What happened? Have you become a bad photographer overnight? No—you probably just need a break.
Most of the largest creators understand the importance of taking regular breaks, and it’s something that you should also incorporate. We’ll explain why in this article, along with identifying how you can use this time off wisely.
What Are the Benefits of Taking Long Breaks in Photography?
Taking time off from photography might seem a bit scary, and it’s natural to question whether you’ll be worse off when you return. The simple answer is no, and we’ll explain why in the subsections below.
1. Give Yourself Space to Think
In the hustle and grind world that many people have been conditioned to believe, it’s easy to think that stepping away means that everything will crash and burn. But fear not; it won’t.
When you’re constantly out and taking photos, it’s easy to become stuck in a routine and snap for the sake of snapping. If things become monotonous, you can lose motivation quickly.
Taking a long break in photography can encourage you to look at the world differently and identify things you might have otherwise missed. When you return, you’ll be raring to go and have a new perspective on frequently-trodden paths.
2. Free Up Time for Other Creative Pursuits
Photography is a lot of fun, but you don’t need to give up every other creative pursuit just because you’ve got a camera. In fact, picking up new hobbies can encourage you to develop new ideas.
When you take up another creative pursuit, you can also transfer some of your learnings to become a better photographer. For example, writing might help you become a better visual storyteller.
Taking up another creative hobby can also help you discover a passion you never knew you had and diversify your offerings for clients if you run a photography business. Examples of creative pursuits you can try include videography, graphic design, drawing, etc.
3. Spend Some Time Reflecting and Refocusing
When you take photos regularly, it can be easy to forget why you started if you don’t check in with yourself frequently. And when you forget your reasons for taking pictures, it’s easy for your work to become disjointed—or for you to fall out of love with your craft.
Taking a break from photography can give you the space to reflect on the past couple of months. On top of that, it can help you ensure that your original reasons for pursuing are still authentic to you.
One of the best ways to reflect and refocus is by journaling regularly. Doing this will help you get your thoughts out of your head, freeing up mental space as a result.
4. Absorb Everything You’ve Learned
Photography is a never-ending learning journey, and you might think that continuously doing is the best way to learn. However, your brain needs time to process information.
Stepping back from your camera will allow you to solidify everything you’ve learned through taking action. Because of that, you’ll be able to put more tips and tricks into action when you return—resulting in quicker progression.
How to Use Your Photography Breaks Wisely
Okay, so we’ve identified some of the main reasons taking long breaks in photography is a good idea for all creators. What if you’ve still got an itch to do something, though?
Improving your photography without taking pictures seems a little counterintuitive, but it is possible. Below are three ways to ensure that you come back stronger than ever.
1. Learn New Skills
If you’ve taken photos for a while and you feel like you’ve maxed out everything you can learn, stepping back is a good idea. Sometimes, going through spells of consuming helpful content can help take you to the next level.
These days, you’ll find plenty of free resources for improving your photography skills. Several photography-oriented YouTube channels cover a broad range of topics. You’ve also got blogs, Instagram accounts, and more.
You can also upgrade your photography skills by investing in paid courses. If you can’t find any in your local areas, you certainly will online; platforms like Skillshare and Udemy are great tools for finding programs.
2. Travel
Traveling is one of the best things you can do as a photographer. Besides capturing stunning shots in unique locations, it’s also an excellent way to open your eyes and mind.
When you travel, you’ll learn about different ways of living and begin thinking about things you can incorporate into your photography back home. This might mean looking for unique architectural patterns in the place you live, trying a theme that reminds you of a particular country, or something else.
You don’t need to travel far to reap the benefits. Even going an hour away from your house will likely get your creative juices flowing.
3. Revamp Your Processes and Systems
You’ll naturally develop processes and systems that help you improve your workflow as you do more photography. But as you evolve, some of these will probably begin to stop serving you—and you’ll need to make tweaks or risk holding yourself back.
When you’re on a break from photography, look at your current workflow and look at areas that might need altering. Is now the time to introduce folders on Lightroom or add an iPad as part of your process?
Assessing and revamping your systems will allow you to perform more efficiently and break out of a plateau.
Long Breaks Can Help You Improve Your Photography in the Long Run
Stepping away from something is scary, and worrying that you might lose all of your progress isn’t anything to be afraid of. However, taking breaks has enormous benefits for any creative pursuit—and photography is no different.
As creators, we have a lot of pressure to think of new ideas constantly. That sounds great on paper, but it isn’t practical; you need time to recuperate to achieve better outputs in the long run. Take as long as you feel is necessary; it might be a few weeks or even years.
