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Liam and Dominique Shaw of www.yorkplacestudios.co.uk were introduced to me by Blair deLaubenfels of World's Best Wedding Photos. Blair told me they are credited with bringing street photography to weddings, and their artistic vision and approach to their work is absolutely brilliant.

They are also the authors of "Is This Something?" A guide to capturing the unposed image through the lens of a wedding day.

Following that intro, off I went to take a look at what I could learn online.

The first thing to jump out at me regarding their images wasn't amazing light, a trendy colour cast, mind-blowing locations or model-like subjects. Their images required me to stop, slow down and absorb what I was looking at. And stopping to appreciate their photography is so worth the effort.

Slowing down allowed the magic of their images to emerge... from humour, storytelling, complex layers, beautiful moments, and a quirky interpretation of weddings, families and events. Their images are just so good!

In this interview, we dive deep into the business of creative documentary photography and how you can build a standout wedding brand by leaning into your vision, attracting the right clients, and letting go of industry “shoulds.”



Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

From a Scarborough high street studio to £4K weddings — how this brother-sister team built a brand photographers (and couples) rave about
Why the booking journey starts with vibe — not a price list
Shooting just 20 weddings a year… and earning more because of it
Don’t wait for the moment — create it: how they capture magic without staging a thing
The underrated combo that still fills their calendar: SEO and word of mouth
Charging what you’re worth — and why their prices reflect value, not volume
How the right website portfolio attracts the best clients (and gives them total creative freedom)
Turning education into a £70K side hustle — and why they still do it for the love
The truth about working as a team: no fixed roles, full trust, and open conversations
Post-GFC pivot: what they changed when the world crashed (and how it saved the business)
Educating your clients = better bookings, smoother shoots, fewer surprises
Documentary doesn’t mean dull — why they lean into humour, honesty and humanity
Still saying yes to everything? Why niching down gave them clarity, consistency and growth
Letting go of perfect: how embracing imperfection leads to better photos and happier clients




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And there's nothing quite like having to succeed and not having a backup plan and going and saying, "We have to make this work, whatever it takes. We're in this now." - Liam Shaw

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