This week on Our Creative Commune, Pete, Laura, Liam, and Bee dive into a whirlwind of topics! We brace ourselves as Google Gemini's AI delivers some hilariously harsh feedback on our podcasting style (are we really that insular?). Then, it's war stories from the wedding front lines: Liam shares his ordeal of shooting a wedding post-dodgy-fish-and-chips, and Pete recounts battling a painful eye infection mid-shoot.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OurCreativeCommune

We tackle the big debate: how are content creators impacting the wedding industry, and are they really taking work from pros? Plus, a crucial heads-up on the UK's "Making Tax Digital" changes that all freelancers need to know.

As always, we share our highs and lows, and issue an important alert about a "pervy caller" targeting photographers. Tune in for candid chat, essential industry insights, and a good few laughs!

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro & Makeshift Studio

02:01 Remembering Past Podcast Adventures Abroad

03:40 AI Feedback on Our Podcast (Spoiler: We're Keeping it Real)

05:20 What We've Been Up To: Wedding Recaps & Mishaps

05:26 Liam's "Tracy Island" Wedding & Food Poisoning Woes

09:02 Working While Sick: Styes, Vomit & The Show Must Go On!

15:01 Laura & Pete Shoot a Wedding Together (Photo & Video Dynamic)

17:52 TOPIC 1: Content Creators at Weddings - Impact & How to Cope

21:57 Strategy: Educating Clients or Communicating with Creators?

26:52 The "Educate Your Clients" Debate - Is It Our Place?

32:18 TOPIC 2: New UK/EU Travel Deal - Hope for Destination Weddings?

36:53 TOPIC 3: Making Tax Digital - Essential Info for Creatives

41:17 Our Dream (Unprofitable) Cafe Business Idea!

42:17 TOPIC 4: Gallery Delivery Times & Modern Client Expectations

46:03 The Power of the "Next Day" Social Media Preview

51:12 GEAR CHAT: New Fuji X-Half & DJI Mavic 4 Pro

53:33 COMMUNITY ALERT: "Pervy Caller" Targeting Photographers

55:30 Our Highs & Lows of the Week!

01:03:20 Outro & Upcoming Adventures

Keywords: Wedding Photography, Wedding Videography, Content Creators, Making Tax Digital, AI Feedback, Freelance Business, Podcast, UK Weddings, Working Whilst Ill, Pervy Caller Alert

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

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

Say hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommune

liamandbee.com

lawsonfilms.co.uk

lawsonphotography.co.uk

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Pop the kettle on! Welcome back to Our Creative Commune, Episode 108. Pete, Laura, Liam, and Bee are here with the usual coffee-fuelled chaos, chatting all things wedding photography and videography.

This week, the pollen count is trying to take us OUT, Liam’s back from a surprisingly chilly Spanish wedding (his 21st there! Buckfast may have been mentioned), and snapping portraits of the lovely Martin Cheung. We swear everyone else has been doing some work too!

Things have gone a bit crazy – suddenly everyone wants to book us, pay us, and meet us! We’re navigating the 'OMG money!' vs ‘****, tax bill!' tightrope, and, of course, drooling over rumoured new cameras. Liam’s also attempting to bring back the 90s with film photography (spoiler: he forgot the film).

Then we get stuck into the proper meaty stuff: Is it cool for photographers to shoot a bit of video (or videographers to grab stills) when you're both on a job? What do you do when a supplier you recommended bails for a stag do THE NIGHT BEFORE?! And you absolutely HAVE to hear the story of the 'Scottish Retreat' – think Fyre Festival, but for photographers. Seriously, it’s a car crash.

As always, we’ve got our highs (awards night planning is looking lush!) and lows (Pete’s hay fever, Bee’s iron levels, Liam’s twitchy eye – it’s a medical marvel over here). Plus, we day-dream up our own hopefully-not-a-disaster creative retreat. So grab that coffee (or a Buckfast, no judgement) and join the commune!

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OurCreativeCommune

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Hello & What's In Our Mugs?

00:32 - Hay Fever vs. Wedding Pros: The Struggle is Real

03:00 - Liam's Spanish Wedding No.21 (Minus the Sun, Plus the Buckfast)

06:25 - Liam Shoots Martin Cheung

07:02 - Are Shorter Weddings The New Thing?

09:00 - It's All Kicking Off! (Bookings, Cashflow & Mild Panic)

11:21 - New Gear Lust & Why Our Old Photos Are So "On Trend"

13:28 - Liam's Great Film Camera Experiment (Fail No.1)

15:35 - BTS Content: Phone Clamps, Meta Glasses, or Just Being a Dick?

18:09 - TOPIC: Hybrid Shooting - Are We All Secretly Filming/Snapping?

26:27 - Child Labour... Uh, I Mean, Content Creators in Training

28:31 - TOPIC: Recommending People - What If They Go On a Stag Do Instead?

37:10 - TOPIC: The Photography "Fyre Festival" - You Won't Believe This Scottish Retreat Story!

51:46 - Our Creative Commune Retreat? (Less Disaster, More Booze)

53:58 - Highs & Lows: Awards, Macerators, Table Tennis & Twitchy Eyes!

01:03:44 - More Highs & Lows: Running PBs, Posh Funerals & Dodgy Iron Levels

01:10:28 - Never Eat Only Haribo & Coffee. You've Been Warned.

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

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

Say hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommune

liamandbee.com

lawsonfilms.co.uk

lawsonphotography.co.uk

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

Wedding season is kicking off! Join Pete, Laura, Liam, and Bee as they shake off the winter slumber (and recover from some intense DIY projects) and dive back into the world of weddings. This week, we tackle the hot topic: is 35mm film making a comeback? We discuss a client request, the pros and cons of shooting film today, the costs, the nostalgia factor, and whether digital can truly replicate the look. Plus, is Liam finally gearing up to actually try it!

We contrast the analogue love with the rise of AI editing and culling tools – are they helpful or hindering authenticity? We also get real about the business side: handling unexpected cancellations, the ethics of contracts and refunds (including a tricky divorce scenario), and the changing landscape of referrals in industry groups. Hear about recent weddings in Scotland and the Lakes, dealing with tricky lighting, and our usual highs and lows. Grab a coffee and enjoy!

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OurCreativeCommune

Timestamps:

(0:00) Intro & DIY Madness: Liam's plumbing adventures, Pete & Laura's new carpet/desk saga.

(5:52) Wedding Season Begins!: Liam shoots a photographer's wedding in Scotland (The Byre at Inchyra), Pete films a local Lake District wedding. We chat portraits, marquees & avoiding downtime.

(17:23) Is 35mm Film Back?!: Exploring the trend, the appeal (nostalgia vs digital), the costs, the logistics, and whether we should offer it. Liam volunteers as tribute to try it in Spain!

(27:38) Camera Nerd Corner: Reminiscing about old film cameras (Contax 645, Mamiya) & finding undeveloped rolls!

(29:42) Film vs. AI: The contrast! Discussing AI culling fails and new AI retouching tools – helpful or harmful to authenticity?

(34:43) Business Real Talk: Handling a last-minute cancellation, contract ethics, deposit debates, and a tough scenario involving divorce & album refunds.

(46:09) Shooting Challenges: How would you handle a church ceremony lit entirely pink?!

(51:20) Referral Rant: Why are referrals drying up in big groups? The shift to WhatsApp cliques, and referral etiquette.

(59:58) Highs & Lows: Running obsessions, DIY triumphs, pre-wedding nerves, expensive flights & listener love!

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

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

Say hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommune

liamandbee.com

lawsonfilms.co.uk

lawsonphotography.co.uk

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