This week, I throw out the episode I was planning and respond to an email from Carri, a baby photographer from Michigan, whose words hit like a punch in the face. We’re talking about a different kind of burnout. Not from hustle, but from creative absence. From stillness. From not getting to do the thing you love.

This is for the photographers, and all creatives, who feel the slow ache when the work dries up, and the silence gets loud. If you’ve ever questioned your worth when the gigs disappeared, this one’s for you.

This Week’s Light Leak: “The Work I Would Love to Make”

Find one image, anywhere (Pinterest, a book, a magazine, Instagram), that captures the kind of work you wish you were making if you had no restraints. No budget. No client. No algorithm to please.

Then describe it. Not visually, use words. Mood, tone, feeling, intention.

The goal isn’t to recreate the image. It’s to tap into the honesty of what you want to say through your work—whether that scares you or not.

This is where we begin.

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Mentions & Links:

• Check out and Follow Carri's Instagram @carri_beth_photography
• Carri’s IG reference: @detroitbravo
• Music provided by Artlist.io