“Maybe I've been looking at things all wrong in my career and this lull in photography doesn’t negate my achievements or successes. To stop dwelling so much on everything I am not doing based on what I feel like I should be doing. Realizing that this liminal space i’m in is really a portal – a doorway to leaning into the ability to really slow down, refocus and recenter myself. To be able to take on homeschool, focus more into writing and the discovery process. Instead of fighting the resistance – to remind myself to be proud. My success looks different from everyone else around me and that is not only okay – that is your power. Your purpose. To sit in a success that is defined on your own accord.”

Overcoming Burnout and Quiet Seasons in Your Photography Career

Once i heard someone say businesses only last five to six years, and that those are the hardest. And if you can make it past that, then you’ve “survived”.

In my fifth and sixth year of business I have realized what people meant by this statement. When my business quieted down, I truly felt like I had failed. Like I didn't make it, I didn't survive. But now I am realizing that couldn’t be further from the truth.

This pause in my photography career has given me the opportunity to decide what success means on my own terms. For photographers beginning their career in this industry, understanding the ebb and flow of your own artistic journey is crucial.

In these fifth and sixth years of business I noticed how I began to question my own path, feel burnout and doubt my own success. I was comparing my journey to the lens of others, which will only steal your joy. Every artist's journey is unique, and “survival” means redefining what it means to THRIVE.

Starting from where you are is perfect

Since this is a love letter, I’m going to be as raw, open and honest as possible with you on my personal experience and what I would tell myself, starting out six years ago.

If there’s one thing I could say over and over and over is that starting where you are at is perfect. What I mean by that is you do not have to have everything figured out immediately. Fumble, make mistakes and learn.

Be diligent in practicing, whether it’s at home with your family, outdoors in nature. Figure out what you’re most passionate about. Then start asking friends and family if you can photograph them (if you’re doing portrait photography). Reach out to people on Instagram! I started reaching out to other people who I believed would align with the type of work I wanted to create.

There is nothing you must be in photography, and that is courageous. It takes courage to not only create work for yourself, but to reach out and ask for opportunities.

Whether you are just beginning or in the midst of a creative rut please remember that experimentation is part of the creative process. If things simply aren’t working out the way you wanted you have a couple options:

Accept it for what it is and see the opportunities
Accept it, and decide how you want to change how things have been done
Explore different options

Reach out to your community, explore new skills that coincide with photography, create new works of art that you’ve been putting on the back burner. Go through archived galleries, edit them. There’s so many things you can do if you feel stuck.

Shift your mindset

The desire for perfection is one that I believe is rooted in the desire to chase and idealization of success. I’m sure you might see a photographer who you draw a lot of inspiration from, and that’s fantastic. I believe that having people to look up to is imperative. However, it’s so easy (especially with social media) to compare ourselves.

We can so easily look at where someone else is at and compare our journeys – it can either fuel our desire or burn us out quickly.

Shift your mindset from perfection, to one rooted in passion. Do the work, that is what is important. Instead of focusing on timelines, focus on mastery. Build a portfolio that aligns with your personal vision, values, versus chasing after an idea of success that doesn’t align.

Awareness, Desire, Action and Opportunity

If you are reading this maybe you’re aware of your current market – maybe you aren’t. If you’re going to take this journey on as a business, I do believe having a sense of awareness of your current market is important.

Not to compare yourself, but to understand the pricing of the market, the clientele, the need for what it is you offer, etc.

From there ask yourself – what is it that I want to do/accomplish? Is it to have fun? Get into weddings? Do commercial photography? Set your sights on a direction, but know that in the world of artistry, you will enter different opportunities and directions that will lead you into rooms you didn’t think you would even be in.

When you first begin the best thing you can do for yourself is to create opportunities for yourself.

Through the Lens

If I were to sit down with an aspiring photographer or a photographer starting out, and have a conversation with them: I wrote it all down in a free guide called ‘Through the Lens’.

It is a pdf guide filled with my own knowledge, insights, and advice. It’s not filled with repetitive information on how to start a business, or what settings you need to learn on a dslr. Rather, it’s a deeper approach of getting to the root of your journey as a photographer.

There is room for you in the industry. While it has its own challenges, if it’s something you enjoy and are passionate about, you discover how to hone your craft and embrace your calling.

I invite you to download the free guide if you feel called to begin the journey, ‘Through the Lens’.

This guide goes beyond camera settings or gear lists, diving deeper into mindset, creative exploration and building a meaningful business that aligns with self.

download your free guide