Every photographer has slow days.
Phones quiet. Inbox empty. Calendar wide open.
You can waste it. Or you can use it to sharpen your eye, calm your mind, and refill the creative tank.
Here are five photographer friendly things to do on a slow day, so your next session looks anything but slow.
1. Chase Light Around Your House
You do not always need a client to practice.
You just need light.
Walk through your house with your camera.
Watch how light slices across a wall.
Look at how it wraps around a face.
Study the way it hits a coffee mug or a curtain.
Try this simple slow day drill:
- Pick one window.
- Shoot ten frames of the same subject.
- Change angles, exposure, and lens choice.
You are not trying to make a masterpiece.
You are training your eye to see light in tiny, precise ways.
That skill shows up in every senior portrait, every family, every commercial job.
2. Do A Tiny 10 Frame Photo Project
Limitations force creativity.
So give yourself one.
Pick a simple theme:
- Hands
- Shadows
- Red objects
- Circles
- Reflections in glass or metal
Now shoot exactly ten frames on that theme.
Ten, not eleven.
You will slow down.
You will think before you press the shutter.
That mindset carries into real sessions, where every click matters.
Bonus idea. Pretend you are shooting an album cover or a movie poster.
Your brain shifts into “story mode” and your images get more intentional.
3. Read A Good Book That Feels Like Photography On Your Slow Days
Your eyes are important.
Your imagination is too.
Since every photographer has slow days, these are perfect reading days. Kirk wrote a novel and many are loving it. You can connect here: https://kirkvoclain.com
Pick up something that fires your brain, not just your shutter.
If you want a story that feels like photography, let me suggest my novel,
“Double Exposure: A Spy Novel.”
The main character is a professional photographer.
His camera is his cover.
He sneaks into embassies, events, and secure locations the same way real photographers do.
With confidence, timing, and a lens that looks innocent.
You can get Double Exposure for free right now by entering the Goodreads giveaway:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/242757036
Curl up with the book on a quiet day.
You will still be in a photography world.
Difference is you just trade the studio for spies, secrets, and a camera that gets him into a lot of trouble.
You can also pick it up on Amazon here: https://amazon.com/author/kirkvoclain
4. Teach One Thing To Someone Else
Nothing sharpens your skills like teaching.
Explain lighting to a friend.
Show a young photographer how to pose a senior.
Write a short tip on social media.
Record a 60 second video about your favorite lens.
Go to https://pro4um.com and join a huge community of Professional Photographers who are just like you. What’s great is they are all feeling like you, wondering what to do when every photographer has slow days.
When you teach, you break complicated ideas into clear steps.
That builds confidence for you and trust for your audience.
If you are serious about photography as a business, this matters.
Clients remember the photographer who explains, guides, and makes them feel comfortable in front of the camera.
5. Refresh Your Portfolio And Idea List
Slow days are perfect “sharpen the saw” days.
Look through your recent sessions.
- Which images still stop you in your tracks
- Which poses flatter your high school seniors every time
- Which lighting setups feel like “you”
Flag your best work.
Update your website and social media.
Remove images that no longer match your current level.
Then open a note on your phone and build an “Idea List.”
- New locations
- Fresh poses
- Lighting setups to try
- Personal projects you want to shoot
Next time a slow day appears, pull out that list.
You will never stare at the wall wondering what to do again.
Final Click
Slow days do not have to feel wasted.
Chase light.
Shoot a tiny project.
Read a good book like Double Exposure: A Spy Novel.
Teach a simple concept.
Refresh your portfolio and ideas.
Your camera work gets sharper.
Your mind stays creative.
And your business benefits from every quiet day you invest in yourself.