Why Creating Alone is Holding You Back

Hey you,

You know that feeling when you’re just going through the motions?

Like, you’re doing the work, showing up, delivering—but something feels… off. The spark is quieter. The ideas aren’t hitting as hard. You’re creating, but you’re not feeling it the way you used to.

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Yeah. That.

And I didn’t even realize how much I was in that place until, suddenly, I wasn’t anymore.

The Isolation of Working Alone

For years, it was just me. My desk. My camera. Whatever playlist was fueling the day.

No one to bounce ideas off. No one to tell me if my editing was trash. No one to say,
“Dude, have you tried this? It’ll blow your mind.”

I thought the occasional online group, meetup, or conference was enough.

It wasn’t.

Then came the studio—five photographers sharing space, energy, and ideas. And damn, that shit was magic.

Every day felt like a masterclass in creative exchange.

“You still crop like that? Try this instead.”
“Wait, you don’t use this tool? It’ll save you HOURS.”
“Your Instagram feed feels off—have you thought about this?”

We weren’t competing. We were pushing each other to be better. And I grew so. fucking. much.

Then—pandemic. Isolation. Back to working solo. And I told myself, It’s fine. I’ve done this before.

But it wasn’t fine.

Something was missing. And I didn’t fully see it—until I found it again.

The Turning Point: Film Club with Jennifer Moher

A few weeks ago, I randomly joined a free webinar by Jennifer Moher. It was meant to introduce her Film Club workshop. I told myself I’d just listen in—no big deal.

And then—fuck. I was hooked.

Halfway through, I already knew: I have to book this. No debating, no overthinking. Just this gut-deep certainty that I needed to be part of it.

And you know what?

I was right.

Creative Fire, Reignited

Inside the workshop, the energy was electric. Photographers from all over, sharing insights, breaking down techniques, pushing each other in the best way.

And suddenly, I felt it again. The buzz. The spark. The creative fire that had gotten so damn quiet.

Then came a live critique session. Someone pointed out how a subtle shift in framing could change an entire story. Another photographer shared how they were curating their Instagram—not for trends, but for storytelling.

It was like a switch flipped.

I wasn’t just absorbing information—I was seeing my work in a whole new way.

And just like that, the fire was back.

My Brain Lit Up with Ideas:

• How to curate my Instagram in a way that actually excites me again.
• I finally (FINALLY) need to understand ads on Instagram.
• New ways to crop, frame, and break all those old “rules” we were taught.

But more than that?

I started watching films differently. I wasn’t just entertained—I was studying them.

• Color grading.
• Pacing.
• Lighting.
• How movement changes a scene.
• How a simple silence can build tension.

Now, I’ve got a 200+ movie watchlist on Letterboxd—not just for fun, but to break them apart. To understand how they create emotion, tension, magic.

THIS. This is what I had been missing.

Not new presets. (Okay, maybe some new presets—because playing with color and tones is half the fun. And if you're into that, check out my presets here.)

Not a “better” camera. (Also—yeah, I still owe you my thoughts on why I switched from Sony to Nikon last year. That post is coming, I swear. Short version? It wasn’t just about specs—it was about feeling. About connection. About finally shooting in a way that made sense to me.)

Not another round of self-doubt about whether my work was “good enough.”

Creative energy. Input. Exchange.

And now, I’m wondering—how many of us are missing this without even realizing it?

Try This Today: Shake Up Your Creativity & Your Instagram

If you’ve been feeling creatively stuck, uninspired, or just going through the motions… I want you to do this.

Pick one (or all) of these and try it today.

Not tomorrow. Today.

When I stopped overthinking and just did something—posted an image I loved but hesitated to share, edited outside my usual style, reached out to another creative—I felt the shift.

It was immediate.

The act of doing, rather than waiting, changed my entire perspective.

So do it now. And see what happens.

Are You Posting What You Think People Want to See?

Or… are you posting what you actually WANT them to see?

Most of us (yeah, me too) have played it safe at some point. We post the images we think will perform best—the ones that get likes, the ones that feel “on brand.”

But here’s the thing—being on brand doesn’t mean playing it safe. It doesn’t mean watering down your work or sticking to a formula. It means showing up authentically, consistently, fearlessly. It means sharing the work that truly represents you—even if it’s different, even if it’s unexpected.

But fuck that.

Find One Image That Deserves to Be Seen.

Now, ask yourself: Why haven’t I posted it before?

Were you worried it wouldn’t fit your feed? That it wouldn’t “perform” well? That it’s not what people expect from you?

The moment you start shaping your work around what you think people want to see, you lose the magic. You stop creating for yourself. You start playing to an algorithm, to trends, to validation that—let’s be real—doesn’t mean shit in the long run.

So here’s the challenge:

Post something today that feels true to you.

Yes, we’re running a business. We need clients. We need bookings. We need to keep the lights on.

But we’re also artists.

And if we don’t follow what makes our hearts beat faster—what’s the point?

The work that sets your soul on fire is the work that will attract the right people.

Wedding photography is both a service and an art.

Yes, we create for our clients first—because at the end of the day, this is a service. But here’s the thing: They book us because of what we show.

If we show what moves us, what makes us feel something—it will resonate with them too.

The best work happens when we let go of what we think we should create… and focus on what we need to create.

Art needs room to breathe.
It needs space to evolve, to take risks, to be more than just a checklist of shots that “look good” in a portfolio.

So stop playing it safe.

Find the work that makes you pause and go, “Yeah, this is me.”

And then? Post it.

Watch who resonates with it.

You might be surprised.

Because when you show up as your real creative self, the right people start paying attention.

2. Curate With Intention, Not Fear.

Before you post this week, ask yourself:

Am I curating out of habit, or am I curating with purpose?

Are you selecting images just because they fit neatly into your existing aesthetic?
Or are you intentionally showcasing work that reflects where you want to go creatively?

Are you choosing comfort over growth?

Look at your last nine posts.

Do they tell the story of your work the way you want them to?

How you curate your grid depends on your intention.

• Do you want it to be aesthetically cohesive?
• Do you want to showcase every couple you’ve photographed?
• Do you want to evoke a specific emotion—a feeling that lingers?
• Maybe you just want to share the images that give you goosebumps—the ones that hit you in the chest.

There’s no wrong answer. But knowing why you’re posting is everything.

Are You Calling in the Right Clients?

What kind of connection are you looking for?

Are you intentionally showcasing a certain type of couple—those who fit a specific aesthetic, who dress a certain way, who align with a visual style you love?

Or…

Are you more focused on attracting couples who deeply value your artistic vision and connect with you on a human level, regardless of how they look or dress?

There’s no right or wrong answer. But being aware of the kind of client you’re calling in will shape how you present your work—and who will resonate with it.

Are your clients choosing you purely for visual reasons? Because they love your editing style, your compositions, your aesthetic?

Or are they booking you because of your storytelling? Because they see themselves in your images? Because they want more than just beautiful photos—they want to feel something?

Again—no wrong answer. But understanding the kind of client relationship you want will shape how you curate your work.

So ask yourself:

Are you curating to create a visually striking portfolio?
Or are you showcasing the energy, the emotions, the moments that make you feel something?

If not, it’s time to shift.

Stop posting just to fill a space.

Post because it matters.

3. Edit Outside Your Comfort Zone (And Share It!)

Why do you edit the way you do?

• Because it’s what you’re naturally drawn to?
• Because it’s what sells?
• Because it’s what’s trending?
• Or… is it just what feels comfortable?

Take a second. Think about it.

Are you editing to fit an expectation—or are you pushing your work to a place that actually excites you?

Try This:

• Take a recent image and edit it in a way that feels completely different from your usual approach.
• Change the tones.
• Push the contrast.
• Flip the color palette—go extreme if you have to.

Then step back and ask yourself:

• Does this version say something new?
• Does it feel more you—or less?
• What does this tell you about the way you see your work?

Then? Post it.

Even if it makes you uncomfortable.

Especially if it makes you uncomfortable.

Because growth lives in discomfort.

4. DM Someone Right Now & Start a Real Conversation.

Not to ask for their knowledge.
Not to network.
Not to get something in return.

Just to connect.

Yep. Right now.

Open Instagram, pick a photographer you admire, and send them a message.

But this time, don’t ask for tips or tricks. Instead—tell them why their work speaks to you.

• Point out a specific image that made you pause.
• Talk about a moment they captured that stuck with you.
• Share something real.

Because real conversations happen when we let go of expectations and just connect as humans.

And who knows?

You might just spark something new—for both of you.

Now go. DM them. Right now.

5. Break a Creative Rule Today.

Pick one rule in photography that you always follow—and ignore it.

• Always shoot with soft, flattering light? → Go out at noon and embrace the harsh shadows.
• Always nail the perfect skin tones? → Push the color grade into something unexpected.
• Always follow the rule of thirds? → Center-frame that shot and see how it changes the feel.

The point isn’t to be reckless—it’s to see what happens when you step outside the boundaries you’ve set for yourself.

Because sometimes, the biggest creative breakthroughs happen when you throw the "shoulds" out the window and just experiment.

Breaking the Rules Doesn’t Mean Losing Your Style.

It means expanding it. It means questioning why you do things the way you do.

Are your creative choices intentional—or just habits?

The more you push, the more you grow.

And maybe, just maybe, you’ll discover something that shifts everything.

So—what’s one creative rule you’ve always followed?

Now go break it.

6. Answer This Question (And Hit Reply to This Email!)

We all have that one idea.

The one that lingers in the back of our minds.

• The shoot concept we dream about but never execute.
• The edit style we want to try but hesitate to commit to.
• The post we draft but never publish.

Why?

Fear? Doubt? Worrying about how it’ll be received?

Fuck that.

• What’s one creative risk you’ve been too scared to take?
• And more importantly—why haven’t you taken it yet?

Sit with that question. Write it down. Say it out loud.

And then—take the first step.

Even if it’s messy.
Even if it feels uncomfortable.

Because growth lives in those uncomfortable places.

Now—hit reply and tell me.

What’s your risk?

Let’s talk about it. No pressure. Just real talk.The Bigger Picture: Let’s Build This Together.

So What Comes Next?

You’ve questioned your habits. You’ve thought about the work you want to create. You’ve felt that pull—that need to shake things up.

Now it’s time to do something about it.

If you’re done playing it safe, if you’re craving real creative growth—this is where it happens.

See. Feel. Create. Workshop

This is more than just another workshop.

This is about rediscovering your creative fire.

• Shaking off the routines that are holding you back.
• Learning to see in a new way.
• Surrounding yourself with people who get it.

March 2024 | Denmark

This immersive workshop is built for photographers who want more—more depth, more story, more connection.

Yes, we’ll dive into the technical—hands-on shooting, in-depth editing, personal feedback. But this isn’t just about gear and settings. This is about learning to see differently, feel more deeply, and create with renewed passion.

This is for you if:

✅ You’re tired of playing it safe.
✅ You’re craving a creative breakthrough.
✅ You want to push past the surface and make work that actually moves people.

This is where that happens.

You’ll work alongside like-minded creatives, break out of your comfort zone, and leave with a whole new perspective on your work.

Don’t just take pictures—create work that makes people feel something.

Are you in?

SEE. FEEL. RETREAT.

After the See. Feel. Create. workshop, Chris (Sturmsucht) and I are launching something new—something bigger.

This isn’t just another course.

This is a retreat designed for photographers who want more.

More connection. More creative fire. More than just the endless cycle of client work, deadlines, and playing it safe.

This is for the ones who crave an experience—a reset. A way to reconnect with their artistry beyond the day-to-day grind.

Three days. No distractions. Just you, your craft, and a group of like-minded creatives pushing each other to be better.

• Edit side by side—compare ideas, swap techniques, learn in real-time.
• Have real, unfiltered discussions—about creativity, marketing, the industry, all the things no one talks about openly.
• Walk, shoot, drink coffee, and remember why you fucking love this.

This is just the beginning.

If you’ve been feeling creatively drained, uninspired, or stuck in a loop of safe choices—this is where you shake that off.

Because stepping into a space like this could be the one thing that reignites everything.

The workshop will be in German. The retreat? Wide open.

Are you in?

This Isn’t Just Another Newsletter.

Right now, it’s me sending words into the void.

Words that—hopefully—inspire you. Challenge you. Push you.

But I don’t want this to just be me talking.

I want exchange.
I want conversation.
I want a safe space where we push each other forward.

Because this isn’t about passive content.

This is about building something real. A community of photographers, storytellers, and creatives who actually give a shit about what they make.

A space where we don’t just consume—we create.

But How Do We Build That?

I’m still figuring it out.

I know I don’t want another Facebook group. I want something better. A space built for real, unfiltered exchange.

A space where we can:
Talk honestly about the creative struggles no one shares.
🔥 Ask the hard questions.
🔥 Celebrate the wins that actually matter—not just the ones that look good online.
🔥 Break out of the algorithm trap and reconnect with why we create in the first place.

I have ideas. But I want to hear yours, too.

So Let’s Start Here.

Drop a comment. Reply to this.

• What’s one thing you’ve changed in your creative process lately?
• Or what’s one risk you know you should take—but haven’t yet?

Because this space? It’s not just mine.

It’s yours, too.

And I’m fucking glad you’re here.

– Björn

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