Why Photography May Feel Harder
Why does this feel so hard?
What isn’t working?
Why doesn’t this feel as good as it did before?
I’m not feeling as inspired lately…
These are some thoughts that I have had recently, to be honest. Some were kind of always there, lingering in the back of my mind, and now have just started to bubble to the surface. I think every photographer will find themselves at this point of questioning their path and their direction. I don’t think it's a sign that anything is inherently wrong, but one that is actually a good sign of opening doors to go deeper into ourselves and our craft. We live in a chaotic, noisy world, one that is exacerbated by social media. We see people's highlight reels, their best photos, their best work, and the glossy photos, but what we don’t see are the struggles and challenges behind them. We may think it just feels and is so effortless for them, but it’s not, I assure you. Social media has a way of making things look glossy and beautiful, “authentic,” yes - but behind those photos, you don’t see the lingering questions, the internal struggles, and moments of doubt and challenge. We don’t see the failed shots, the missed opportunities, or the rejections, so we assume things are just more effortless for some than for ourselves. And that simply isn’t true. Photography hasn’t gotten harder; the visual arts world has just gotten wider, with more creatives than ever out there pursuing it. Those polished reels look effortless, but to me, it's exhausting trying to maintain that “perfect” look when it's simply not true behind the scenes. What feels authentic to me when it comes to social media is posting and sharing when it feels right, and I genuinely have something to say and share. The world doesn’t need more noise. If anything, it needs more spaciousness, stillness, and quiet.
New Horizons
Another reason why photography may feel harder is that since you’ve grown and evolved, your standards are now naturally higher. You expect more from yourself. You demand more dedication, discipline, and excellence from yourself. You know what you’re capable of, and you won't settle for less because you’ve evolved. What thrilled or excited you once before might make you feel bored because you’ve grown. It's a sign to level up and step outside of your comfort zone. To expand, explore, and pursue the next horizon of your potential. You've honed your standards to meet your vision, and because that is so hard to maintain, photography just feels harder because you won't settle for less than your vision or your dreams.
Due to being inundated with endless content, another reason photography may feel harder is that we feel like everything has been done before, and we struggle to feel original. It almost feels like it’s been done, and what do I have to add to it? The truth is, no one has ever done, said, or captured in the way you can. You are the only person on this planet who can do it exactly like you. Release that pressure to feel like you have to be original or create something original because just by being you, you already are. This is where putting on the blinders helps you drown out the noise, focus on you, and your style. This doesn’t mean you have to tune out to all the inspiration around you, far from it! But learn to trust what catches your eye, what you want to say, and what brings you joy behind the lens.
Another hurdle that makes photography feel harder is that maybe you just learned a new technique, picked up a new camera, or are learning a new skill, and it still feels like you haven’t quite mastered it yet. That can almost feel like a regression or a step back when in reality, it's one step back to take two steps forward. Growth is like a wave; it comes and goes in different rhythms… it doesn’t mean the shoreline isn’t there, but you are making progress bit by bit at your pace, and that’s why photography may feel like it's harder than before.
Another big elephant in the room is impostor syndrome. I’ve written about this in a separate blog post here if you'd like to read it. It's like a little devil on our shoulder whispering in your ear that you aren't good enough or who do you think you are to do that? But it's a real thing; the more we care, the more that voice has space to flourish. Trying to be perfect and trying to prove ourselves in the world is a fruitless and needless struggle. Feelings of being found out or “who are you to do this” are only amplified in isolation and self-doubt. If you don’t have a raging ego, feeling like an impostor will strike at some stage. But know that you are already worth showing up and creating. You don’t need to be perfect or prove anything. Those impostor syndrome feelings can be paralyzing and make us feel so insecure, and make photography feel so much harder, especially after a rejection, critique, or unpleasant experience.
Tuning In
Something else to consider is that we have so much content and inspiration all around, yet we lack a clear conversation with ourselves and our inner landscape and inner world. Think about it, just with a few taps on our phones or by clicking an app, we have instant connection to the world and anything our heart or curiosity desires. We have endless access to platforms, people, and inspiration, but with that freedom comes a lot of noise. The constant stream of input can drown out our own inner voice, making it harder to connect with ourselves and what lights our inner fire. Over time, this can leave us feeling creatively disconnected or unsure of who we are and how we feel. How can you really know what you want if you're constantly consuming content? Do you ever give yourself the space to pause and reflect on your vision, your life, and what you truly want from your photography? That may be a reason why photography feels harder because your channel to your inner voice may be blocked or muffled by the external world. There is an overload of inspiration and a disconnection from intuition.
If you feel like your work lacks cohesion and looks scattered, it may contribute to the feeling that you may not have a clear creative compass. Your work may feel and look scattered because there isn’t intentionality or a vision behind it. Without a strong internal compass or creative direction, everything can feel scattered or aimless. This is a pause to reconnect with that inner creative compass and fine-tune it to what truly feels right and aligned with you. What direction or focus do you want to take? What do you want your photography to look and feel like? What story or message do you want to say? What do you stand for? Who are you as a photographer? When you’re trying to create meaningful work without a clear internal compass, photography can start to feel heavy and directionless.
I went through a phase where I questioned the type of photography I wanted to pursue. At first, I felt this pressure to narrow my focus and be more specific. But as I evolved, so did my curiosity about different subjects, styles, and perspectives. The more I tried to resist that natural urge to broaden my horizons, the more stuck I felt. It created a bit of tension. Things started to change when I let go of the need to fit into a box and began to follow what truly excited me. Ironically, that’s when my work started to feel more aligned and meaningful because it was coming from a place of authenticity. If you’re feeling that itch to try something new or step outside your frame, explore that. You don’t have to share everything in a professional capacity but don’t hold yourself back from exploring. That kind of restriction can make the creative process feel heavy and like an uphill battle. There’s real power in following your curiosity and permitting yourself to fully express who you are.
A New Chapter
Photography may feel harder because maybe you are in a transition period. Maybe you are pivoting or experimenting and trying a whole new creative path. That naturally is going to feel challenging because you’re expanding your horizons. But that doesn’t mean that because it's difficult, it's a bad sign. It's a sign of growth and evolution. You’re evolving creatively, and in-between spaces are notoriously uncomfortable. Name and voice the feelings you have, whether it's discomfort or confusion, and work through them, not against them. Fully feel them and acknowledge that "yes, this moment is hard, but I’ll get through it. This is temporary, I'll find my way." Whatever it is you need to hear from a supportive friend or maybe loved one, say it to yourself. I like to refer to my higher, future self as support and ask her to tell me what I need to hear right now. Does she need to reassure or build me up, encourage me? This will help you trust yourself and your own creative power.
Lastly, another reason why photography may feel like a struggle at times is the assumption that creativity is an overflowing well, always available. The truth is, creativity isn’t something that is at full speed, on tap all the time; it ebbs and flows like the tides. Some periods you are inspired and lit up by life, your work, inspired by your travels, or a client shoot, and that’s fantastic! But there will be moments when it will feel dull, tepid, and in a sort of hibernation or recalibration. There are just a few drops in your creative well. It doesn’t mean anything is wrong. There are times of fire and momentum. And there are times of pause and reflection. Like nature and life, there are moments of rest, gathering our resources, healing, recovery, growth, and refinement. Our creative well has to be nourished and nurtured. You are either feeling creative or not. I don’t think there really is a half-hearted feeling. When you feel creative, you just are, without thinking. And when you’re not, you don’t feel the spark or inspiration. There are countless reasons why we may feel creatively stuck, but that’s for another post. If that’s you right now, I’d like to gently remind you that you’re just in a season and embrace it all for what it is, not wishing to be anywhere else or in a different season, but allowing yourself to be where you are. Hold your vision close, but honor where you are, taking aligned steps in its direction. Understanding your creative rhythm can help ease the guilt when things feel harder. This journal post on replenishing our creative well may help.
I want to reassure you that if photography feels harder, you're not doing anything wrong. It’s simply part of the process, something we all move through as we grow and unfold. It’s when we rise to the challenge and step into the unknown that we begin to uncover all the possibilities and potential waiting for us.