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If you've ever stared at your camera or editing screen and thought, "I’ve got nothing," you’re definitely not alone. I’ve been there more times than I care to admit. Whether it’s the pressure to create something meaningful, comparing yourself to other creatives and feeling imposter syndrome, or maybe you are just overly stressed with every day life! Feeling creatively stuck is something every artist faces.
Guess what? I’ve got good news. I’ve learned a few things that gently nudge me out of that fog and back into a space of inspiration. So if you’re in that space right now, or just want a few tools to tuck in your back pocket for later, here’s what helps me when the ideas just aren’t flowing.
When I’m feeling blocked, I pause and ask myself: Why did I start creating in the first place?
For me, it’s always been about storytelling. About preserving something tender and beautiful. I have always wanted to create something that deserves to last.
So instead of pushing forward with a forced concept, I’ll go back through old client galleries or even family photos. Sometimes, seeing old images that portray the feeling of nostalgia brings me back to that purpose. The “why” always reignites the spark.
Try this: Scroll through your own portfolio or albums—not to critique your work, but to reconnect with the feeling behind it.
Yep. I close my laptop, put down the camera, and do something completely unrelated.
I might bake a pie. I might reorganize a closet. I might read a children’s book or visit an antique store. Creativity doesn’t live inside the camera—it lives in how we notice the world. And sometimes, noticing it requires a break.
Magic tip: Flea markets, estate sales, and old bookstores are full of forgotten treasures that tell stories. I’ll often find an item that instantly sparks a new concept—a crumbling book cover, a vintage brooch, a tattered dress. Those little details give me ideas I never would have found sitting at a desk.
Not every idea is meant to be used today. I have a list in my Notes app (and another scribbled in a very messy notebook) that’s filled with random things like:
“Little girl having tea with her teddy bears in a sunbeam”
“Old recipe passed down generations—capture as a still life with hands”
“Heirloom quilt fort—generations hiding underneath”
Sometimes the ideas sit for months or years before I circle back. But I know they’re there. When I feel stuck, I revisit this list like I’m shopping for my next story.
Creative nudge: Start your own notebook of ideas.That way when you have these quick ideas, you can jot them down until you are ready to bring them to life.
When all else fails, I go back to the source: the people I’m photographing.
Instead of trying to create a concept from scratch, I’ll ask,
"Is there something meaningful you'd love to include in this session? Something from your childhood, or your family’s story?”
More often than not, they’ll mention a grandparent’s hat, a favorite book, a music box that plays a song from their childhood. Suddenly, we’re building a portrait around their story, not something I had to pull out of thin air.
It’s personal. It’s meaningful. And it never fails to inspire something beautiful.
Nursery rhymes that we all know and love can be a great source of inspiration. These little rhymes have been recited for generations. Find out if your clients have a favorite one and recreate it!
Sometimes children’s book titles will ask a question. Answer it! You can answer it in the form of a portrait. I read a question from a child’s book about how many ties would a giraffe wear. I took that idea and ran with it. In my image, I had a little boy in a tree house with a suitcase full of ties. He picked his favorite one and was putting it on while a giraffe was peeking through a window and was wearing 4 ties!
Reading the synopsis of the book is also a great way. You do have to be careful to not copy the author of the book because it is their ideas, but you can build off the initial idea. For example, I picked up a book that was about a little girl in a pumpkin patch. That was it. That is all I needed. I started asking questions. What is the little girl doing in the pumpkin patch? My answer was having a puppy pose on a pumpkin for a photo shoot. It is one of my most favorite.
Creative Tip: Go to your local library or go online to goodreads.com and browse through children’s books!
One of my favorite ways to get unstuck is to think like a kid.
What made me feel magic when I was little? Fairy tales, forts, spinning in a dress, collecting leaves, getting lost in stories where anything could happen.
That childlike sense of wonder still lives inside us. And when I stop trying to be “clever” or “professional” and just let my mind wander. I think about things like “What would this character’s world look like?” “ What would you do with a collection of leaves?”
Story starter prompt: What would your 8-year-old self want to photograph?
There’s something so healing about saying “I’m stuck” out loud to someone who gets it.
When I open up to other artists (especially fellow photographers), I almost always leave the conversation with fresh eyes. They might share an idea, a technique, or even just say something offhand that sparks a thought. You don’t have to do it alone.
And if you’re reading this and thinking “me too”, just know: I’m cheering you on. You’re not stuck forever. You’re just in a quiet part of the process.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s this:
Inspiration doesn’t always arrive with a lightning bolt.
Sometimes it’s a whisper.
A memory.
A dusty photo in a forgotten box.
A teacup from your grandmother’s shelf.
Trust that your creativity is still there, even when it feels out of reach. And when in doubt, come back to what matters most: the stories worth telling.
You've got this. And when your next idea arrives I just know it’s going to be a good one.
