Beating burnout: photographers on maintaining mental wellbeing
Two professional photographers reveal their experiences of stress and burnout from the industry and offer their tips for staying balanced. Take n on a Canon EOS-1D X (now succeeded by the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III) with a Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM lens (now succeeded by the Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM) at 1/320 sec, f/5 and ISO800. © Anastasia Taylor-Lind Photography can be stressful and even anxiety-inducing. Whether you're shooting photojournalism or advertising, weddings or sports, you're under pressure to deliver standout images on deadline. Long days or months spent travelling, often alone, perhaps covering harrowing stories, can be draining. Add to this the financially precarious nature of freelance work – something many felt acutely in the wake of Covid 19 – and it's clear why many freelance photographers burn out. "If I don't take care of my mental health, I can't do my job effectively," says Anastasia Taylor-Lind, a London-based photojourna...