The digital age has its own breed of snake oil. They no longer sell tonic from a wagon. Now they sell “financial freedom” from a phone. It’s been a troubling trend seeing more and more posts and videos claiming financial freedom. I couldn’t wait any longer on writing this.

Let’s start with what truly sets SmugMug apart: their customer service is phenomenal. In an era where chatbots and outsourced scripts have replaced real connection, SmugMug still believes in people helping people. Every time I’ve reached out, I’ve talked to an actual human who genuinely cares, and that’s not marketing fluff. It is a lost art, and it’s one of the biggest reasons I’ll always be loyal to them.

I’ve been an assistant to some of the most talented people, working on cool projects and helping at awesome workshops. I feel absolutely blessed. The key theme I heard from many that I was helping was that it was so hard to find a great assistant. And once they find a great assistant they hold on and create a stronger team and better pictures.

Our maiden voyage confirmed it. This app is worth every penny. When we plan a trip, we rarely drive more than three hours or 300 miles in a day. That sweet spot keeps travel enjoyable and not exhausting. Harvest Hosts makes it easy to find safe, scenic overnight stays that do not break the budget.

What kind of story are you telling as a photographer? Please watch the above video and share your thoughts below in the comments.

This experiment was recently posted and I wanted to create some dialogue and discuss how we can grow and learn. The pictures we create have the opportunity to share with the world amazing stories.

When we started preparing to move into our RV, I went into full research mode. I watched countless YouTube videos, dove into Reddit threads, and joined several Facebook groups filled with people already living the RV life. Honestly, I had been following some of those groups for years before we ever made the leap.

This summer, we traded square footage for freedom. We downsized our lives and moved into a 35-foot travel trailer with two dogs, two cats, and a growing sense of adventure. Don’t worry, you’ll meet the whole crew soon enough.

We’re easing into full-time RV living ahead of schedule. Once Pamela wraps up her term on the city council in December, the open road officially becomes home. For now, we’re getting used to life in a smaller space, testing what we truly need and what we definitely don’t. A few trial trips have already taught us plenty about living, packing, and keeping the coffee maker level.