I recently listened to a podcast in which the host described a common trap that professional photographers often fall into—one I know all too well. It’s the slow, creeping realization that:
“I just don’t like my photos as much as I used to.” I heard that loud and clear!
How many times have we heard a photographer say, “I only get motivated when I have an assignment”? I’ve said it myself. For some, that’s a passing phase. They push through and rediscover their passion. Others walk away entirely. And some… linger in that space, hoping the spark returns.
At the heart of this is a subtle but dangerous shift: we start focusing on getting good—technically precise, gear-savvy, compositionally correct. We chase the perfect process, the best equipment, the cleanest execution. But in doing so, we drift away from why we started—photographing because something we saw moved us.
When we began, we created images simply because “we had to”. We shared them not to impress, but to connect. They were a piece of who we were. Over time, the desire to prove ourselves—to others and maybe to ourselves—can take the lead, especially if photography becomes our livelihood. We stop feeling and start thinking. And the soul begins to seep out of the work.
That’s the creative conundrum: With all this experience and all these nifty tools, why don’t I like what I’m making anymore? More importantly, what do I do about it?
For me, that podcast was a wake-up call. I’d been quietly wondering if I was burned out, if I had anything left to say through my work. I questioned whether I still loved photography, or if I’d just been going through the motions.
Now I see it differently. It’s not about burnout—it’s about disconnection. I’d been trying too hard to show I was good. What I need is to stop thinking so much and start feeling again.
And here’s what I’ve realized: I still love photography!
What I don’t love is the version of it I had been chasing lately—the one built on proving something. I’ve been thinking too much and feeling too little. Going forward, it will not matter whether the photograph is for a client or just for me.
I’ll be choosing differently. I’m going back to what moves me. The kinds of images that speak first to me—and then, hopefully, to you. I want to create photographs that carry a little piece of my heart. Not to check a box or make a portfolio stronger, but because they say something true.
The images I’m presenting here are images that I love.
Some were created for clients, others were created simply because they moved me. Some are very recent, others are from decades ago. The key takeaway is, I remember the what, the where and the why of every one of them. Regardless of motivation, all were created from the heart.
That’s the chrysalis I’m welcoming. Transformation. A return.
If you’ve ever felt this way too, I want to hear about it. Let’s talk shop. Let’s talk soul.
Leave a comment or send a message—I’m all ears.
The podcast I reference in this post is, with thanks: https://www.youtube.com/@ThePhotographicEye
