LENSEL - Together Journal

Lensel is an innovative online platform and vibrant membership community designed exclusively for wedding photographers.

Lensel was born from a passion to support, unite and ignite the industry’s creativity. This quarter marks the official launch of Lensel’s main digital platform following the success of its already iconic email newsletter. And the exciting launch of Lensel PRO. Discover more about Lensel in this interview, which is also printed in issue 36 of Together Journal, with founder Cameron Thorp.

TJ–What inspired you to create Lensel?

CT–The world of wedding photography has grown significantly over the last few years. It’s moved from being one of the last forms photographers wanted to do to a highly creative and sought-after job that pushes boundaries and influences many other forms of photographic culture. There are many online tools, communities, blogs and resources for photographers, but none that really focuses specifically on wedding photographers. As a long-time wedding pro, I wanted to create a home and a resource for wedding photographers. Something that doesn’t look down on wedding photography but celebrates it and encourages photographers to push it further.

“From techniques to trends, Lensel PRO delivers the insights and support you need to thrive as a wedding photographer.“
LENSEL PRO is now live at lensel.com/pro

What is Lensel’s core mission and values?

Lensel is all about the art and business of wedding photography, because the wedding game is uniquely in both of these worlds. We want to encourage and celebrate amazing photography while focusing on the realities of building a business. We value creativity, expression, and trying new things. We keep things fun and lighthearted as we explore and analyse new trends and techniques. We also value the history, tradition and work of many outstanding photographers before us, so our newsletters and articles are written in a fun and often upbeat tone. We’re aiming to stand out in an industry that is often a bit dry, technical and serious. But simultaneously, Lensel packs a real punch of practical and technical know-how.

Wedding photography is a diverse field. How does Lensel approach educating photographers about these different trends?

The wedding world is a beautiful sea of different styles, ideas, opinions and aesthetics. Lensel is not about educating photographers into a certain style. It’s more about supporting photographers on their own journey of discovering the kind of art and business they want to make. We want to notice and talk about trends, ideas and new approaches as they come and go, and to give photographers all the news, insights and know-how to make the best decision for themselves.

LENSEL PRO Members only community

Lensel Pro’s online community is full of the best wedding photographers in the world, and the chat is next-level. Hosted on theior intuitive platform, it’s a space for wedding photographers to connect, ask questions, access resources, learn, laugh, and grow together.
LENSEL PRO is now live at lensel.com/pro

‘We want to notice and talk about trends, ideas and new approaches as they come and go, and to give photographers all the news, insights and know-how to make the best decision for themselves.’

LENSEL PRO is now live at lensel.com/pro

What is your own background in wedding photography?

I have been a wedding photographer for over 10 years, and my work has taken me to incredible places all over the world where I never dreamed I could work. It has given me so much, and I want to continue building the world of wedding photography.

What kind of content and resources can wedding photographers expect to find on Lensel?

Lensel publishes a weekly newsletter called ‘news for wedding photographers’. We also publish a range of articles and content on our website to equip and inform photographers. This ranges from topics like “7 Lessons From the New Jacquemus Campaign” to “Blurry Wedding Photos — Art or Mistake?”

Our main resource is our Lensel Pro Community, a membership group for wedding photographers that includes a weekly insights newsletter, an active online discussion network, and monthly masterclasses.

How do you envisage Lensel evolving?

Lensel is growing fast and is becoming recognised as the best place online for photographers to connect, learn, and stay ahead in the wedding game. There’s still a lot to do there, but in the future, we would be excited to create some ‘in real life’ meetups and events to grow the community further.

What role does Lensel play in fostering a global community?

The life of a wedding photographer can be lonely. You run a business alone, and you often work on weddings alone. It is so important for photographers to have spaces to connect with each other, encourage each other, and push each other to be better.

I hope Lensel can play a role in connecting photographers all over the world and giving them a sense of connectedness in their jobs.

LENSEL PRO is now live at lensel.com/pro

Any collaborations in the pipeline?

Lensel collaborates with some of the biggest wedding photographers and some of the best up-and-comers in the industry to produce our content, from the monthly masterclasses to the regular insights into specific details about wedding shoots featured through our articles and social media.

What advice would you give aspiring wedding photographers who are just starting out and looking to find their unique style?

Explore. Go down a million little rabbit holes in the wedding photography world and figure out what speaks to you. Then go about imitating, replicating, and playing with those styles, ideas, and themes that resonate with you. If you are honest, you will see yourself shining through, and your unique style will emerge. Be open to new trends and ideas, but don’t focus on only one thing. We’ve seen many photographers build a business on a very specific trend that didn’t last more than a few years.

Alongside their vibrant community of seasoned and aspiring photographers, Lensel PRO gives photographers access to exclusive trend reports that keep them on the cutting edge, an opportunity network that opens doors for collaborations and jobs, and a wealth of resources designed to elevate business and craft. All with one shared goal: to take wedding photography to new heights.
LENSEL PRO is now live at lensel.com/pro