14th July, 2025
Professional photographers know that the winter months often bring a natural lull in business. Fewer events are happening, the days are shorter, clients are hibernating, and depending on your specialty, inquiries tend to slow down. Although this seasonal slowdown may seem intimidating, particularly if you’re accustomed to a busy schedule, it’s a valuable opportunity. Instead of seeing winter as “dead time,” you can use it to focus inward: to experiment, refine your personal style, and get excited all over again. This quieter season is the perfect backdrop for creative self-discovery, allowing you to step back from client work and invest in your own photographic development.
Embracing the Winter Lull: A Gift in Disguise
If you’re anything like me, the first time you experience this slowdown can feel unsettling. There’s a certain rhythm to a busy season—shooting, editing, delivering, and repeating—that becomes second nature. When that rhythm stops, it’s easy to fill the silence with anxiety: Am I doing enough? Should I be hustling harder? Is there a gap in my marketing schedule? But after chatting with other photographers, I’ve learned not to take this lull personally. Almost everyone experiences it. Instead, I’ve learned to see these quieter months as a necessary pause—a chance to catch my breath, reflect, and reconnect with my creative roots.
Paying Attention to What You Pay Attention To
One of the most useful and powerful ways to use this downtime is simply to notice what draws your eye and your curiosity in everyday life. Give yourself permission to relax, step away from the lens, and try to be a bit more present day to day. It sounds deceptively simple, but it’s the foundation of authentic, personal work. When you’re not shooting for clients or deadlines, you have the freedom to explore what genuinely excites you—without the pressure to perform or please anyone but yourself.
Start by asking yourself:
For me, it often has to do with nature – here in the Illawarra, we are lucky enough to be surrounded by the escarpment. The shapes, textures, and colours of the natural world have always fascinated, drawn in, and comforted me. I pull out my phone camera when I see the evening light on the water, or a huge, beautiful tree among greenery. I always want to snap a picture when I find something funny, colourful or compositionally pleasing. On my best days, I want to snap a picture of the cafe I get a coffee from, or loving interactions between friends. Lately, interesting tricks of light have excited me—the colourful swirls on the wall as the sun shines through a tinted window, and the spots of sun bouncing from buildings. These everyday fascinations are clues to your personal style—they reveal what’s important and interesting to you, beyond trends or expectations.
The Visual Diary: Your Winter Companion
It’s a great idea to keep a visual diary of some sort during these slower months. This can be as simple as a folder on your phone, a physical notebook, or a well-attended Pinterest board. It doesn’t need to be photography-based, but every day, I make a point to capture or jot down something that catches my eye. It might be a picture of a strange, colourful bug, or a snippet of overheard conversation that perks my ears up.
Over time, patterns start to emerge. Maybe you notice you’re always drawn to bold colours, or that you keep returning to themes of solitude or connection. These patterns are the seeds of your authentic style—they’re the visual language you speak, often without even realising it.
Mood Boards and Playful Shoots
Once you’ve started noticing these patterns, winter is the perfect time to play. I love making mood boards—on Pinterest, in a sketchbook, or even just a collage of printed photos and magazine clippings. Collect images, colours, and ideas that resonate with you, no matter how random they seem. Don’t worry about whether they “fit” together; just let your instincts guide you.
Then, use these boards as inspiration for low-pressure photo sessions. Invite a friend for a casual shoot, or go solo and wander your neighbourhood with fresh eyes. The goal isn’t to create portfolio-perfect images, but to experiment and have fun. Try shooting in new locations, playing with different lighting, or focusing on a single theme or texture. Let yourself be a beginner again—curious, open, and unafraid to make mistakes.
Recently, I revived an old tradition with a friend: we made a Pinterest board full of playful, colourful ideas and a plan to recreate them, just like we did before “adult life” took over. It reminded me that some of my best work happens when I let go of expectations and simply enjoy the process.
Reflection and Growth
As winter unfolds, take time to reflect on what you’re creating. Look back through your visual diary, camera roll and mood boards. What surprises you? What feels most “you”? This reflection isn’t about judging your work, but about understanding it—seeing the threads that tie your images together and the stories you’re naturally drawn to tell.
You might find that your style is evolving, or that you’re ready to try something completely new. That’s the beauty of these quiet months: they give you space to grow, to question, and to dream without the constraints of client work or external deadlines.
Using the Lull to Prepare for What’s Next
Winter’s slower pace isn’t just for reflection—it’s also a great time to set yourself up for the busy months ahead. Use this period to:
By the time spring rolls around and business picks up, you’ll be re-energised, inspired, and ready to bring your renewed vision to your professional work.
Final Thoughts: Permission to Pause
It’s easy to feel guilty during slow seasons, especially when you’re used to measuring success by how busy you are. But creativity needs space to breathe. The winter lull isn’t a setback—it’s a chance to pause, reflect, and reconnect with what makes your work uniquely yours.
So, give yourself permission to slow down. Pay attention to what you pay attention to. Use this time to experiment, play, and fall in love with photography all over again. Your clients—and your future self—will thank you for it.
