit the floor in front of the guests. Plus, we catch up on life outside of weddings, including broken cars, table tennis coaching, and life as a driving instructor.Grab a coffee and join the commune!Key Topics & Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: Where are the girls? 02:18 - The 9-hour travel nightmare and the £36 wine incident 05:25 - The Dress Code Debate: Suits vs. Trainers 07:59 - The reality of "Photographer's Toe" and physical comfort 12:14 - Videography stress: Dealing with surprise speeches 19:00 - The "Missing Groom Prep" panic 25:43 - Technical struggles: Banding issues in venue lighting 28:42 - When luxury service ruins your portrait time 31:00 - Learning to say "No" to pushy venue coordinators 44:05 - Pete’s car suspension disaster 47:50 - Gear Nightmare: Liam drops his camera (twice) 51:25 - Highs and Lows: Life as a driving instructor 57:00 - Pete becomes a qualified table tennis coachLawson Film School: https://www.lawsonfilms.co.uk/lawson-film-schoolSay hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommuneGet a free 14 day trial of Musicbed: https://www.musicbed.com/invite/935Cyliamandbee.comlawsonfilms.co.uklawsonphotography.co.uk#weddingphotography #weddingvideography #filmphotography #creativepodcast #weddingindustry #ourcreativecommune Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of Our Creative Commune, we're swapping things around! Pete and Laura are hijacking the podcast with their co-founders of the British Wedding Film Festival, Joce Boissin and Jeff Wood, to dive deep into everything you need to know about this brand-new event for the wedding film industry.We start off sharing some stories from the end of the wedding season, including Jeff's travel nightmare of losing all his kit right before a huge destination wedding and how he was forced to adapt.Then, we get into the heart of the festival. We share the vision behind creating an awards ceremony dedicated solely to celebrating the incredible craft within our industry. We discuss why we felt it was so important to have categories that recognise specific skills like sound design, storytelling, and cinematography, and how we hope it will inspire a new wave of creativity.Thinking of entering? We cover all the crucial details: the surprisingly hefty trophies you could win, the incredible panel of judges (including a James Bond sound designer and a Netflix producer!), the submission process, and what makes a film stand out. Plus, we give you all the info on the awards night itself—a chance for us all to get glammed up, connect, and feel inspired at the Manchester Art Gallery.This is more than just an awards show; it's a celebration of our community and the art we create. Whether you're considering submitting a film or just want to join the party, this episode has all the inspiration and information you need.Timestamps00:00 - Intro & Welcome to the BWFF Team 00:55 - Catching Up: How Was the End of the Season? 01:03 - Jeff's Destination Wedding Nightmare: The Airline Lost All My Gear! 04:50 - The Creative Benefit of Being Forced to Adapt 08:31 - Joce's Adventure with an Anamorphic Lens in Morocco 11:23 - Introducing the British Wedding Film Festival 11:51 - The Reason We Started These Awards 13:10 - Celebrating Individual Skills 14:30 - Using the Awards as a Creative Motivator for the Season 16:17 - It’s Scary Entering Awards 17:45 - Let's Talk About the Trophies 18:21 - The Incredible Judging Panel 22:05 - How the Judging Process Will Work 23:20 - The Awards Night 24:25 - The Venue 25:04 - Submission Deadline: 1st December! 26:07 - The Categories & Submission Rules 28:14 - Best Cinematography & Best Sound Design 32:02 - Best Storytelling 32:31 - Best Cinematic Language: Using Match Cuts & Parallel Action 36:55 - Best Use of Music & Best Colour Grading 38:39 - Best Elopement: Telling a Story with Just Two People 39:36 - Film Length & Password Protection 44:41 - Jeff's Story: The OG of Cinematic Wedding Films 46:57 - Jeff's Thoughts on Shooting with Phones 52:39 - Joce's Story: From iPhone Clips to Full-Time Pro in 2 Years 58:46 - Highs & Lows of the WeekThe British Wedding Film Festivalhttps://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.com/ Pete & Lauralawsonfilms.co.ukJoce Boissinhttps://www.lunedemielstudio.com/Jeff Woodhttps://www.jeffwoodvisuals.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How many photos are too many? In this week's episode, we dive headfirst into a hot topic rattling the photography community: are we overwhelming our clients by over-delivering images? We debate whether a curated gallery of a few hundred photos is more valuable than a folder of over a thousand, and question what we'd want from our own wedding photographer.We also get real about the struggles of social media after taking a week off Instagram punished our reach, sparking a conversation about whether the perfect grid still matters or if it's time to get more personal.Alongside the business chat, we catch you up on our latest adventures, from shooting a wedding at the iconic Traitors castle (and revealing its secrets!) to road-tripping to Scotland and enjoying a half-term break on the beautiful Yorkshire coast. Join us for a candid chat about work, life, and the creative challenges we all face.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro & a chaotic start01:03 - The joy of singing alone in the car02:40 - Liam's wedding at Guardswell Farm in Scotland05:45 - The secrets of shooting at the Traitors Castle09:28 - Working with fellow photographer Ash Springle10:55 - Remembering industry legends Ed Peers & Ross Harvey13:04 - Half-term adventures, portrait shoots, and comparing forests14:58 - An update on the team's upcoming film festival18:20 - Making work trips into mini-holidays20:18 - The pressures of a busy schedule and life admin22:36 - A relaxing week on the North Yorkshire Coast and discovering Haworth25:08 - The Instagram struggle: The punishment for taking a week off26:49 - Does your feed need to show your face?29:15 - Dealing with internet trolls and negative comments32:57 - Hot Topic: Are photographers delivering too many images?45:38 - Highs and Lows of the WeekLawson Film School: https://www.lawsonfilms.co.uk/lawson-film-schoolSay hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommuneGet a free 14 day trial of Musicbed: https://www.musicbed.com/invite/935Cyliamandbee.comlawsonfilms.co.uklawsonphotography.co.uk#weddingphotography #weddingvideography #filmphotography #creativepodcast #weddingindustry #ourcreativecommune Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever come back from a conference feeling like a total fraud?This week, Pete & Laura are recovering from the social hangover of the CODA conference and so we’re diving deep into the anxieties of networking as an introvert. We discuss the pressure to be "on" all the time, navigating imposter syndrome, and that cringe-worthy moment when you're introduced to one of the cool kids as the "King and Queen" of the UK market.But it wasn't all anxiety at CODA. We were also massively inspired by many incredible stories. Plus the powerful 'smoke and mirrors' marketing strategy - the art of curating your portfolio to get the weddings you most want to shoot.We debate a hot topic online: is flash photography becoming a nuisance at weddings? And we share a few thoughts on photographers getting a little too close for comfort during the ceremony.Join us for these, and many other topics, as we chat about the last couple of weeks over a coffee.Timestamps:02:34 The social hangover from Coda Conference04:21 Navigating events as an introvert: Are we 'cliquey'?08:33 The pressure of being 'known' and imposter syndrome10:28 Our key takeaway: The power of ambient audio14:50 From Prison to a Creative Empire: The Fire & Ice Story18:39 'Smoke and mirrors' marketing & defining our ideal client22:27 Catching up: A pagan hand-fasting & a wedding at The Traitors castle25:16 Is flash photography annoying for wedding guests?34:15 When photographers get too close during the ceremony41:37 Highs & Lows: Coda, family meals, and feeling overwhelmed51:23 Rediscovering creativity by organising 15 years of photosLawson Film School: https://www.lawsonfilms.co.uk/lawson-film-schoolSay hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommuneGet a free 14 day trial of Musicbed: https://www.musicbed.com/invite/935Cyliamandbee.comlawsonfilms.co.uklawsonphotography.co.uk#weddingphotography #weddingvideography #filmphotography #creativepodcast #weddingindustry #ourcreativecommune Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Our Creative Commune, we're fresh from a beautifully emotional wedding in the heart of Storm Amy and a fun-filled autumnal family shoot. We also take a moment to celebrate the incredible work of fellow creative, Damian Brandon (https://damianbrandon.com/)This leads us into a passionate discussion about the current state of the wedding photography industry. Are we seeing a decline in the traditional craft of photography? We delve into the rise of the "snapshotty" and "editorial" styles, the importance of understanding good light, and whether the focus has shifted from capturing genuine moments to creating content for Instagram.Plus, Liam gives us an update on his new life as a driving instructor, Pete shares his insights from the world of Reddit on what couples are really looking for, and we chat about the highs and lows of our week, from technical triumphs to creepy crawly encounters. Join us for a candid conversation about creativity, business, and the ever-evolving world of wedding photography.Timestamps:00:00 Intro & Catching Up02:13 Recapping Adam & Jade’s Stormy Welsh Wedding07:36 Working With the Incredibly Talented Damian Brandon12:38 Main Topic: Is the Art of Wedding Photography Being Lost?14:51 The Death of Good Light: Why Are Photographers Ignoring the Basics?20:12 Does Technical Quality Even Matter Anymore?27:43 What Do Couples Actually Want? (Insights from Reddit)30:43 The Changing Internet: SEO, Google, and Finding Clients Now33:56 Liam's New Venture as a Driving Instructor38:56 Building a New Website & The Logo Debate42:12 Blogging vs. Full Galleries: What Should You Send to Clients?45:32 The "Be Everywhere" Strategy for Modern Marketing46:45 Highs & Lows of the Week (Including Hard Drive Sleeping Bags & Spiders!)57:39 What's Coming Up Next?Lawson Film School: https://www.lawsonfilms.co.uk/lawson-film-schoolSay hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommuneGet a free 14 day trial of Musicbed: https://www.musicbed.com/invite/935Cyliamandbee.comlawsonfilms.co.uklawsonphotography.co.uk#weddingphotography #weddingvideography #filmphotography #creativepodcast #weddingindustry #ourcreativecommune Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.