I don't think many small business owners would ever describe their lives as stress free, or simple. The process of growing, running and maintaining a business is a difficult and time consuming endeavor to say the least. Does that mean that we as creative entrepreneurs are doomed to have endlessly complicated lives? Not in the least. Yes, working hard comes with the territory but, having happier, simpler lives is as easy as changing a few habits.

Every photographer has likely struggled with the implications of using social media. If you've ever felt lost, sad, or insecure because of social you are not alone and I hope this article might help find balance in your journey as a photographer.

It's 2018 and I have no idea where I'm supposed to share photos anymore. There was a time though, when Google+ and its booming photography community was the clear answer.

Each week, we ask our writers a question submitted by the public in a segment we call Fstoppers Answers. Last week, we asked "What is Your Cancellation Policy?" and people showed some interest in the marketing side of things. So keeping with that in mind, this week we ask "If you could give ONE piece of advice on how to market yourself, what would it be?"

How much gear is too much? And is there such a thing as having too little gear on hand?

Knowing what gear you need versus what gear you want can both save your money and save your sanity. Knowing why you want it can help you to maximize your investment.

"What if he falls?" That was the central question faced by filmmakers Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin when deciding whether to document Alex Honnold's historic climb of Yosemite National Park's iconic El Capitan. The duo examines their own decision-making process in this recent op-ed published in The New York Times.

It’s time to answer the often-asked question I hear from many wedding photographers. Is it worth the money to advertise with online marketplaces for professional wedding vendors? I track everything in my wedding business. If you can record it, track it, analyze it, and summarize it, I’m aware of it. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as opening up a spreadsheet of raw, unrefined data and pulling out the hidden truths that lie dormant in the numbers.

It is a strange claim to make, but is it right? Is doing a degree in photography worthwhile, or are you better off getting into the industry instead?

When it comes to landscape photography, few other genres offer both the rewards and disappointments it can bring. However, we should avoid the easy route of annoyance and instead get excited about our landscape photography, and here's why! I understand the struggle – the elusive perfect composition, the uncooperative weather. It's easy to become frustrated, annoyed, and perhaps even consider giving up. But before you dismiss the excitement, I have something to share that might just change your perspective!

As an architectural photographer, the main types of lenses I use are tilt-shift lenses. These prime lenses are unique in how they operate because they allow you to move the internal elements parallel to the sensor. This can be extremely useful for perspective control and ideal for shooting architecture. The question is, are they vital or just overpriced?

There are many things that can make or break your photography. But if you can identify the difference between these two things, and use them both to your advantage, then all facets of your photography will continue to develop exponentially.

Last week, we addressed the concept of mastery in photography. Now that we've touched on the basics of photography history and education, let's dive deeper into more tangible elements of this subject.

Almost all photographers nowadays are familiar with modern equipment and use it to create, show, and improve their work. Some is necessary like new cameras, lenses, computers, and some is complementary. It all depends on your work style and the photos you want to create. But let's ask a question here. How much of this technology and knowledge do you need for being a better photographer in your genre?

Does photography have the power to radically change and improve lives? Brooke Shaden, one of the most successful contemporary fine art photographers around today thinks so. Brooke has a single-minded goal to help others through photography - and she’s only got 23 days left to do make her plan a reality.

You might have heard 85mm labeled as a “portrait lens” and dismissed it as too specialized or difficult to use. But if you’re willing to invest some time in it, the 85mm lens offers more versatility than it gets credit for. It’s not as flexible as wider lenses, but the results it delivers, especially with portraits, are distinctive.

Jane Ridely of the New York Post revealed a compelling story of New Yorker Mark Reay, who for years has worked as a High-Fashion Model while living homeless. The rooftop dweller breaks the stereotype of the dirty, lazy, drunk that we tag along side our homeless community. Reay's roles and his look as that of the sophisticated and affluent. On set and walking through the streets of New York, you wouldn't guess that the well-dressed and well-groomed model may just be headed to sneak off to his rooftop sleeping quarters.

Take 10 minutes out of your time today and watch this speech given by fashion model Geena Rocero on TED. Back in the Philippines, when Rocero first saw the first photo of herself shot in a bikini, she felt she couldn't be more proud. This may just sound like a typical experience for a lot of women in the modeling industry, but to Rocero, it was not, and that's because she was born with the gender assignment "boy."

The past couple of weeks I have challenged myself to keep up with my own personal blog on my website. I felt like this would be a good way to document my life and stories about photography so I decided to give it a go. Last year I wasn’t to fond of this whole idea but looking back, I feel like I was just being a bit lazy and making an excuse not to have one or keep up with one. Now however, that has changed and I encourage people to go out there and start their own blogs, or pick up on one they have already started.

What makes a photograph or movie memorable? With cinema as widespread as it is, a film needs to stand out in a big way, not only to succeed at the box office, but to be remembered in any capacity. As for photographs, it's the same challenge. We remember the Tiananmen Square protest photo because it captured the issues sweeping the globe in a single frame. Films like "The Shining" and "There Will Be Blood" are relatively simple in terms of visuals, but have stories that will forever make them classics. And that's exactly what makes a film or a photograph great: story.

The Syrp Genie is a great, though imperfect, timelapse machine that has recently added another trick to its arsenal: repeatable motion. Originally, the first couple bits of firmware to the Syrp weren't perfect at the repeatable motion tasks, but the most recent update has fixed all the issues, giving us the ability to fine-tune motions and get them time and again, exactly as they were the first time. With the addition of the new Magic Carpet, there is a lot we can now do with the Syrp.

Forgive me for the non-linear article to follow, but this is my first evaluation of the transitive properties of the figurative "E" and it's marginal utility in the life of the Nikon D800. Whereas others may tell you which camera can photograph grass or your pet Weimaraner, I would like to talk about the real life application the D800 has to those of us that call this hobby a job.

Are photographers artists? This question causes endless debate and, up until now, my answer has always been yes. I've begun re-thinking that answer though, and now my answer is a bit different and, unfortunately, more vague, but I think it may be closer to the truth than my self-aggrandizing, knee-jerk reaction. Now, I believe that photographers are craftsman and, sometimes, artists.

It’s that time of year again. A time to look back as we start to look forward.

During an initial meeting with local publication NFocus Magazine, the Editor-In-Chief asked for a unique aesthetic on Louisville's theater and arts community and wanted a massive group shot, but not your traditional group shot. I threw out the idea to shoot actors and their "characters" from directly overhead on a theater floor, as if they were action figures laid out and organized. Two seconds after I uttered the idea, I realized I had no clue how I would pull it all off.

WPPI is less than 4 weeks away! The largest annual industry event for photographers and filmmakers that draws in over 13,000+ people to learn new techniques, build relationships, experience new products and find solutions for their business. This will be my 6th year attending WPPI and so I wanted to use my experience to share some valuable tips I have learned throughout the years.

Over the years, many companies, from Lytro to Light, have tried to come up with small, funky cameras that use technology to pack DSLR punch into a small package. Invariably, all of these have more or less failed, but there’s one company that’s just sitting on a sleeping giant in this market: Apple.

One of the first things budding photographers learn is how to read a histogram. And after mastering this knowledge, it feels pretty good to feel more in control of your images. So then what are waveforms and how could they be any better than using histograms?

Movies exist to tell stories. Through writing, performance, sound, and photography, they share with us worlds and visions that help us interpret the real world outside of the theatre doors. So what are the best films made about our lives as photographers?