Tired Too
I'm tired. And for once, I'm not going to pretend otherwise.
We hosted our monthly Focus on Women call this week. Just a check-in. How are you, what’s working, what isn’t.
It wrecked me a little, if I’m being honest.
I’m watching photographers,stylists, producers who have spent 15, 20 years building something real now quietly searching for supplemental income. Or walking away entirely. I’m watching agents lose their rosters because when things slow down, we become the convenient explanation. The liability. Never mind that we’re the ones still in the room, still making calls, still believing in artists when the market makes that belief feel absurd.
And here’s what I want to say to every creative right now: this is the moment to dig in. Research where the industry is heading. Strengthen your portfolio. Stay in motion. Learn more about AI - seriously!
And also, in the same breath: it is completely okay to decide you’re done. If you’ve spent two decades trying to convince brands that a skilled photographer, a trained stylist, and a real crew actually produce better work than a phone and an intern, and you are exhausted from that fight? Leaving isn’t failure. Sometimes it’s just wisdom about what you’re willing to carry.
I spend a lot of my days checking in on producers, agents, photographers, stylists, just asking what's working, what isn't, how they're holding up. We all know the beginning of the year is slow. That's not new. But this year feels different. The world is on fire. People are marching. Parents are scared. Nobody wants to think about a campaign deadline when they're worried about their kids, their neighbors, their community. Who wants to post on their instagram and then get stuck in the doom scroll and start to have a panic attack.
I’m usually the one with something useful to say. The steady voice. The person who reminds you to keep your rhythm, keep your head down, keep going.
But I want to tell you the truth: I’m tired too. I’m scared too. Some days I’m just as lost as anyone else in this industry.
I’m not saying that to be dramatic. I’m saying it because I think we need to stop performing resilience for each other and just be in this thing honestly, together.
That’s where I’m at. Where are you?
I read your piece and can relate all too well. For nearly 30 years, I had a thriving freelance career, and had the luxury of longtime clients and word-of-mouth referrals. This past year my bread-and-butter client of more than 25 years stealthily replaced our creative team with AI—without warning, explanation, or even a “thank you” or “goodbye”. Fellow writers are clamoring over jobs that are barely above minimum wage, and many of them are ghost listings. The devaluation of creative contributors, of human connection, of collaborative teamwork is a massive loss on so many levels.
I was unable to make the call but it’s interesting to hear so many creatives are questioning their direction. After 25 years of building a career, clients and work seems to be disappearing at a record pace. This is the slowest year in my whole career, smaller clients test out their skills with AI and larger clients are trying to save money are slowing down on their marketing and photography spending. I am trying to embrace this slow season, knowing that all things eventually change and hoping that the pendulum will swing back in favor of the creatives. Some days it’s harder to have faith that this career will sustain me another 10 years and the quest of pivoting seems overwhelming.