Photographing Love during my greatest Heartbreak | Mental Health for Creatives

Celene - SHOTS BY LC
Jan 10
4 min read

People often think photographers just show up, take pictures, and go home untouched by what we capture.

But photography is not distant work.

It is emotional work.

It is relational work.

It is heart work.

Every time

I photograph love, I am standing inside someone else’s story while still carrying my own.

And sometimes, those stories collide. Mental Health for Creatives is an important key factor in our work.

Photographer capturing an engagement session with a couple in a vintage convertible, showcasing romantic couples photography, storytelling photography, and mental health for creatives behind the scenes.

Shooting Love in the Middle of Heartbreak

There was a season when I was photographing engagements, couples, weddings, and joyful milestones… while my own relationship had just ended after eight years.

One day, I showed up to a session only 24 hours after walking away from a relationship that had shaped most of my adult life.

My heart was raw.

My emotions were loud.

My world felt unsteady.

And yet, there I was, holding a camera, watching two people fall into each other with laughter and tenderness.

I remember thinking, “How am I supposed to photograph love when I just lost mine?”

But something unexpected happened.

Their love did not hurt me.

It reminded me.

It softened me.

It gave me permission to still believe.

What That Taught Me About Photography

Photography is not about pretending you feel nothing. It is about bringing your humanity into the work.

When you have known heartbreak, you recognize real love faster.

When you have lost something, you value it more deeply.

When you have been broken, you handle people more gently.

My heartbreak did not make me worse at my job.

It made me more careful with people’s stories.

More aware of how sacred moments really are.

More grateful when I witness love that is healthy, growing, and safe.

Why Mental Health Matters in Creative Work

Being a photographer means carrying other people’s emotions.

Nerves.

Joy.

Fear.

Excitement.

Tears.

Hope.

You cannot hold all of that well if you never care for your own heart.

After heartbreak, I realized something important.

I could not heal by pretending I was fine.I could not create well while ignoring what was hurting.I could not keep pouring out without being poured into.

Mental health is not separate from creativity. It directly affects how present we are, how patient we are, and how safe people feel around us.

Being Self Employed and asking for Help

Here is another honest part.

When you are self employed, you often do not have health insurance.

You do not have built in benefits.

You do not have easy access to care.

For a long time, that made me feel stuck. Like healing was something for people with better resources. Like support was a luxury I had not earned yet.

But pain does not wait for perfect timing. And healing should not either.

That is when I found online therapy options that work with or without insurance. Something flexible. Something real life friendly. Something that did not require me to stop being a business owner to be a human.

That is how I found Talkspace.

Being an entrepreneur is a blessing. I get to build something with my hands and my heart. I get to create, to dream, to serve, to tell stories, and to walk alongside people in their most meaningful moments. That is a gift I do not take lightly. But blessings still come with weight. Responsibility still gets heavy. Calling still requires care.

I realized that honoring my calling also meant honoring myself. If God trusted me with people’s stories, I needed to trust Him with mine. That meant letting someone help me carry what was too heavy to hold alone. Therapy was not me giving up. It was me choosing stewardship over my mind, my heart, and my future.

That is why I share Talkspace again here. Not because I am “fixed,” but because I am faithful to the process. I am still healing. Still learning. Still growing. And having support makes that possible.

If you are self employed, creative, overwhelmed, heartbroken, anxious, tired, or just quietly struggling, you are not weak for needing help. You are wise for wanting healing.

You can explore here: TALKSPACE

Your dreams matter.Your work matters.But your mind matters too.