Welcome back to another episode of Oh Shoot! I’m your host, Cassidy Lynn, and this week we’re diving into something a little more fun and fresh: a spring reset for photographers. After a long, gloomy stretch of Michigan “spring,” I’ve been feeling the procrastination HARD, anyone else? So, this episode is all about getting re-motivated, refreshing our spaces, and doing a little spring cleaning… Cassidy style. Let’s jump in!
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Spring Reset for Photographers
Clean Out Your Subscriptions
So here’s the deal: my business debit card expired, and my life fell apart. Every single business subscription, from HoneyBook to QuickBooks to my Gmail got cut off because I didn’t update my card. And honestly? It was the best thing ever. It forced me to take inventory of all the random crap I was paying for. I was like, “Wait… why am I still paying for Zoom?” Bye. ManyChat? Haven’t used it in months. Loom? Don’t need it anymore. Now I only re-subscribe when I actually need something. So yeah, check your subscriptions. Clean it up. Only pay for what you actually use!
Sell (or Purge) Your Gear
People are buying new gear like crazy right now, so if you’ve got a 5-year-old camera body you’ll never use again… sell it! I’ve got a random off-brand 35mm lens I keep telling myself I’ll use “just in case.” Why? I have two upgraded 35s already. Also, go through your cables. Your cords. Your memory cards. I hoard gear like it’s gold. Every little camera bag divider, every cable that came with a charger… it’s got to go. Let’s organize our gear closet and say goodbye to the chaos.
Refresh Your Editing, Posing, and Shooting
Let’s talk shooting. If you’re not happy with how your photos look, it’s not your presets. It’s your shooting. A solid RAW image can hold its own against a bad edit. I’m telling you, how you shoot changes everything. This is your season to fine-tune. Work on your composition. Revisit your posing. Practice capturing more emotion. The stuff you shoot now? Those are the photos you’ll be using in your portfolio updates come winter.
Reset Your Workspace
I walked into my house post-road trip and saw a bright red Christmas blanket on my couch. It was giving holiday season depression. So I grabbed a neutral blanket and popped some fake tulips in a vase. Changed my life. No need to become a seasonal-decor hoarder. Just add a few small things to refresh your space. Even if it’s your couch, your desk, or your coffee shop corner, make it feel good. Print your work. Hang it up. Give your photos a place to live besides a hard drive.
Back Up Your Hard Drives (Do It Now!)
This is your PSA: if you don’t back up your hard drives now, you’re not gonna do it come June. My Sony A7R5 takes massive RAW files, 60MB each and my 2TB drive is full after just two weddings. So I’ve been backing up everything. And yeah, it’s annoying, but here’s my tip: start the backup first thing in the morning. Then go make coffee, clean your room, whatever. When you come back, it’s (hopefully) done!
Spring Reset for Photographers
Clean Your Gear (You Know You Need To)
Photographer to photographer, clean your dang gear. I use a gear cleaning kit from my Amazon storefront to clean my sensors, and I use microfiber cloths for lenses. Especially if you’re shooting slow shutter for motion, that dirt’s gonna show up clear. Canon shooters: you can usually send it in for free. Sony friends: sorry, we have to pay. Either way clean. Your. Gear.
Book Your Summer + Fall Travel (Seriously, Now)
We’re not booking flights the week before a wedding. Not this year. Flights, hotels, rental cars, book ‘em. Make a list. Write down the dates, hotel names, what you’ve booked, and what you still need to book. Last-minute travel is stressful and expensive. And you don’t even get a good seat! Don’t do that to yourself.
Streamline Your Editing Workflow
Before busy season hits, figure out what works for you. I’ve been editing one wedding by doing 100 photos a day. Bite-sized. It takes me about 15–20 minutes, and I’m not overwhelmed. That way, I still have time to clean, back up, refresh, all the things.
Purge Photography Accessories + Your Closet
Your gear closet full of random junk? Time to purge it. Filters you never use, extra flashes, tripods, dividers if it’s not serving you, get rid of it. And while you’re at it, purge your closet. I’ve got a bin in mine and every day I’m adding sweaters I didn’t wear this winter. If I didn’t touch it all season, it’s out!
Take New Headshots + Refresh Your Website
Schedule a swap with a friend. Everyone needs new headshots this time of year. Use those to update your website, post on social, and keep your presence looking fresh. Even if you’re still booking 2025 weddings, couples are still looking so make sure what they’re seeing is up to date.
Final PSA: Beware the Wide-Leg Jumpsuit
To end this spring reset for photographers on a high note please, for the love of everything, be careful wearing wide-leg jumpsuits to weddings. A girl tripped, smacked her face, and dropped her camera because her foot got caught in the pant leg. I’ve almost done it too. Just… tread carefully out there, friends!
Show Notes:
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