A solid black square with no visible elements or patterns, akin to the deep, enveloping shadows found in woodland photography.

Free template

A few quiet questions before the shoot, and a few after.

Three overlapping pages of a photography self-assessment guide; the cover has a large green tree, title, tan box, and forest image.

A free template, Mindful Photography Prompts for Planning and Reflection, for photographers who want their time in the woods to count for more than the pictures.

Most of us head out in a hurry and come home the same way. The walk happens, the photographs happen, and somewhere in between the noticing gets skipped.

This template is two pages of prompts: one to fill in before you go, one to sit with when you get back. A few minutes at either end of a shoot, and the outing becomes something you did on purpose.

It is not a course and it does not take long. Print it, keep it in the camera bag, and let the questions do their work.

Get the free template

What this template is

A planning page, a reflection page, and a habit.

The planning side asks where you are going, what you hope from the visit and what actually needs to be in the bag. The reflection side asks what you noticed, what shifted, and what carries into the next outing.

There is also a short page on using it well, because the value is not in filling it in once. It is in the returning.

Before

Planning the shoot.

Prompts that settle your intention before you leave the house: the place, the hope for the visit, and what to carry so the bag stays light.

After

Sitting with what happened.

Reflection prompts for when you are back: what caught your attention, how the place changed for you, and what follows you home.

The habit

Making it a ritual.

Short guidance on using the template so it becomes a practice rather than paperwork, one visit at a time.

What gentle focus will guide my photography today?

A close-up of vibrant green fern fronds lit by sunlight, casting intricate shadows. The background showcases blurred, darker ferns, creating a contrast. The detailed texture of the leaves is highlighted, displaying natural patterns and a lush, verdant setting.

Who is it for

Anyone who walks faster than they look.

If your visits to the woods blur together, or you come home with photographs and no memory of being there, this was made for you. The same goes if photography has started to feel like another item on the list rather than the quiet part of the week.

You do not need to be experienced and you do not need much time. The prompts meet you wherever you are.

What it is not

Not a technique guide. Not homework.

There are no camera settings in here and nothing to master. The template does not teach you how to photograph; it makes room for the part of photography that tends to get squeezed out, which is paying attention.

Nobody marks it and nobody sees it but you.

There are no right or wrong answers.

Animal tracks in the snow, featuring small, closely spaced paw prints with four distinct toes, likely made by a rodent or small mammal, criss-crossing and leading through the snowy woodlands. The bright white snow creates a stark contrast with shadows within each print.
Animal tracks in the snow, featuring small, closely spaced paw prints with four distinct toes, likely made by a rodent or small mammal, criss-crossing and leading through the snowy woodlands. The bright white snow creates a stark contrast with shadows within each print.

What it is not

Not a technique guide. Not homework.

There are no camera settings in here and nothing to master. The template does not teach you how to photograph; it makes room for the part of photography that tends to get squeezed out, which is paying attention.

Nobody marks it and nobody sees it but you.

There are no right or wrong answers.

Get the template

Mindful Photography Prompts.

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    All content and images © Tim Smalley Photography, 2026.

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