I Want to Enjoy Taking Photos Again
I used to take my camera everywhere with me. On trips, road trips, vacations—I would bring my camera just because I wanted to take pictures. I had my GoPro too, and I used to take that thing everywhere.
I took my camera with me to Mexico. I photographed my family, my cousin’s wedding, and one of our trips to Acapulco. I even wrote a blog about that trip. When I went to Israel in 2022, I brought both my camera and my GoPro. I took travel photos, family photos, and tried to document what I was seeing as I experienced it.
The last time I remember really taking my camera on a trip was Nashville in 2024, when I went for a photography conference.
But it’s not like I stopped traveling after that. Last year I went to Charlotte, North Carolina, for a Mary Kay Seminar. That would have been the PERFECT opportunity to bring my camera—or at least my GoPro—and I didn’t.
I also traveled for a church conference and went to the beach. That trip was a little different because I intentionally went with a different purpose. I needed that time with God and for some personal healing, so photography wasn’t really on my mind. I did take videos on my phone, and I actually have a video vlog from that trip, so those memories are still documented. But again, no camera. No GoPro.
And somewhere along the way, I just stopped.
I wish I could tell you exactly why. Maybe I got busy. Maybe once photography became my business, I started thinking differently about taking pictures. There was always a purpose behind picking up my camera—a client, a session, content for my business, something I needed to photograph. Maybe I started thinking about whether taking pictures was going to benefit me financially instead of simply taking them because I wanted to.
Honestly, I think I was just going through a season. Maybe one day I’ll understand exactly why I stopped. Maybe I got too busy, maybe photography became too connected to work, maybe I was discouraged, or maybe it was a combination of a lot of things. I don’t really know yet.
Somewhere Along the Way, I Stopped Taking Pictures for Me
Recently, as I’ve started blogging again and adding more personal stories to my website, I realized just how much that has changed.
I was looking for photographs of myself and my life to use in these posts, and I realized…I don’t really take photos anymore.
Videos? Oh, I have videos. 😂 Just visit my social media platforms. I have plenty of those. But actual photographs of my everyday life, my trips, the people I love and the things I want to remember? Not nearly as many as I used to have.
And that’s pretty funny coming from someone who is constantly telling families how important photographs are.
I think somewhere along the way, I stopped following my own advice.
There were also times when I’d pull out my camera around family and hear, “¿Otra vez?” There you go again. More pictures? After hearing it enough times, it became discouraging. Eventually, I think part of me just said, Never mind. So I stopped bringing the camera out as much.
Photography Was Part of Me Before It Was My Business
This is the part that got me emotional while I was talking through this blog because photography was fun for me before Janet Garcia Photography existed.
I remember being in college and going to Universal Studios with my friends. I took pictures. I took selfies. I wasn’t embarrassed about pulling out a camera. I wasn’t thinking about whether I could post something for my business, whether people would like it, or whether I could make money from it.
I just liked taking pictures.
It was part of who I was.
Somewhere between turning photography into a business, working, getting busy with life, going through my own seasons, and worrying about what other people thought, I think I lost a little bit of that.
And now that I’m getting back into blogging and sharing more of my own story, I’m realizing that I want that part of myself back.
So Here’s a Little Promise to Myself
I want to start taking my camera with me again.
If I go on a road trip, I’m bringing it.
If I’m traveling, I’m bringing it.
If I’m out with my boyfriend, my family or my friends and I want to photograph something, I’m going to take the picture.
Maybe some of those photographs will end up here on my blog. Maybe I’ll share them on Facebook. And sure, maybe occasionally they’ll help my business because people will get to see a little more of my real life.
But I don’t want that to be the reason I take them.
I want to take pictures because I like taking pictures.
I’m still figuring out the deeper reason why photography means so much to me. I can give you the business answer. I can tell you about preserving memories, creating portraits for families and giving people photographs they can look back on—and I believe all of those things.
But I think there’s something deeper underneath all of that that I’m still figuring out.
Maybe taking pictures for myself again will help me find it.
And if you have a hobby that you loved so much that you eventually turned it into a business, maybe this is a reminder for you too: don’t forget to do it just because you love it. ❤️
And with that…I think it’s time for me to go find my GoPro charger, dust that poor thing off, and see if it still works. 😂
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