I’ve spent more than ten years working as a professional event photographer, covering everything from crowded weddings to multi-day festivals, and my relationship with a THC vape pen grew out of long days on my feet and short windows to actually decompress. I don’t approach vape pens casually or experimentally—I approach them the same way I approach my gear: does it behave the same way every time when conditions aren’t ideal?
My first experience years ago was a miss. After wrapping a twelve-hour wedding shoot, I took several fast pulls, thinking it would help me switch off. Instead, I rushed it, felt uncomfortable, and slept poorly. That was on me, not the device. A few weeks later, after a back-to-back weekend of corporate events, I tried again with a single slow inhale and waited. The difference was immediate. The effect was controlled, and I didn’t feel like I’d overshot what I needed after a mentally draining day.
What really sold me on vape pens was consistency during travel. Last season, I was bouncing between venues and hotel rooms for a run of conferences. I kept a disposable pen in my camera bag and sometimes didn’t touch it for days. Each time I picked it up, the draw felt the same and the experience didn’t surprise me. After days spent managing variables like lighting changes and tight timelines, that predictability mattered more than potency numbers.
I’ve also seen common mistakes play out with other creatives. A fellow photographer last spring complained that vape pens felt harsh and unpredictable. Watching them use it, they were taking long, aggressive pulls while still wired from work. I’d made that same mistake years earlier after a late-night edit session. Once they switched to shorter inhales with pauses in between, their experience smoothed out. Nothing else changed.
Storage turned out to be another lesson learned the hard way. I once left a pen rolling around in a hot gear bag during an outdoor shoot. The oil shifted, airflow felt off, and it never quite recovered. Since then, I keep pens upright and out of heat, the same way I treat batteries and lenses. Those small habits make a noticeable difference in how long a pen stays usable.
I’m clear about boundaries. Vape pens aren’t something I’d recommend for constant, heavy use. I’ve seen friends try to force them into that role and get frustrated by cost and repetition. But for occasional use after demanding days, especially when time and energy are limited, they make sense. I’ve talked with videographers, editors, and production managers who appreciate the same things I do: simplicity, discretion, and control.
After a decade in a job where missed details matter, that’s how I evaluate tools. A good THC vape pen doesn’t demand attention or experimentation. It works the same way each time, stays out of the way, and lets you focus on recovering for the next day. For me, that reliability is what makes it worth keeping around.