Work-Life Balance Tips for Photographers in 2023

Why are we sharing work-life balance tips for photographers for 2023? Because it’s awful seeing our photographer friends burnt out! As a creative professional who pours their heart into all they do, you deserve better. 

We decided to put together a special list specifically for photographers like you who want to achieve balance in their lives in 2023. There are strategies and tools you may not be utilizing yet, but once you start you could be welcoming a greater sense of ease into your professional life. 

Tips for Photographers Who Want Enjoy Life More in 2023

We want to provide tips for photographers that they want and need to truly thrive—not just survive—in 2023. Whether you’re ending your days feeling exhausted and burnt out or you just wish you had more time for your family and friends, these tips will help you create more white space in your calendar so you can work less and live more.

Outsource the work you don’t love doing.

Just because you can do it all doesn’t mean you have to. If there are certain tasks in your photography business you find yourself avoiding, it’s time to consider outsourcing. 

If you don’t enjoy marketing your business on social platforms but want to reap the benefits, hire a social media assistant who can help you create and schedule engaging posts. If organization isn’t your strong suit and you're averse to checking your email, hire an administrative assistant to take on those types of tasks. If editing is eating up all of your down time, start outsourcing the bulk of your workflow to an Ai software like PHAiTO. 

Yes, you may have to spend a little out of pocket to have these tasks taken off your plate. But if you look in the right places, there are affordable options available (PHAiTO’s editing service is only 0.15 cents per image!). Plus, if it means you get to spend your time where you are most passionate and efficient, the payoff is well worth it. 

Find your perfect Lightroom presets.

You have a unique style, and as a professional photographer it’s important for this style to be reflected consistently in your images. You can make expressing that style even easier by finding presets that align with your vision, whether that’s airy and bright, dark and moody, colourful and fun, or something more stunningly classic. 

If you’re already using PHAiTO—-or even just thinking about it—-you should know PHAiTO comes with eight unique looks (presets) you can use to ensure stunning coherence among your amazing photos. So if you’re already taking advantage of PHAiTO’s technology to level up your workflow, you can add these looks to your photos. 

Funnel all inquiries to one place.

Do you find yourself fielding inquiries from different inboxes and social platforms? It’s exhausting, and tracking inquiries on multiple platforms is a huge time-wasting activity! If this resonates with you, this is your sign to streamline your inquiry process by funneling all your inquiries to one place, such as a singular email address or through a contact form on your website. It’s one simple change that will make your life way easier.

Embrace automation.

Okay, maybe not for everything. But hear us out: there are so many ways you can automate your business—CRMs, email marketing, gallery sendoffs, client reminders, and your editing! 

You can easily edit your photos using PHAiTO’s artificial intelligence software, which takes the bulk of the editing work out of your hands. The result: a neutral, clean edit that’s perfect as-is or primed to put your own personal spin on. 

As you go about your next workday tackling tasks, ask yourself: Could this be automated? And, more importantly: How would my life change if I could automate this task? You may be surprised just how many aspects of your business can be set to complete themselves. 

Schedule breaks. 

Are you a serial non-break taker? It’s time to change that. Taking a break is not a “waste of time,” and it won’t hurt your productivity. Quite the opposite, actually: Scheduling periodic breathers throughout your day can increase your productivity by supporting your ability to focus when you are on task. 

Plus, taking a break can also relieve stress and increase your sense of wellbeing, leading to a more inspired and creatively-charged you. 

Book less, charge more.

Many photographers and other creative entrepreneurs are guilty of not pricing their work according to their worth. If you’ve spent another year in the industry perfecting your photography skills, it’s time to up your photography prices. Once you start charging more, you won’t need to book as many shoots to generate the same income, which is not only stress relieving but also freeing for your schedule, too. 

Make the most of your downtime.

As a professional photographer, it’s hard to leave your work behind at the end of the day. There’s always pressure to do more in a day, no matter how jam-packed it’s already been. But if your mind drifts to thinking about work when you’re supposed to be enjoying leisure time, you’re not getting the unwinding experience you need and deserve. 

You can make the most of your downtime by actually giving yourself permission to enjoy it. What’s the point of putting your feet up if you’re just going to worry anyway? You need downtime, just like everyone else. It’s only right you allow yourself to be fully present and enjoy the time you have to yourself and the time you spend with your loved ones. 

Work Less, Live More with PHAiTO

We hope these work-life balance tips for photographers helped you get inspired on how you can shift your work in a way that supports a lifestyle-first approach in your business. You can work less and live more without sacrificing the quality of your service—especially if you’re willing to outsource, automate, streamline, and take breaks (and actually enjoy them).

If you’re ready to start automating your workflow by leaving the bulk of your editing to smart, efficient Ai technology, choose PHAiTO and start your free trial today. 

Featured photos by Washington, DC photographer Collins Oluka