Liam is from his epic month away! In this episode, he recounts his insane month of travel, from shooting weddings in Spain and the Austrian Alps to starting a brand new career as a driving instructor. We share stories of driving down stairs in a hire car, cameras overheating at altitude, and the joy of a ceremonial beer keg tapping.

Then, we get into a huge industry debate: hybrid shooting. With so many photographers now offering video, we discuss the pros and cons, and the dilemma it creates for dedicated videographers who rely on photographer referrals. Is the industry in a price war, and who will pull the trigger first?

We also touch on the rise of wedding content creators, the truth about film photography, and a global survey that reveals just how much (or how little) photographers are charging in 2025.

Join Pete, Laura, Liam, and Bee for an episode packed with travel stories, industry insights, and our usual weekly highs and lows!

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

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

TIMESTAMPS:


00:00 - Intro & Why Is Everyone So Tired?


03:58 - Where Has Liam Been? A Whirlwind Month Begins


05:19 - Wedding Story: Driving Down a Flight of Stairs in Spain


07:46 - The Travel Nightmare: From Spain to Austria via the Autobahn


09:12 - Wedding Story: Lederhosen & Beer Kegs in the Austrian Alps


10:50 - Technical Woes: When Your Cameras Overheat


13:23 - The New Side Hustle: Training to be a Driving Instructor


24:49 - Industry Talk: The Rise of Wedding Content Creators


29:10 - The Future of Filmmaking? (Stormzy Film & The "28 Days Later" Sequel)


33:35 - Is Hybrid Shooting the Future? The Big Debate


39:11 - The Photographer vs. Videographer Dilemma


42:40 - Is Film Photography Just a Gimmick?


45:15 - Why Are Wedding Photography Prices So Low in the UK?


56:00 - The Realities of Pricing and "Charging Your Worth"


1:06:00 - Highs and Lows of the Week

#weddingphotography #weddingvideography #creativepodcast #hybridshooting #weddingindustry #photographybusinesscoach

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Is it possible to be a photographer AND a videographer at the same time, on your own, at a wedding? In this episode, we chat one of the photographers doing just that. The lovely Lewis Fackrell walks us through his complete hybrid shooting workflow. Are we won over?

From his one-camera setup and "PVP" method, to his post-production process and business strategy, Lewis shares the secrets that have allowed him to offer photo and video packages to his couples. If you want to hear how to add an extra video service to your photography business, this is absolutely for you - or if you’re just curious about how it's possible like we were.

We also catch up on what we’ve been up to these past couple of weeks. Bee casually shares a story about a near-death experience involving a bathroom cabinet! New fear unlocked.

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

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

Lewis Fackrell's Website & Course: https://www.lewisfackrell.co.uk

Lewis's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lewis_fackrell_photography/

IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 - Welcome & The Most Hectic Travel Schedule Ever

06:05 - Pete's Impromptu Hybrid Shooting Experience in Italy

13:05 - Introducing Our Guest: Lewis Fackrell

14:24 - How Lewis Balances a Full Calendar with a Young Family

23:10 - The "Why": What Made Lewis Start Hybrid Shooting?

26:30 - Lewis's Minimalist Gear Setup for Hybrid Work

29:49 - THE BIG QUESTION: How Do You Actually Shoot Hybrid?

31:05 - Handling "Pinch Points": The Reveal, Aisle Walk & Ceremony

41:30 - The First Kiss & The Confetti Shot: Photo or Video?

44:35 - Does the Quality of Photos or Video Get Compromised?

48:45 - The Ideal Number of Photos to Take at a Wedding

54:13 - The Post-Production Workflow for Photo & Video

1:01:42 - The Business of Hybrid: Pricing & Attracting Clients

1:05:36 - All About Lewis's Hybrid Photography Course

1:11:10 - Highs and Lows of the Week!

1:12:37 - Bee's Terrifying Near-Death Experience

1:17:52 - A Week of Wins & Booking a 2027 Wedding!

#weddingphotography #hybridshooter #weddingvideography #learnphotography #creativebusiness #podcast #ourcreativecommune

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

This week, the we're all feeling the burn after a packed schedule of weddings and a big birthday celebration. We pull back the curtain on the reality of being a wedding creative in 2024, discussing the booking decline that everyone is feeling but nobody wants to talk about.

This leads to a huge announcement from Liam about a major career change after more than two decades in the industry.

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

We also dive into:

• Incredible destination wedding stories from Lake Como and Cyprus.
• The shocking tale of a planner who tricked suppliers into working her wedding for free.
• Using ChatGPT to analyse and improve your creative business.
• Are full-length portraits and straight horizons a thing of the past?
• The eternal struggle of photographers and videographers staying out of each other's shots.

If you're a wedding creative feeling the pressure, or just love a good, honest chat about the ups and downs of running a small business, this one's for you.

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

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Hungover Birthday Banter

04:14 - Our Recent Weddings: Oli Foxley's Tumble

07:31 - Destination Wedding Debrief: Pete in Lake Como

12:08 - Destination Wedding Debrief: Liam in Cyprus

20:37 - The Big Topic: Why Are Wedding Bookings Down?

25:14 - Liam's New Career

30:12 - Can AI Save Our Business?

36:37 - The Photographer Who Charged £300 For One Photo

49:50 - The Styled Shoot That Was a Real Wedding?!

57:46 - The Curse of Tripods: Photographers vs. Videographers

01:09:10 - Our Highs & Lows

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