I haven’t felt very inspired lately.
That’s not an easy thing to admit when your job revolves around creativity. But after a challenging year and a growing sense of burnout, I made a conscious decision: in 2025, I’d shift my focus. I’d stop creating just for clients and start creating for myself again. What followed has been messy, honest, and surprisingly spiritual.
Letting Go of the Hustle
At the start of the year, I chose to devote more of my time and energy to making photographs for my own enjoyment, rather than pouring everything into my family portrait business.
Don’t get me wrong – I absolutely love photographing families. But I was feeling boxed in creatively, and to be honest, the business – though modestly successful – wasn’t flourishing the way I’d hoped, even with 40+ hours a week dedicated to it.
Turning Inward (and Outdoors)
After a tumultuous 2024, I was craving stillness. I wanted to slow down, connect with nature (confession: I’ve always been more of an “indoor cat”), and be more intentional in my life and in my art.
Photography has always been therapeutic for me, long before I realized it. So I decided to try something totally different: landscape photography – the polar opposite of the high-paced, spontaneous world of family portraits.
Switching Lenses – Literally and Figuratively
Unposed family photography – the way I shoot it – requires split-second decisions, adapting on the fly, engaging with clients, chasing toddlers, and keeping things moderately professional. You rarely get the chance to pause and think through your shot. But that’s also what I love about it – the imperfection. Because that’s real life with kids, and that’s what I aim to capture.
Landscape photography, though? It’s a whole different world. Slower. Still. Technical.
Everything – from the gear to post-processing – was new to me, and honestly? It’s been one hell of a learning curve. But I love learning about photography, so I welcomed the challenge.
Losing the Spark (and Finding It Again)
That said, I haven’t made a single non-portrait image I’ve truly loved in months.
I try to keep my expectations realistic. I can spend an entire day shooting and not keep a single image – and I’m okay with that. It’s just as much about the process as the final photo. Even if I don’t come home with a banger, I usually learn something new.
Still… it’s been a long time. Six months, thousands of images, and what feels like a million dollars in gas chasing golden light and moody storm clouds across Pennsylvania.
I started to wonder if I was cut out for this kind of photography. I don’t know how many times I told myself I was done. That’s it. I’m hanging up my camera. But the desire to keep going wouldn’t let me quit. Maybe I’m not the next Ansel Adams, but I have to figure this out. I need it too much to walk away.
The Prayer That Changed Everything
This morning, on my way to the lake, I was still questioning whether any of this was really worthwhile, or am I just wasting my time? And like I often do, I had a quiet chat with God.
I’m a Christian, but I don’t pray in the traditional way that many do. I’ve tried, but I never know what to say or how to say it – and it feels insincere. I stopped trying to get the “right” words a long time ago. Now, I just talk to God like I would a friend.
For months, I’d been trying to force inspiration. New techniques. New gear. Chasing something I couldn’t quite catch.
But today, I didn’t.
Instead, I simply asked God to help me see the way He sees. That’s it.
I didn’t ask for perfect light or a breathtaking subject. I just said: “Show me what You see.”
And He did.
Want to connect?
If this resonated with you, I’d love to hear your story. Have you ever hit a creative wall—and what helped you climb over it? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, or reach out to me directly. Let’s be honest about the hard parts of creative work. They’re often where the magic starts.
Good Morning Aunt Tracy, First I wanna say, great job on both the blogs. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading them…
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