How I Fell Back in Love with Photography (And How You Can Too)

If you’ve been wondering how to get back into photography after losing motivation, creative burnout, or comparison fatigue, you’re not alone. Stepping away from a hobby you once loved can feel confusing and even emotional. In this post, I’m sharing why I drifted away from photography, what held me back, and the small steps I’m taking to reconnect with it in a healthier way.

The Hobby That Shaped Me

Photography has been one of the most important hobbies of my entire life. It has truly shaped me and has made me want to just share it with the whole entire world.

It started back in about 2013 when I started taking photos on my phone. One of the moments that sticks out to me most from that time is when we were visiting my grandparents and my grandfather saw me taking photos. Now, he always had a camera with him. I don't think I ever saw him without one! Well, after he saw me, he let me try out his and let's just say, the rest is history from there.

Photography became my creative outlet that I so desperately needed. I've always been a creative, but one who is just not great at drawing. It became something that I was so passionate about, and I wanted to share it with the world, and I did through social media. It also just became a huge part of who I was because now I had my camera everywhere that I went. Theme parks, gardens, and even school. That camera was an extension of me.

Once I graduated high school, I started to really fall away from it and the truth is, I just miss it now. It is still in my life as I take pictures for my family and I get to teach it to my students, but I miss doing it for me and I want to bring that spark back.

In this post, I really just want to share how I am finding my way back to photography and how you can reconnect with a creative hobby you once loved too.

How I Slowly Drifted Away from Photography

Growing up and starting adulthood is what made me pull away from this hobby I once was obsessed with. I was going to college and working at the same time which took up all of my free time. I would still take my camera with me every now and then to the theme parks, but then I just started leaving it home more often.

Social media also took a big drain on me because I just wanted my photos to reach a large audience. There were so many Disney photographers that I looked up to, and still do, who reached such large amounts of people and my photos just didn't. I started to compare myself in ways that were harmful to me continuing my growth. The truth is, we shouldn't compare ourselves in these unhealthy ways that don't help you grow as a person, but here I was, doing that and starting to leave behind the hobby I loved.

If any of this sounds familiar to you, you're not alone. A lot of creatives step away without realizing their grieving something that once felt like home.

The Moment I Realized I Missed It

I have been missing photography for a while now, but I haven't really felt the need to make that change until quite recently. There are a few different factors that contributed to this, one of them being the job that I have. I'm a teacher and one of the things I get to teach my students is photography. Being able to share my passion with middle schoolers and seeing them grow a similar passion has warmed my heart in so many ways. It has been one of the main factors making me want to bring it back.

Another factor has truly been watching my little sister grow her photography passion and skills. I remember telling her that when she was starting high school and looking for electives that she should just try photography class because even if she didn't like it, it would be fun. I had a feeling she would like it, and I was right. She has grown into such an incredible photographer throughout high school, and it is honestly inspiring to me.

Both of these things have made me miss it so much. I miss holding a camera and lugging around different lenses to places because I did not know what I would need. These moments made me realize that it wasn't photography I had fallen out of love with, it was the pressure surrounding it. The pressure that I created in my mind by comparing myself to others.

What Was Actually Holding Me Back

Once I really sat with everything, I had to be honest with myself about what actually made me step away. It wasn’t that I stopped loving photography. It wasn’t that I suddenly wasn’t creative anymore. It was pressure.

At some point, photography stopped being about capturing moments and started being about capturing the right moments. The perfectly exposed castle photo, the perfectly timed fireworks shot, the image that would reach thousands of people instead of hundreds.

Instead of asking myself, “Do I love this?” I started asking, “Will other people love this?” And social media amplified that pressure.

There are so many incredibly talented photographers online, especially in the Disney space. I would scroll and see stunning images that looked straight out of magazines and immediately compare. I wasn’t thinking about years of experience, editing styles, lighting conditions, or even different equipment. I was just thinking about numbers. Comparison didn’t push me to grow; it just slowly convinced me to shrink.

I also started telling myself that maybe I just needed better gear. A better lens. A better camera body. As if upgrading equipment would magically upgrade my confidence. But when I look back at some of my favorite photos, they weren’t taken with the most advanced setup. They were taken when I was excited, curious, present, and passionate.

The gear was never the problem. The pressure was.

How I Fell Back in Love with Photography

What’s funny is that I haven’t even taken my camera out again yet. Life has been busy, teaching takes so much energy in the best way, and I genuinely just haven’t had the opportunity to go out and shoot the way I used to. But that doesn’t mean nothing has changed.

Instead of forcing myself to “make a comeback,” I started smaller. I opened up my old photo library. I went back through folders I hadn’t touched in years. Some photos made me smile. Some made me cringe. Some surprised me because they were better than I remembered.

Editing those photos again felt like reconnecting with an old version of myself. The girl who lugged around lenses everywhere because she didn’t know what she might need. The girl who would wait for the light to hit just right. The girl who genuinely loved the process.

I started re-editing and posting some of those older photos on Instagram. Not because they were new or because I expected them to perform well, but because I wanted them to exist somewhere outside of a hard drive. And something shifted.

Sharing them felt different this time. It was lighter, less desperate for validation, and simply more rooted in appreciation. I haven’t physically stepped back behind the lens yet, but I feel closer to it than I have in years. Sometimes falling back in love with something doesn’t start with action, it starts with remembering.

How You Can Start Reconnecting with Photography Too

If you’re in a similar place of missing photography but not quite fully back, you’re not behind. You’re just in the early stage. Here are a few things that might help if you’re trying to reconnect with your creative side.

Revisit Your Old Work

Before you buy anything new or plan a big shoot, go back. Open your old folders. Scroll through your old albums. Re-edit something you shot years ago and you might surprise yourself. You might see growth you didn’t recognize at the time. Or you might just remember why you started in the first place. Sometimes inspiration lives in your own archives.

Pay attention to patterns in your old photos. Were you drawn to portraits? Nature? Architecture? Noticing these themes can help you rediscover what originally excited you about photography and guide what you choose to shoot next.

Remove the Pressure to “Return” Perfectly

You don’t have to announce a comeback. You don’t have to immediately rebuild a brand. You don’t have to prove anything. Creative hobbies are allowed to be quiet so just let your return be gentle instead of dramatic.

Instead of setting a huge goal like rebuilding a photography brand, try setting one simple intention, such as taking one photo this week that feels meaningful. Small wins build confidence faster than dramatic declarations. I talk more about this idea in “Slow Progress is Still Progress: Celebrating the Little Wins,” where I reflect on how small, steady steps matter more than big, loud ones.

Separate Photography from Social Media

If social media played a role in draining your joy before, approach it differently this time.

Post because you want to share or just don’t post at all. Not every photo needs an audience, and some moments are allowed to belong only to you.

Consider creating a private album just for yourself or sharing selectively with close friends instead of posting publicly. This helps rebuild your relationship with photography before introducing outside opinions again.

Let the Spark Build Slowly

You don’t need to force a big photoshoot to prove you’re “back.” Start by noticing again. Notice all the things you used to see before. The different angles, the details, the lighting, and the composition. When you begin to see like a photographer again, picking up the camera will feel natural and not pressured.

You can even start by studying composition techniques again like the rule of thirds, leading lines, or framing. Training your eye again before even picking up the camera can make your return feel more intentional.

A Simple 4-Step Photography Reset Plan

If you’re feeling stuck but ready to reconnect with photography, here’s a simple way to start:

Step 1: Open Your Archive: Spend 30 minutes revisiting and re-editing 5 old photos.

Step 2: Notice Light This Week: Don’t even bring your camera, just observe.

Step 3: Take One Low-Pressure Photo: No posting required.

Step 4: Reflect Instead of Judge: Ask yourself what you enjoyed, not how it performed.

Why Returning to an Old Hobby Feels So Emotional

There is something deeply personal about returning to a hobby that once shaped you.

Photography wasn’t just something I did. It was part of my identity. My camera went everywhere with me. It felt like an extension of who I was.

Letting it fade felt subtle at first, but looking back, I realize I missed more than just taking photos. I missed the version of myself who saw the world that way. Editing old photos and sharing them again has reminded me that she’s still here. She didn't disappear forever; she just got quiet.

Maybe this season isn't about reinventing myself with something brand new, maybe it's about revisiting the parts of me that still matter.

Picking Up the Camera Again

I don’t know exactly what this next chapter of photography will look like. But I know this: I want to. And for the first time in a long time, that desire feels healthy instead of heavy.

If there’s a hobby you’ve been missing, something that once felt like an extension of you, maybe you don’t need to dive in all at once. Maybe you just need to start by remembering.

Open the folder.

Revisit the work.

Notice the light.

You don’t have to return perfectly; you just have to return honestly.

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like “Slow Progress is Still Progress: Celebrating the Little Wins,” where I share how small, quiet steps forward can rebuild confidence and remind us that growth doesn’t have to be dramatic to be meaningful.

I’ve been photographing since 2013 and have experience teaching photography to middle school students. Sharing creativity and rediscovering it is something I deeply value.

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Your Side Quest

What’s a hobby you once loved that’s been quietly waiting for you to return to it?