In the world of architectural photography and interior photography, you spend your shoot days in spaces that have beautiful design, light, and details. Whether you're photographing a home or a commercial space, you go from location to location to capture the best views of design projects. Yet, amidst the hustle and bustle of this amazing profession, it's important to nurture the most important element of all: ourselves.
As female photographers in this field, we also often juggle multiple roles, balancing our passion for capturing design beauties with the demands of our personal lives. We are not just photographers, we are also very often mothers, caregivers, chauffeurs, family shoppers, house cleaners, cooks, bookkeepers, and much more!
And even though this makes self-care even more important, it's often the first thing that we push to the side.
No more!
This is your reminder to prioritize yourself more so that you can be there for others for many years to come. Let's look at ways that you can practice self-care.
Setting Boundaries and Prioritizing Rest
In a profession where deadlines are always looming and shoots days are long, it's easy to neglect our own need for rest. The first step to carving out time for rest, however, is to set clear boundaries with your well-being in mind.
How can you do this?
- Talk to your family about your need to rest so you can do all the things. Bring them in on the conversation so they can support you.
- Set boundaries with clients. This can be tough, but your clients surely set boundaries for their clients, so they'll understand if you need to also. One simple way to start is to decide on "office hours" when you're available to be reached via phone, text, or email. Once you have these hours established, add that to your email signature. You can also set up an autoreply to go out to all emails that come in after hours. Finally, when you're onboarding a new client, let them know that you are quick to respond and tend to their needs within your work hours.
- Watch your sleep. As much as possible, get a full night's rest so that you can be mentally present for the next day. This can be tough when you're a mother or caregiver, so give yourself some grace as you do whatever you can within your current situation.
- Practice saying "no". This is a doozy! It's perfectly okay to say no sometimes, and in many cases it's actually the better option. If you don't say no from time to time, you are simply setting yourself up for burnout. If this is really tough for you, start by saying no to small requests here and there. Or start by saying something like "Let me check my calendar and get back to you on that." - sometimes just giving yourself that space to not feel the pressure to respond immediately can be enough to get the strength to say no.
Connecting with Nature
As interior photographers, we spend much of our time in... well, interior spaces! Between shoot days and editing sprees, it can be tough to get a dose of nature.
Yet, time outdoors in a natural environment has been proving to improve brain function and elevate mood. Essentially, this means that time in nature is good for you!
Here are some ways to incorporate nature into your day-to-day routines:
- Don't do it alone! If you have small children, take them to the park or get them in the habit of going on a neighborhood walk with you. Your kids will love it and you'll get some fresh air away from any photo gear or computer screens.
- On editing days, set a timer to remind yourself to get up from the computer every once in a while and stretch your legs. When do this, though, step outside! Even if you literally stand outside for 5 minutes, your body and mind will feel refreshed.
- Looking for an activity that involves nature but doesn't include all the work of a camping trip? Most areas will have a botanical garden, so look for one close to you. You can make this a fun family outing or (dare I say?!) maybe you can escape there on your own every once in a while.
- Don't let urban areas stop you! Even if you don't live out in the country or suburbs, you can still benefit from a walk outdoors. If you're in an apartment building or office building, taking a walk around the parking lot can be helpful just to get blood flowing and fresh outdoor air in you. If you're in a city center, take a quick walk down to the corner market or around your block - the activity will reenergize you while you also get some fresh outdoor air.
Nurturing Your Creativity Beyond Photography
While photography is our passion and livelihood, we are so much more than the photos that we deliver to clients!
To keep your passion alive and to keep the artist in you happy, explore your creativity from time to time. This can be a big ongoing project that you do for yourself, or short bursts of creative activities that you sprinkle in as much as possible.
This, like everything else mentioned in this Field Note, can often get ignored.
Here are some ways to nurture your creativity:
- Sometimes we need to fall back in love with photography, and for this you may need to shoot something just for fun. Is there a location you've always wanted to photograph? A different type of subject? A certain technique you want to try? Get curious again about what possibilities exist with photography and give yourself a deadline to start experimenting! If you have dream locations or subjects in mind, start making plans to go there or set up that subject. It doesn't need to happen overnight, but make a tiny step forward to get yourself excited for it!
- Step outside of photography and see how you can get creative. Often, this means learning something new. When we learn something new, we tend to just explore and be curious about how things work. This could be something like pottery, vegetable gardening, or woodworking. Need ideas? Flip through the course offerings at a local community college and see if any classes stand out and pique your interest.
- Step away from artistic projects. This may seem counterintuitive, but sometimes giving yourself some space can reignite the spark. You probably can't stop photographing altogether (or want to!), but dive into something else that interests you and is not traditionally 'artsy'. Is there a series of books you always wanted to read? How about that list of must-watch movies you keep putting off? Or maybe you want to reconnect with old friends or distant relatives. Let yourself take on something different just because, and you'll likely come back to the camera with new-found energy!
Allowing Your Body to Recuperate
After a long photoshoot day, it's crucial to give your body the attention it deserves. And while there often isn't time to fit in a full workout or stretch routine, there are things you can do to make it easier to soothe your body.
Consider incorporating practices such as:
- Stretching Exercises. Stretching helps release tension in your muscles, improves flexibility, and promotes relaxation. Spend a few minutes stretching your arms, legs, and back after a shoot to relieve stiffness and prevent soreness. If you need more motivation, considering signing up for a pass at a local yoga or pilates studio. Often, having the structure of class times gives that extra nudge we need to get there. Whenever possible, plan to attend a class the day after a photo shoot so that your body gets some love the day after all that strain.
- Hydration and Nutrition. Proper hydration and nutrition are essential for replenishing energy levels and supporting overall well-being. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, and be mindful of eating balanced meals and snacks to fuel your body. For photoshoots, be sure to take a large water bottle that you can refill on location. For snacks, things like granola bars, nuts, and dried fruit are great for giving energy without having to slow down.
- Meditation. While meditation is not a physical exercise, it does force your body to slow down and relax. This time of clearing your mind and slowing your body down can be incredibly helpful in physical recovery as well as mental. Even if you set a timer for 5 minutes, that will be a great start to building a routine! Consider doing some habit stacking but adding on a touch of meditation to the beginning or end of the day, right after or before another activity that is already a solid habit for you.
- Warm bath. Simple, but oh so luxurious! If you have a large tub and can spare a few minutes with the bathroom door locked to the outside world, a warm bath can be a great recovery activity for your muscles and your mind. Bonus points if you add in some aromatherapy.
- Massages. This one quickly becomes a must for many photographers. The beauty of building massages into your routine is that it's an appointment that you can make ahead of time and is outside of your home, so it makes it a bit tougher to ignore. Consider it like a doctor appointment! Clearly, your tired muscles will benefit from a massage, and the forced time in a calm environment without real life stressors will also be a huge help to your mental health. To make things even easier, many locations offer membership options so you can automate the appointments and more easily work it into your schedule!
In the fast-paced world of architectural photography, self-care often takes a back seat to client demands and family pressures. Prioritizing our well-being, though, is not only essential for our own health and happiness but also for the quality of our work.
By setting boundaries, reconnecting with nature, nurturing our creativity, and allowing our bodies to recuperate, you can begin to bring more balance to your day-to-day life and feel the benefits of all that self-love.
And remember to give yourself grace and time as you create these new habits. Any change will take time and dedication, and is sure to have setbacks. So start with whatever step you can take today, knowing that every bit helps.
