# Sturmsucht's Blog & Community
> A blog & community for wedding photographers who break the mold. For alternative perspectives, encouragement and support of individuality and diversity.
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).
## Pages
### About Sturmgilde
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/about/
Last updated: 2026-01-27T06:36:53.000Z
## Stop consuming. Start creating. Leave mainstream.
*Sturmgilde* (Storm Guild) is a community of artists founded by Chris, a wedding photographer, who was unsatisfied with the direction in which his industry was heading. He wanted to do things differently. We encourage and support each other to embrace our individuality and diversity. Although the term has become as overused as 'storyteller', 'mindset coach' or '6-figure promise', we are all about authenticity. We are also committed to making the world a better place through our work. But what exactly does that mean?
## Our values
#### Authenticity
Authenticity is about being real - both to customers and to ourselves. It's about running our business in such a way that it is 100% in line with our values and we don't feel like we have to bend ourselves in order to be seen or belong. And it's about being honest in front of our customers and communicating openly with them. What they see is what they get - in the best possible way. Let's focus on what brings us and our customers real joy and reflects our values. Let's be real.
#### Customer first
Even though we all claim to put our customers first, the question is: do we act like it? Putting customers first means really listening to their needs rather than just working to sell the most expensive upgrade. Only when we act authentically and with genuine empathy can we create a memorable experience that is 100% customised to our customer and not just focused on the next sale.
#### Open, respectful & honest
We maintain an open, respectful and honest tone in the community. No question is too simple, no request too unimportant. We show consideration for each other and don't show off to others because of our status/followers/booked weddings. We have no room for big egos and elbow mentality and this is also enforced in the community. Our Code of Conduct:
****Open Communication**: Promoting open and honest communication and respect for the boundaries and privacy of others.
****No elbows, no egos**: This is not a place for your ego. We are here to support each other. If you think you are the one and only and need to tell everyone about it, this community is not for you.
****Inclusivity**: Promote a welcoming environment for all users, regardless of their background, identity or preferences.
****No harassment**: No form of harassment, intimidation or bullying will be tolerated.
****No hateful speech**: Language or images that promote hatred, discrimination or violence based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age or other characteristics are not permitted.
****No spamming**: Spamming or flooding of posts, comments or direct messages will not be tolerated.
#### Sharing & thriving
In the Storm Guild, it is important to us that we all learn from each other - no matter how experienced we are. We communicate and discuss as equals and support each other in sharing our knowledge and experience with all members. Even beyond wedding photography.
#### A ❤️ for introverts and people above 40
As an introvert in my 40s, I know how different our social preferences, weaknesses and strengths are from extroverts. How often have I heard marketing tips at workshops or conferences (especially in relation to social media) that don't work at all for us introverts? This community is therefore especially dedicated to those who approach things differently. The quiet ones and the unconventional ones. People who are observers, listeners and empathetic calming influences. And like to swim against the tide and away from the crowd.
#### ****Reclaim social media. Free & open, encrypted & private**
In the Storm Guild, we take a different approach to the rest of our bubble in many respects. This is also the case with social media and the digital tools we use. We help those who are tired and discouraged by Instagram, Facebook and the like to find joy in sharing their own content again. How do we do that? With the open, free and decentralised networks of the Fediverse and open source tools that give you back control over your data and your followers. Come with us to social media as we learned to love it in the early days: chronological, free of advertising, recommendations and trackers, without algorithms and the massive monetisation of us users, our connections and our preferences. Not a techie? Don't worry, we'll help you get started.
#### North-bound
It wouldn't be a real Sturmsucht community if the north, with its epic landscapes and harsh weather, was missing. That's why you won't find any high society styled shoots in Mallorca or fashionable storytelling workshops in Tuscany. Instead, you'll find windy coasts, misty forests and landscapes characterised by rain. And real people with the northern lights on. Let's hunker down in a mountain hut to co-work, chase the storm on the coast with our camera and celebrate couples who subdue the fog and rain.
## What to expect
Our community for photographers and artists is organised via chat on [Matrix](https://element.io/communities?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) for daily gossip, exchange, referrals (commission-free) and help. Twice a month there is a video call in which we talk about current topics, questions and challenges. We also plan to see each other offline, e.g. at the usual industry conferences, annual meetings, workshops, retreats, [workations](https://blog.sturmsucht.de/autumn-workation-escaping-into-swedish-woods/) on the coast or in the mountains and forests. But above all, you can expect a community that is keen to break new ground. Community participants always have preferential rights to tickets for all events organised by Sturmsucht and the community.
## Sign up for Sturmsucht's newsletter or join us and become a Storm Guild member
[Sign up now](#/portal/signup)
### Imprint
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/imprint/
Last updated: 2025-11-26T05:36:15.000Z
Sturmsucht | Chris Zielecki
c/o COCENTER
Koppoldstr. 1
86551 Aichach
Germany
hej@sturmsucht.de
+49.15678.585800
Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer gemäß §27 a Umsatzsteuergesetz: DE316574769
### Member Infos & Organisation
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/member-infos-organisation/
Last updated: 2025-07-09T09:50:33.000Z
_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Tours & Workshops
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/tours-workshops/
Last updated: 2026-06-06T13:33:11.000Z
Hej!
## Posts
### A foggy morning in the countryside
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/a-foggy-morning-in-the-countryside/
Last updated: 2026-04-22T03:09:41.000Z
#/share
Early mornings have a quiet attraction for me. The world still lies in peaceful slumber, untouched by the rush of daily life. Nature is barely awake, stretching gently beneath a soft, silver veil of dew and mist. Humanity remains nestled in its feathers, unaware of the quiet magic unfolding outside. At this hour, the world belongs to me - a private realm where time slows and the soul finds space to breathe. There are no distractions, no pressing duties, no burdens, and certainly no noise - just the hush of dawn and the possiblities of a day not yet spent.
The day is mine.
A couple of days ago, one of these mornings revealed itself as something I highly enjoy. A thick layer of fog lay heavy over the valley, blanketing the fields in a dreamlike haze. The trees emerged like silent statues from the mist, with blurred shapes like from a past time. It was the kind of morning that feels enchanted, almost witchy in its atmosphere. Unable to resist, I grabbed my camera and went out with my girlfriend. Together, we wandered through the fog-draped countryside, ready to capture images that seemed to belong more to a fairy tale than reality. She moved through the mist like a figure from another world - graceful, enigmatic, and beautifully framed by the soft, diffused light. A glimpse into a hidden dimension just right at the tree line.
### My first FOSDEM
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/my-first-fosdem/
Last updated: 2026-03-19T10:50:54.000Z
I haven't been to many IT conferences over the last 10-15 years, as I switched my IT job for self-employment as a photographer. But being active in the [Fediverse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fediverse?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) and becoming more digitally independent again over the last 2-3 years has brought back some old interests. I actively follow the development of the Fediverse and am a big fan of the fundamental change it brings to the social web. It made me realise: there are still good people out there who want to change the world for the better. And [FOSDEM](https://fosdem.org/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) is a conference that brings a lot of those people together.
## [What is FOSDEM?](#what-is-fosdem)
[FOSDEM](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/FOSDEM?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) stands for *Free and Open Source Software Developers' European Meeting* and is a conference and meetup of thousands of open source developers from around the world. Here you will find those who build the backbone of basically everything you use in your daily life: your car, your coffee machine, every single app you use and your smartphone itself. The world depends on free and open software and the majority of people building it do this in their free time and without being paid. They do this because they generally believe in core principles of freedom, transparency, collaboration, and social good. They do this because of their philosophical commitment to democratising technology and ensuring software serves the public interest rather than proprietary control. And those principles apply to the Fediverse with its open protocol as well - as a social web for the people, not for corporates.
In 2025 I followed FOSDEM from my laptop, watched the talks, read the reports from my Fedi friends - and had a lot of FOMO. The happier I was when [Elena](https://elena.social/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) asked me to join her with my camera for this year's edition.
Houses at Brussels' old market square
## The Conference
In his [opening talk](https://fosdem.org/2026/schedule/event/SFKNTZ-welcome%5Fto%5Ffosdem%5F2026/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) Richard pointed out why I was here: digital independence.
Independence from companies that harvest every click, every move I make online. Companies that know every message I send to every friend I have. Intimate, private conversations about mental health, about physical health, about 3am thoughts, about deepest fears and sexual adventures. Companies that know exactly where I am at any given time and know where I'm likely to go next from the sheer amount of movement data they have collected from my phone or watch. Companies that form profiles with all the knowledge they have gathered from me and sell them to anyone willing to pay for them.
Digital independence also from fascist-turned global tech players who try to undermine our democracy with the backing of their government. [The suspension of all accounts belonging to the Chief and other high prosecutors of the International Criminal Court in The Hague](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive%5FOrder%5F14203?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) on US platforms should be a hard wake-up call for us all. Personal email accounts, credit cards, weather and map apps - all of these are gone because someone spoke up against injustice that was not in favour of the US. And all of this possible because of a hard dependency on closed source technology that wasn't theirs.
Open source is what protects our personal independence and the independence of our democracy from the whim of mega corps and the blackmail of democracy-hostile nations through technological dependence.
So, FOSDEM set a tone and it was in one word: overwhelming. Thousands of people running around from talk A in building C to talk B in building H, a schedule that is impossible to align with human time (thank God there are video recordings of every talk) especially when trying to grab something to eat from the food trucks with their long queues. I read the FOSDEM survival guides beforehand, but it still caught me off guard. I guess attending every marked talk, even in the same room, doesn't work without preparation. Fresh air was soon gone, my headache played techno music in my veins. I was wasted by the end of day one.
Hey there! It's me!
But what an experience it was.
Because of the people I met.
## The People
I decided to join mainly the [social web room](https://fosdem.org/2026/schedule/track/social-web/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de), the room where it was all about the Fediverse and federated networks. There they were, all the people I know from the new social web; from talks, podcasts and blogs. And they were sharing their passion, projects and beliefs in a better web without surveillance, constant ads and addictive algorithms.
Evan and Jaz in a discussion between talks
After writing for several months I finally met [Elena](https://elena.social/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) in person. That alone was a wonderful joy as I really admire her level of activism, her clear thinking and all she does to spread the word and help people self-host their services.
Elena and I (shot taken by a random FOSDEM attendee. Also Elana has the best shirts)
I met [Christine](https://mastodon.social/@cwebber@social.coop?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) and [Evan](https://mastodon.social/@evan@cosocial.ca?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de), who work on the source of all this, the protocol, and listened to Jessica's and Christine's talk: [How to level up the fediverse](https://fosdem.org/2026/schedule/event/HVJRNV-how%5Fto%5Flevel%5Fup%5Fthe%5Ffediverse/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
Evan organising the social web room (left image), Jessica and Christine (left to right on the right image) during their talk
I met [Matthias](https://mastodon.social/@pfefferle?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) who's plugin brings every Wordpress site willing into the Fediverse - a possible [43% of the global internet](https://wordpress.com/blog/2025/04/17/wordpress-market-share/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de): [Democratise the Fediverse](https://fosdem.org/2026/schedule/event/XFTETA-federated-wordpress/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
Matthias, the developer of the Fediverse Plugin for Wordpress
[Hannah](https://mastodon.social/@haubles@hachyderm.io?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) and [Andy](https://mastodon.social/@andypiper@macaw.social?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) from [Mastodon](https://joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) were there to present a new way to distribute their new users to a much broader network of instances, working towards a truly distributed net for the major platform in the Fediverse: [Tending the Herd: Community at Mastodon](https://fosdem.org/2026/schedule/event/HJYRFF-tending-the-herd/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
Hannah (right) and Andy (left) from Mastodon's Communication Team
And [Ben](https://mastodon.social/@benpate?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de), who hold an [inspiring closing keynote](https://fosdem.org/2026/schedule/event/CP7KWX-emissary-and-the-fediverse/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) and brings end-to-end encrypted messages to the Fediverse together with the folks from [Bonfire](https://bonfirenetworks.org/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de). Finally!
Ben giving his closing keynote on Emissary & E2EE in the Fediverse
Since the social web room only took place at day one, the second day had thankfully a much slower pace and I visited a bunch of talks in the decentralised communication room where [Matrix held their State of the Union](https://fosdem.org/2026/schedule/event/URX89L-matrix-state-of-the-union/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) this year.
[Amandine](https://mastodon.social/@Amandine@mastodon.matrix.org?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) from Matrix presenting Matrix's the state of the union
But one of the highlights for me was also something that brings me back to the beginning of the conference: a political discussion.
In [Jordan](https://mastodon.social/@jmaris@eupolicy.social?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)'s panel with [Alexandra](https://mastodon.social/@alexandrageese@bonn.social?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) from the EU Parliament, political and media scientist [Sandra](https://mastodon.social/@samvie@chaos.social?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) from [offene-netzwerke.eu](https://offene-netzwerke.eu/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) and [Felix](https://mastodon.social/@mellifluousbox?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de), executive director of [Mastodon](https://joinmastodon.org/de?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de), the group discussed the Fediverse's place within the EU's Digital Services Act with an interesting inside about the dynamics of journalists and politicians and why a lot of both groups are still on Twitter's fascist successor X:
[FOSDEM 2026 - The Fediverse and the EU’s Digital Services Act: solving the challenges of modern social media?fosdem-2026](https://fosdem.org/2026/schedule/event/W8RCMT-the%5Ffediverse%5Fand%5Fthe%5Feus%5Fdigital%5Fservices%5Fact%5Fsolving%5Fthe%5Fchallenges%5Fof%5Fmodern%5F/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
## Recap
Of course there were a lot more great people I've talked and listened to. I had wonderful discussions on and off the conference (shout out to [Elmine](https://mastodon.social/@elmine@deepthought.infullflow.net?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) here) and met old and new favourite weirdos along the way who are eager to rebuild the social web as a service for the people again or align with the wish to be less dependant on software that abuses us.
So for me, FOSDEM was a conference of the people who want to change things for the better. I enjoyed the chitchat with the people I've only known online for now, to meet with other Fedi fellows and share ideas and thoughts about a better world with people with a good heart.
Will see you next year, most probably!
### Fediverse: a new open and social web
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/fediverse-a-new-open-and-social-web/
Last updated: 2026-07-08T05:30:50.000Z
Few may know, but there is currently a network on the rise that brings back what made the internet so great in the early days before big tech corps took over: a direct, pure and open connection with people around the world. It's called the Fediverse.
## What is the Fediverse?
The Fediverse is not just another big tech, venture capital owned platform that feels good at the start and gets more and more unpleasant to use over time. It's an network of platforms / services / apps (I'll get back to this later) that openly connects to each other. But let's give my friend [Elena](https://news.elenarossini.com/my-fediverse-starter-guide/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) (check out her beautiful Fediverse series on her blog!) the word before we do a less technical dive into the the Fediverse:
Introduction to the Fediverse by [Elena Rossini](https://elena.social/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
### A chronological timeline without distraction
Imagine everything you enjoyed on Instagram, Twitter and Co without the bad parts. Imagine scrolling through your favourite social media platform without being distracted by ads or forced recommendations. Imagine viewing all of your friends posts in a chronological order and not just a few "recommended" ones by an algorithm in an order it defined.
This alone would be a much, much more pleasing user experience for most social media platforms out there.
### An open and interconnected network
Imagine you are active on Twitter, as you like posting short thoughts throughout the day but are not really heavy into posting your own images. However, you do love looking at images from space, and there are these awesome astro photographers who unfortunately only run Instagram accounts. To see their work, you would need to set up an Instagram account and start following them (and then see more ads and "recommendations" than their actual work).
Now imagine that you can view these accounts completely without being forced to log into Instagram. Even better: imagine that you can just follow these accounts with your Twitter account and see their newest images in your Twitter timeline whenever they post them on Instagram.
### Private and owned by you
Imagine using a social media platform that doesn't spy on you. No algorithms analyzing your posts to determine "how well" they are doing. No trackers spying on your friends list, your messages, or your platform activities. No AI shuffling everything you upload and write into a void beyond your control to generate corporate profit. No app analyzing your address book, other installed apps, geolocation, or your entire smartphone to sell your data to advertisers.
Imagine being able to run your own Instagram on your home server (or with an independent hosting service you trust) and still be connected to everyone else on Instagram. Or imagine running your own Facebook just for your family, sports club or community.
### Take you followers and move them with you
Imagine if you could transfer your account, including all your followers, from one platform to another. This means that you wouldn't need to start from scratch, and could continue to build on your network exactly where you left off.
### This all is the Fediverse
All of these things exist in the Fediverse. It's a network of services that run without ads, algorithms or trackers. These services interconnect on a common, open and free technological basis, which is available for everyone to use and implement. It's an official World Wide Web standard.
Photo by [Elena Rossini](https://unsplash.com/@elenarossini?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit)
## Services by people for people
So, the Fediverse is a network, but what services are running on it?
As the basic technology behind the Fediverse is free and open to everyone, individual developers have started rebuilding the services they once loved that have now turned into data- and money-milking user experience nightmares: Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and more. There is a good chance that for every major social media network, there is an open and free alternative in the Fediverse. Let's take a quick look at a few of them.
💡
Checkout Elena's great series about how she discovered the Fediverse and her journey on self-hosting her own social media services:
[The Future Is Federated: My Fediverse Starter Guide](https://blog.elenarossini.com/my-fediverse-starter-guide/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
### Mastodon - when Twitter was cool
Mastodon is a Twitter alternative and the biggest service on the Fediverse. Mastodon is often the first go to place to connect with like-minded people across the Fediverse and transformed recently into a non-profit to guarantee it's full independence and to protect their community even better.
My account is currently on their flag ship instance. Check it out at [sturmsucht@mastodon.social](https://mastodon.social/@sturmsucht?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
[Mastodon - Decentralized social mediaLearn more about Mastodon, the radically different, free and open-source decentralized social media platform.Decentralized social media](https://joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
### Pixelfed - an Instagram alternative
Pixelfed is the biggest Fediverse alternative to Instagram. It brings back the joys of IG's early days without forced recommendations, ads or AI accounts. They recently added support for Stories, but keep videos (yes, that's what Reels are called in the real world) out of it as their community values sharing photos over doom scrolling video content.
I'm on their flag ship instance with my main account under [https://pixelfed.social/chris.zielecki](https://pixelfed.social/chris.zielecki?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
[Pixelfed - Decentralized social mediaLearn more about Pixelfed, the free and open-source decentralized photo sharing social media platformPixelfed](https://pixelfed.org/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
### Peertube - a Youtube alternative
**PeerTube** is a video hosting platform like Youtube that enables users to publish, manage, and share videos through customizable channels and playlists, offering a self-hosted alternative to mainstream video services.
[What is PeerTube? | JoinPeerTubeA free software to take back control of your videos! With more than 600,000 hosted videos, viewed more than 70 millions times and 150,000 users, PeerTube is the decentralized free software alternative to videos platforms developed by FramasoftJoinPeerTube](https://joinpeertube.org/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
### Lemmy - a Reddit alternative
Lemmy replaces Reddit in the Fediverse. As its closed source big tech alternative it functions as a link aggregator where users can create communities, submit posts with text, links, or images, and engage in discussions through voting and comments.
[Lemmy - A forum and link aggregator for the fediverseA forum and link aggregator for the fediverse](https://join-lemmy.org/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
### Ghost - blogging like it's hot
Even this blog is automatically shared to the Fediverse. Since Ghost's last major update this summer (version 6.0), every Ghost blog can activate integration with the Fediverse to share and interact with their long-form blog posts, and even short-form notes, with everyone in the network.
[Ghost: The best open source blog & newsletter platformBeautiful, modern publishing with email newsletters and paid subscriptions built-in. Used by Platformer, 404Media, Lever News, Tangle, The Browser, and thousands more.Ghost - The Professional Publishing Platform](https://ghost.org/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
### Other services
The Fediverse is full of alternatives for even more services you might use and like. Not all of them are mature or come with an elegant UI (yet). The majority of Fediverse services are not backed up by a large company with a million dollar budget, but are passion projects of people sick of the current state of social media. But there are alternatives for Goodreads, Bandcamp, Facebook, Facebook Groups, TikTok, Tumblr, and even more microblogging services, while companies are working on integrating the technical bases of the Fediverse into their products like Ghost, Wordpress, Flipboard and even Threads (\*irks\*).
## My take on the Fediverse
There are many things I left out of this article to keep it shorter as an overview of the network and to dive deeper into in future blog posts. A lot works differently here in the Fediverse, whether due to different technological approaches or the sheer absence of commerce that now rules big-tech social media platforms. Returning to good old Social Media 1.0 values comes with a learning curve - especially if you haven't crossed your mid-30s yet - but it's worth your attention.
For me, the Fediverse brought fundamental changes in how I interact with, and even within, social media - things I don't want to miss and that I truly believe will bring broader change to social networks in time. People are finally getting tired of Zuckerberg & Co. and are starting to understand that they need change. And change is already on its way.
### Autumn Workation: Escaping into Swedish woods
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/autumn-workation-escaping-into-swedish-woods/
Last updated: 2025-07-17T18:15:02.000Z
End of the season, I'm always in need of a little downtime away from my home. This time, I have the urge to escape into the Swedish woods. Okay, I ALWAYS have the urge to do that. But this autumn, I'm making it happen. I need to recharge my batteries and finish the last tasks of the year in a cosy place - a nice colourful Swedish house in the middle of nowhere. Surrounded by nature, in front of a fireplace, together with like-minded people.
That's why I'm doing a workation week this November in Southern Sweden. And best of all: you are welcome to join.
## What does workation mean?
A workation is a mix of work and vacation. The plan is to get a cabin in the middle of nowhere and spend a week together to finish the last tasks of the year (or something else you've had on your plate for way to long) and enjoy time off the everyday madness.
We will start our day together with a big breakfast before having a kick-off, where everyone is invited to share their project and ask for help. In the afternoon, we'll roam the neighbourhood, explore nearby places, or be creative together (don't forget to bring your camera!). In the evening, we'll prepare our meal together and finish the day with deep talks, a movie, me-time, a presentation, games, or whatever feels right.
## Who is it for?
The workation is open to anyone feeling creative or wanting to escape their everyday madness among a group of creatives for a couple of days. We'll definitely have a bunch of (wedding) photographers there, but that's not mandatory.
## Dates & Place
The workation will take place from **Monday, 17th to Saturday 22nd of November** in the countryside of **Southern Sweden**. The exact place will be announced in the next weeks.
## Price, Details & Booking
For price, details, and booking, check out my dedicated page:
[](https://www.sturmsucht.de/en/wedding-photography-workation-in-sweden?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
****Autumn workation in southern Sweden to wind down the year**
**17\. - 22\. November 2025 | Southern Sweden*
[Join me on our Swedish workation ](https://www.sturmsucht.de/en/wedding-photography-workation-in-sweden?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
### Why a business website matters (more than ever)
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/why-a-business-website-matters-more-than-ever/
Last updated: 2025-07-07T14:58:36.000Z
## *Do you still need a homepage as a business?*
*TL;DR: yes, yes you do.*
Around the new year, I followed a discussion in a local photography group about homepage hosting and services. The question was raised whether photographers actually still need a homepage. A few days later, Zuckerberg and Musk answered this question for all of us.
Questioning the need for a website is something I have heard several times over the years. With the rise of social photography networks like Instagram, many photographers focused their marketing - and their entire online presence - on social media. Instagram and other platforms made it easy to be seen by a large audience and gave us direct access to potential clients and people who love our work. At least, that was the case in the beginning, before monetization and with it [enshittification](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enshittification?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) took over.
## Social media is business - and not yours
The problem with big social media platforms is that they are businesses - businesses that thrive on engagement, ad revenue, and keeping users scrolling. Algorithms change constantly, reach is throttled unless you pay, and overnight, the way you connect with your audience can be completely redefined without your consent. One day your posts are seen by thousands; the next, they disappear into the void unless you jump through the latest engagement hoops.
We’ve seen this pattern over and over: what started as a tool for connection has turned into a pay-to-win system. Organic reach is no longer reliable, and the effort required to stay relevant often outweighs the benefits. And then there’s the fundamental issue: you don’t own your space there.
## Your website is your digital home
Unlike social media, your website belongs to you. It’s not subject to algorithm changes, sudden account suspensions, the shifting priorities or political views of a tech giant. Your website is the one place where you control how you and your work are presented, how potential clients navigate your portfolio, and what they see first.
Especially what they see first. Because on big tech social media, all they see first is a login form, not the actual content. They are forced directly into the login/sign-up process of the service before seeing any of the content you sent them. If they are lucky this form shows up after a few pixels of scrolling, but it's always there. Why? Again, big tech social media is a business. They force visitors into creating an account, because they are selling their users' profiles to ad companies. No account, no money.
💡
I'm simplifying here. Big tech has perversely improved the profiling of users outside their platforms to such an extent that we now speak of "surveillance capitalism" - but that's a different story.
On your homepage your visitors and potential clients don't encounter that barrier. They can freely access all the information you provide without a sign-up dialog.
## The False-Consensus effect
*"But everyone uses service XYZ!"* you might think. Well, let's take a look at the [data](https://www.statista.com/statistics/617136/digital-population-worldwide/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de). Let's use Instagram again:
In early 2025, the internet had around 5,56 billion monthly active users (MAU). Compared to Instagram's 2 billion MAU, 64% monthly active internet users do not use Instagram.
Let's say it again: the majority doesn't use Instagram.
You do, so you assume everyone does. That's the [false-consensus effect](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False%5Fconsensus%5Feffect?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de).
Now think about the user experience of potential clients who want to contact you without signing up for a service. It's like the unpleasant experience of a restaurant forcing you to use an old Facebook page just to check the menu.
And it's not only about viewing your portfolio - getting in touch is even worse. Without a homepage, the initial conversation has to take place on social media as well; in messengers that make conversations hard to sort and impossible to search - for you and your clients.
## A website builds trust
A website frees you and your clients from the friction and artificial barriers of another company's service. A well-designed website also builds trust. It tells potential clients that you are serious about your business and gives them a professional, seamless experience without the distractions of ads, trending short videos, recommendations that lead them away from you, or unrelated content. It allows for deeper storytelling and insights so visitors can engage with your work on their own terms and at their own pace.
## Let your website do the work for you
One of the biggest advantages of a website is that it gets indexed by search engines and works for you while you take care of other parts of the business - or yourself.
It serves as the foundation for search engine visibility and organic discovery. When potential customers search for products or services, search engines prioritize businesses with well-structured, content-rich websites in their results, making it nearly impossible for businesses without websites to compete for these valuable search queries. A properly optimized website acts as a 24/7 digital storefront that search engines can crawl, index, and rank, allowing businesses to capture intent-driven traffic from users actively searching for their offerings.
Moreover, websites provide the necessary infrastructure for local SEO, enabling businesses to appear in location-based searches and map results, which is essential for attracting nearby customers. Without a website, businesses forfeit this critical search engine opportunity, missing out on the most cost-effective and sustainable source of qualified leads in the digital economy.
A well-structured website brings in traffic consistently, without the daily hustle of posting, engaging, and hoping for visibility. Instead of fighting for attention in a crowded social feed, your website works for you around the clock.
## Social Media is a tool - not a home
This isn’t to say social media is useless. It’s still a powerful tool for connection and short term firecracker marketing, but it should be just that: **a tool, not your entire foundation**. If Instagram disappeared tomorrow, would your business survive? If the answer is no, then it’s time to rethink your strategy.
Your website is your online home, your portfolio, and your strongest marketing asset. It’s the one thing you truly own in the digital world, so invest in it, build it well, and use social media as a complement, not a crutch.
##
### An interview with German podcast Getting Ready
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/an-interview-with-german-podcast-getting-ready/
Last updated: 2025-06-09T13:18:36.000Z
## Sharing insights on my take of wedding photography, elopements and industry trends
I recently had the opportunity to be a guest on the German [Getting Ready podcast](https://gettingready-podcast.de/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de), where I shared my perspective on wedding photography and the evolution of my creative journey.
During our conversation, we explored how I first entered the world of wedding photography, how my style has transformed over the years, the natural progression of finding my authentic voice as a photographer and how that has shaped the Sturmsucht brand today.
We delved into my philosophy as a wedding photographer and why I believe this role extends far beyond simply capturing images: a supportive presence who guides couples through their special day, helping them navigate emotional moments while documenting their experience.
A significant portion of our discussion focused on why I've chosen to specialize in elopements. I shared what makes these intimate celebrations so special, particularly for someone with an introverted personality like myself. We explored the definition of modern elopements and the unique opportunities they provide for couples seeking a more personal and meaningful wedding experience.
We also touched on our recent attendance at the [WayUpNorth](https://wayupnorth.co/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) conference in Berlin, examining the current luxury wedding trend that dominated discussions in the wedding photography industry and offering my perspective on this trend and the importance of staying true to your own values and vision.
If you're interested in the philosophy behind my work, my creative process, or simply enjoy thoughtful conversations about photography and the wedding industry, this episode provides an honest look into my approach.
I'd love to hear your thoughts if you give it a listen!
"Getting ready" Podcast mit Sturmsucht
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### February & March 2025
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/february-march-2025/
Last updated: 2025-04-21T15:11:22.000Z
While January took years to finish, the last two months really have flown by in a blink of a second. Luckily I started the routine to track my progress in work and life in my [new notes app](https://notesnook.com/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) so that my lazy brain can't trick me in thinking I'm doing nothing all day long. So how have they been?
## 🌈☀️ *Good Vibes only* ☀️🌈
I honestly wasn't in a good mind place in the beginning of this year. Industry promoting only 💰💰💰 rich kids weddings, low bookings, fucking Nazis taking over the world – the winter depression had me. While all these things didn't fundamentally change through the last months I managed to keep my distance to them and started focusing again on the things I actually could change. And I did a lot.
## February
February was a month I layed a foundation for upcoming things. I became a member of the [European Elopement Guide](https://europeanelopementguide.com/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) in December last year and used February to pimp [my profile](https://europeanelopementguide.com/vendors/sturmsucht/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) there and submitted a couple of elopements I shot during the last seasons. By the end of the month my first elopement was approved and published on their website. A queer winter elopement in St. Peter-Ording that I haven't even published myself:
[Winter Elopement in Sankt Peter-Ording, GermanyA winter elopement of 2 brides in the beautiful surroundings of Sankt Peter-Ording in Germany. With nature abound for their ceremony.European Elopement GuideAnouschka Rokebrand](https://europeanelopementguide.com/winter-elopement-in-sankt-peter-ording-germany/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
That was really a joyful moment as I have avoided wedding blogs for years, because of their often very strict publishing policies.
Speaking of: if you also want to be part in the European Elopement Collective, I've got a shameless affilate code that gives you a 20% discount on their yearly subscription:
Shamelessly Affiliated
[](https://europeanelopementguide.com/ref/2/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
Get 20% OFF with the code ****STURMSUCHTxEEG**
[Join the European Elopement Guide ](https://europeanelopementguide.com/ref/2/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
### A workshop among wedding photography veterans
Mid-February I was invited to give a workshop among a group of German wedding photography veterans at the North Sea coast near St. Peter-Ording. A wonderful diverse group of photographers with whom I have two important things in common: we are all in our 40s+ and we all are over a decade in the this industry. That definitely led to conversations on a whole new level – insights and stories you only share with those who truly understand our own journey:
[Subjective Truths: What Veteran Wedding Photographers Taught MeHow do we truly know if our approach is right or wrong? Speaking with experienced wedding photographers made me realize how subjective success and failure can be — and how valuable it is to stay curious and open to learning from others.Sturmgilde by SturmsuchtChris | Sturmsucht](https://blog.sturmsucht.de/subjective-truths-a-workshop-among-wedding-photography-veterans/)
### Home is where my DNS resolves
I also put a lot of work into [my website](https://www.sturmsucht.de/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) and set up a brand new start page with a dark gray design. A good start but there is soooo much work to be done on and around my homepage that I feel I haven't even seen the tip of the iceberg yet.
[](https://www.sturmsucht.de/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
### Civil Digital Disobedience
February was also the month I started to rethink my whole digital strategy around the services I use and to whom they belong. I decided it was time to fully embrace and reconnect with the Chris from 10 years ago again. The Chris that compiled Gentoo Linux on his self-assembled hardware and ran self-hosted services for the joy of creating and knowledge. The Chris who self-paid his career training to become a data-protection officer. That privacy-focused, open-source and open-knowledge loving Chris whom I tried to ignore for a decade to fit in and play along.
And I let him take the lead: I ordered new hardware outside of Amazon to upgrade my network and NAS and started to download 22TB of image data from my Amazon cloud and pcloud to have it locally stored with restricted access just by me. And I de-googled my old Pixel phone to [GrapheneOS](https://grapheneos.org/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) and my [Fairphone](http://rwrd.io/uf3doma?c&ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) (affiliated. 50€ off) to [CalxyOS](https://calyxos.org/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) by the end of February.
March image of my first own calendar 2025
## March
March started with a bang. I co-hosted my first workshop in a while with Björn from [Hafenliebe](https://hafenliebe-weddingphotography.com/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) at the Northern end of Denmark: The first edition of [*See.Feel.Create.*](https://www.seefeelcreate.ws/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) since 2017\. Three days in a cabin at the rough Atlantic coastline. Talking about life, art and business. Being creative together, honest and vulnerable. You can find more insights about that workshop in my separate blog post:
[A winter wedding photography workshop in DenmarkAn intimate workshop for wedding photographers on Denmark’s Atlantic coast. Focused on honest storytelling, niching, connection, and working with a real couple in natural and cold environments. A space for reflection, exchange, and refining your photographic voice.Sturmgilde by SturmsuchtChris | Sturmsucht](https://blog.sturmsucht.de/see-feel-create-a-wedding-photography-workshop-in-denmark/)
### European Elopement Guide
Meanwhile the European Elopement Guide kept pumping out features of my submitted sessions:
[An engagement session I did on the Faroe Islands](https://europeanelopementguide.com/engagement-session-on-the-faroe-islands-denmark/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de):
[An elopement of a Twitch streamer girl and her husband](https://europeanelopementguide.com/besenhorst-sand-mountains-hamburg-germany-elopement?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) who composes music for horror movies and games:
And they even featured me in a vendor spotlight for elopement weddings:
[Featured Vendor Spotlight: SturmsuchtMeet Chris fromSturmsucht Tell us your story I’m Chris, a European elopement photographer based in Hamburg, Germany, shooting on…European Elopement GuideCat Ekkelboom-White](https://europeanelopementguide.com/featured-vendor-spotlight-sturmsucht/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
Features like these are the things I focus on at the moment to increase my visibility and reach. My main plan is still to leave Instagram fully (I already killed every other account besides my business one) and - by god - I'm challenged every single day to keep that profile up. Getting used to the fediverse and with a healthy distance to big tech social media now, it's irritating and frightening to browse this app with all it's ads, AI generated content slop and cringe self-promotion - not speak about the Nazi in the room.
### Now Page
During March I also set up a [*Now Page*](https://nownownow.com/about?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de), a project created by [Derek Sivers](https://sive.rs/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) to highlight what I am focusing on at this point in my life. It's not a site for business highlights, but for you as a human being. Stuff that goes beyond a normal social media update. Since it is hard to differentiate between the private me and the business me as a single self-employed entrepreneur you will find a mixture of the things I'm working on in and outside of Sturmsucht:
[Now - a personal status update on what I am focusing onThis page will give you an update on what I’m working on, what’s on my mind and where my focus is at the moment. Updated regularly for a personal insight.Elopement- und Hochzeitsfotograf aus HamburgZum Inhalt springen](https://www.sturmsucht.de/now?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
### The Civil Digital Disobedience continues and grows
In March the hashtag #unplugtrump went viral throughout the fediverse and beyond. Mike Kuketz wrote a [wonderful guide](https://www.kuketz-blog.de/unplugtrump-mach-dich-digital-unabhaengig-von-trump-und-big-tech/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) (German) on his security blog on how to disobey the fascist tech billionaire movement behind the Trump legislation. And suddenly I wasn't alone anymore with my plan and thoughts.
Last month I started to migrate from Google Docs to [CryptPad](https://cryptpad.fr/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de), signed up for [Libro.fm](https://libro.fm/referral?rf%5Fcode=lfm826085&ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) (affiliated) to leave Audible (with the wonderful side effect that I now automatically support a trans book store in Berlin with every purchase) and completed my Amazon/pcloud migration to NAS to re-own my data AND save me money – a BIG task where I could finally de-dust my old terminal skills and play around with rclone sync scripts.
### Tools & Services
Also on the tech side of my life I stumbled upon two tools & services I want to recommend you here.
The first is a simply & easy hack to **display image resolutions in macOS Finder**:
[How to simply show image dimensions in Finder on macOSA simple and time-saving trick to view image dimensions and resolution for any folder in the Finder on macOS.Sturmgilde by SturmsuchtChris | Sturmsucht](https://blog.sturmsucht.de/how-to-show-image-dimensions-in-finder-on-macos/)
And the second is a quick and easy, but foremost **privacy friendly alternative to Google Fonts**:
[Privacy-Friendly Google Fonts Alternative (GDPR Safe)Bunny Fonts is a fast, privacy-friendly Google Fonts GDPR replacement. Fully compatible and cookie-free, it offers easy integration and EU-based delivery — no tracking, no IP logging. Perfect for privacy-focused websites.Sturmgilde by SturmsuchtChris | Sturmsucht](https://blog.sturmsucht.de/bunny-fonts-a-privacy-friendly-1-1-replacement-for-google-fonts/)
### Podcast
Last but not least I was guest at [*\[un\]scharf* ](https://open.spotify.com/show/69Dz99ySGAlvKatireoqK9?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)\- a German photo podcast by my friend Jens from [Lach- und Liebesgeschichten](https://www.lachundliebesgeschichten.de/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de). It was fun talking about stuff that I love and sharing my views on things in our industry. For more details, checkout this blog post:
[Sturmsucht in an interview with German podcast \[un\]scharfI’m sharing my insights on the \[un\]scharf podcast about my journey, brand philosophy, and our recent Denmark workshop beyond industry trends.Sturmgilde by SturmsuchtChris | Sturmsucht](https://blog.sturmsucht.de/podcast-feature-at-unscharf-der-fotopodcast/)
## Sign up for Sturmsucht's newsletter
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### An interview with German podcast [un]scharf - der Fotopodcast
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/podcast-feature-at-unscharf-der-fotopodcast/
Last updated: 2025-06-15T13:49:20.000Z
I recently had the pleasure of being a guest on the German podcast **\[un\]scharf – der Fotopodcast** *(discontinued)*, hosted by my good friend Jens, first member of our Sturmgilde and whom some of you might also know from [*Lach- und Liebesgeschichten*](https://www.lachundliebesgeschichten.de/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de). It was such a fun and insightful conversation, and I’m really happy to share it with you.
In the episode, we dove into my personal journey into photography — how it all started, how I came to weddings and what I miss most about that time. We also touched on current trends in wedding photography and how the industry is evolving, and why I love elopements with couples who want to step away from the norm and celebrate their day in a way that truly reflects who they are.
Of course, we also talked about [**Sturmsucht**](https://www.sturmsucht.de/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) — what the name means, why I chose it, and the philosophy behind my work. It’s always special to be able to speak about the values and intentions that guide me, especially with someone who understands the industry from the inside.
And with spoke about the **See.Feel.Create.** workshop I co-hosted this March in Denmark with Björn from [Hafenliebe](https://www.hafenliebe-weddingphotography.com/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de). We spent a few days by the Atlantic coast with a small group of creatives, sharing meals, deep conversations, and photo sessions in wild weather. It was all about creativity, connection, honesty, and being present. You can find the full recap [here on the blog](https://blog.sturmsucht.de/see-feel-create-a-wedding-photography-workshop-in-denmark/).
If you’re curious about how I work, what drives me, or if you just enjoy thoughtful conversations about photography and creative life in general, this episode is definitely worth a listen.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did recording it. Let me know what you think!
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### A winter wedding photography workshop in Denmark
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/see-feel-create-a-wedding-photography-workshop-in-denmark/
Last updated: 2025-04-15T14:37:26.000Z
At the beginning of March, I hosted a wedding photography workshop together with Björn from [Hafenliebe](https://hafenliebe-weddingphotography.com/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) – right at the edge of Denmark, facing the raw and wild Atlantic coast: [See.Feel.Create.](https://www.seefeelcreate.ws/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) 2025 edition.
An intimate gathering of like-minded creatives. Three days in a cabin. Cooking together, talking about photography and life, sharing our thoughts on what it means to document love in a quiet, honest way. We explored the coast, shot in changing weather, and found beauty in simplicity.
This wasn’t about presets, poses or trends. It was about mindset. About the stories we tell – and the ones we don't. About how to stay true to yourself in an industry that often rewards surface over substance.
We talked a lot and slept little. We talked about doubt, direction, and the pressure to fit in. About the urge to be liked and seen, and the strength it takes to walk your own path. Every person brought something different to the table – and that was the point. No one had to perform. No one had to prove anything.
We asked ourselves hard questions. What kind of work do you actually want to be known for? How do we deal with social media when their CEOs turns fascist? Who are you speaking to - and who not? And where to find those? What if success isn’t about growth, but about clarity?
These conversations inevitably led us to the importance of finding your niche in photography. Not as a marketing tactic, but as an authentic expression of who you are. We discussed how the photographers who thrive aren't necessarily those who chase every trend, but those who carve out their specific corner of the world. Finding your niche means having the courage to say no to certain clients, styles, or opportunities that don't align with your vision. It means understanding that by narrowing your focus, you paradoxically expand your impact. The most memorable work comes from photographers who know exactly what they stand for – and what they don't.
The shoots were stripped down. A real couple, raw landscapes and weather that changed by the hour. It wasn’t about creating content – it was about telling a story and show connection with the given setting. Slowing down. Observing. Than quick responds. No big plan, no styled setups, but instant creativity.
We worked with what was there: strong wind, the cold, covered sky and midday sun. The kind of elements that force you as a photographer to handle light and creativity while having an eye on the comfort of your freezing couple. That remind you that our type of photography isn’t about control, but about documenting the presence - in the most creative way.
Evenings were slow and honest. Cooking together, eating around the table, talking until late. The kind of conversations you don’t plan for – about work, life, burnout, purpose, life plans. Somewhere between the first coffee in the morning and the last snack at night, something shifted for. No big revelations, no overnight transformations. But a quiet shift. More clarity, more direction. A reminder that growth doesn’t have to be loud, that it doesn't come overnight or with a big bang – it takes time, is steady, and deeply personal. And that's ok.
Most of all, it showed us that we’re not alone. That others feel the same tension between art and industry, between showing up and staying true. And that there’s strength in sharing that. In listening. In holding space for each other.
## Sign up for Sturmsucht's newsletter
or join us and become a Storm Guild member
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### Bunny Fonts: a privacy friendly 1:1 replacement for Google Fonts
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/bunny-fonts-a-privacy-friendly-1-1-replacement-for-google-fonts/
Last updated: 2025-04-16T07:55:14.000Z
If you’re looking for a drop-in replacement for Google Fonts that respects user privacy and keeps your site fast, [*bunny.net/fonts*](https://bunny.net/fonts/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) is the way to go.
It works just like Google Fonts — same URL structure, same font delivery model — but with one big difference: no tracking!
A few days ago I noticed that the fonts on my blog weren't loading. At first I thought it was a bug of my super awesome Ghost hosting provider [magicpages.co](https://magicpages.co/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de), but after some investigation with Jannis I noticed that a newly installed browser plugin blocked a script from a site I haven't heard before: [fonts.bunny.net](https://fonts.bunny.net/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
I checked back with Jannis and he told me that his Ghost instances uses a privacy-friendly and full GDPR compliant alternative to Google Fonts. A 1:1 replacement and easy to switch to alternative with no downsides. Let's dive into that and see why switching makes sense and is also easy to do.
## Why switch?
Let’s be honest: Google Fonts is great for convenience, but not so great for privacy. In the EU, embedding fonts from Google’s servers can even be a legal issue due to GDPR and we all know the legal cases that pop up from time to time around that topic. Bunny.net fixes that without forcing you to self-host or change your workflow.
## What makes bunny.net a great alternative?
- **100% privacy-focused** — No user tracking, no IP logging, no cookies.
- **Google Fonts compatible API** — You can literally replace `https://fonts.googleapis.com` with `https://fonts.bunny.net` in your existing code. That’s it.
- **Optimized delivery** — Fast CDN performance through bunny.net's own CDN
- **Free & open source** — The fonts are from the same open source collection as Google Fonts.
- **Built & Hosted in Europe** – Fully GDPR compliant
## How to switch from Google Fonts to bunny.net
Let’s say you’re currently using Google Fonts like this:
*``*
All you need to do is change the domain:
*``*
Nothing else changes. Your fonts load the same way, your CSS stays clean, and your users get a privacy-friendly experience.
## Nearly perfect
At the time of writing, a large majority of fonts from Google Fonts are already available on [fonts.bunny.net](https://fonts.bunny.net/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) and they are actively working on expanding their collection.
## Final thoughts
If you care about privacy but don’t want to deal with the hassle of self-hosting fonts, bunny.net/fonts is a no-brainer. It’s fast, free, and frictionless.
Swap the URL, and you’re done.
For more infos check out their page:
[About Bunny Fonts | Faster & GDPR friendly FontsStrengthen your privacy, improve your performance and give your website a personality by using Bunny Fonts. The only fully GDPR fonts powered by a CDN!bunny.net logo](https://fonts.bunny.net/about?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
💡
Wordpress Hint
If you are using Wordpress checkout the [**Use Any Font*](https://useanyfont.com/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) plugin which works local font files you downloaded e.g. from Google Fonts before.
## Sign up for Sturmsucht's newsletter
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### Subjective truths: A workshop among wedding photography veterans
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/subjective-truths-a-workshop-among-wedding-photography-veterans/
Last updated: 2025-03-26T17:39:14.000Z
Mid-February I was invited to speak in front of a group of German wedding photographer veterans at the North Sea coast in St. Peter-Ording. Photographers all who have all passed their 40s and who have been in this business for over a decade now. I still feel very honored for the opportunity to share my thoughts and way of photography with them and I value the mutual respect this group had for each other.
When speaking to veterans in the business, I find it interesting to hear what our commonalities are and where we see things differently. Since we all reached a certain point in our lives and have witnessed the changes in the industry for so long, we had a lot of common experiences, face the same problems, but also often take different approaches to handle those.
In this group I realized how highly subjective our own conclusions are. An example of failure can be understood as a general wrong direction – or as a wrong approach to the right direction. The question is: what is wrong or right? We tend to argue in the way that our brain feels safe. *Here might be dragons – go the other direction.* But both positions can be valid because what works for one doesn't necessarily work for the other.
The thing is, you will only know when you try it out. Therefore, the exchange of experiences becomes even more valuable, as we learn from each other's trials, successes, and even failures. Sharing openly allows us to explore possibilities we might have previously dismissed and reassess paths we've abandoned. It creates room for innovation and growth, especially in an industry constantly shaped by change.
Moreover, these discussions reminded me how essential it is to approach differences with openness and curiosity rather than immediate judgment. The beauty lies precisely in these nuances; understanding different methods broadens our perspective and enriches our creative toolkit. Ultimately, photography is a deeply personal craft, and embracing this individuality fosters authenticity and genuine connection – both within our community and with the couples we photograph.
## Sign up for Sturmsucht's newsletter or join us and become a Storm Guild member
[Sign up now](#/portal/signup)
### How to simply show image dimensions in Finder on macOS
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/how-to-show-image-dimensions-in-finder-on-macos/
Last updated: 2025-03-26T18:48:46.000Z
If you're using the Finder on macOS and want to see the dimensions of an image right away, there's a simple trick to making this information visible outside the default Pictures folder. It's a quick hack that I honestly can't believe I haven't known about for decades.
## TL:DR;
1. Rename folder (e.g. `Cat`) and add `Pictures` at first place of the name. E.g. `Pictures Cat`
2. Go into folder, choose `list view` and add `Dimension` as column.
3. Rename folder back to origin. E.g. `Cat`
## Step-by-Step guide
### Rename the folder from `xyz` to `Pictures xyz`
Select the folder containing the images whose dimensions you want to see. Right-click on the folder name and select *Rename.* Add the word `Pictures` (with capital *P*) to the beginning of the folder name – for example: change `Vacation Photos` to `Pictures Vacation Photos`
### Open the folder and adjust columns to display `Dimensions`
Open the renamed folder. Select *List* mode as the view for the folder. Right-click on the column header in the Finder window (where it says *Name*, *Date*, *Size*, etc.). A drop-down menu will appear with various options. Scroll through the list and tick `Dimensions` and/or `Resolution`, depending on what details you want to see.
Et voilà.
### Rename the folder back
Once you have selected the columns you want, you can rename the folder back to its original name. Right-click it again, select *Rename*, and remove the added \`Pictures\` from the name. The *Dimension* / *Resolution* column will remain.
Done.
By doing this, the Finder temporarily recognises the folder as a Pictures directory, allowing it to display image-specific details. Once enabled, the columns remain visible even if the folder is renamed again.
This simple trick can significantly improve workflow, especially for photographers, designers or anyone who works with images a lot. Instead of opening each file individually to check its dimensions, you can now see all the relevant details at a glance right in the Finder.
Give it a try. It makes managing your image files on the Mac so much easier!
## Sign up for Sturmsucht's newsletter or join us and become a Storm Guild member
[Sign up now](#/portal/signup)
### January 2025
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/january-2025/
Last updated: 2025-04-15T14:30:21.000Z
What a year, already. January brought us a glimpse of what the world will be in the next years and mentally my urge to disappear into the woods is stronger than ever. This month has shown us how fast things can get worse when fascists take over and how fragile businesses can be if they depend 100% on the grace of a single social media platform.
By adopting the fascist policies of Musk and the newly elected President of the United States, Zuckerberg has put a loaded gun to the chest of every democratically minded Meta user. Calculative as he is, he focused his speech on the removal of fact-checkers in the US, which made the real changes disappear: opening the floodgates to hate speech by removing protections for marginalised groups - explicitly women, LGBTQ and immigrants - and installing fascists in senior management.
I have spent far too much time on social media during these days trying to work out what consequences I should take. But deep down in my heart I already knew that I would quit. I have never been a fan of Meta and their anti-privacy behaviour. Nor are their products really any good. To sort things out in my head I needed to write a long blog post about what will actually happen when I leave Meta:
[What will happen when I leave Meta and its platformsMeta’s turn towards hate & fascism will have an impact on all its platforms. What will happen if I leave their services as a wedding photographer?Sturmsucht | BlogChris | Sturmsucht](https://blog.sturmsucht.de/what-will-happen-when-i-leave-meta-and-its-platforms/)
And the result was: there are no benefits to staying that have passed the reality check.
But talking to friends and colleagues was so sobering. "Yes, it's bad", "We'll have to see what happens", "Luckily these changes don't apply to Europe" - with no action taken. People tend to avoid the core question: stay and tolerate fascism - or leave.
There is a huge lack of knowledge, and Meta and its promises have become such an integral part of their lives and businesses that they can't imagine living without it. I had to remind myself that the majority of wedding photographers in my circles actually never experienced a world without Facebook and Instagram. Financial livelihoods have been built on these platforms. Leaving them brings existential fear. I can totally understand if they struggle to leave. I have no understanding if they don't care about Meta's shift to fascism. Let's at least take it as a wake-up call and make ourselves and our businesses less dependent on social media.
Being outside the US won't save us from the fascist management of the world's biggest social media platform. The fact-checkers may stay for a few more months, but the hateful speech policy change has been rolled out internationally. American haters won't be banned in the EU. They're not even the worst. Far worse is that Meta will start suppressing content that doesn't literally agree with their political views. It's the manipulation of public perception.
Some of my colleagues say they want to stay on Meta and be the light for their customers. Try it, but you can't be the rainbow flag in the nazi bar. Especially as the bar now won't show you around anymore.
In recent weeks I've already seen an increase in far-right content on Instagram, from US standup comedy of a white girl doing racist jokes about black people in slavery, to political content from German fascist youth organisations. You won't be able to escape that on Meta. If you want to see where this is going just take a look at X/Twitter.
But there are alternatives. Even groundbreaking alternatives when it comes to the way social media platforms could work (open, decentralised, interoperable. Yes, the Fediverse), but you have to take a step back and relearn real human connections. You're not going to be fed recommendations that trigger an emotional response, or ads based on decades of monitoring your online interests. You need to interact and show interest again. And you will be rewarded with new great connections, support, maybe friends, but definitely real people who really care about what you do and say.
## Turning to the good sides of January
I had a wonderful, highly motivated start into the new year and managed to stay energised throughout the month, tackling the things on my transitional masterplan. Of course, things are taking longer than expected, but consistency is key here and somehow I managed to keep it up.
January was the first month since a while where I had the feeling to actually create something for the future again. Not just throwing spaghetti pictures at an Instagram wall to see what the algorithm likes to catch.
### Fediverse
I'm really happy with how my Fediverse activity is taking off and to see my [Pixelfed account](https://pixelfed.social/chris.zielecki?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) (Fedi's alternative to Instagram) rapidly growing to already a third of my years of Instagram followers within one month. Real people that will see all my content in their chronological, algorithm- and ad-free timeline.
The Fediverse is a good place with good-hearted people who want to make things better in the world. It's a place to create, not just consume. And it has brought back my joy in doing so, which years of walled-garden social media had destroyed before.
### Blogging
I started blogging again which already feels great (even though I have to write about fascism these days) and is an excellent way to show up for an introvert like me. My list of future topics is filling and I can't wait for the upcoming Ghost version 6.0 with their fantastic Fediverse integration. Finally a wonderful opportunity to really stay connected and interact with my audience on the long run.
### Website
But most of the work these days is going into my website to make it the base and the one true place where everything comes together. It is the only place I can really control, and as January has shown, everything else should not be taken for granted.
### Deleting WhatsApp and private Instagram
Last but not least: by the end of January I finally deleted my WhatsApp and the last two private Instagram accounts (devasdaughters for portraits and chris.zielecki for landscapes). The journey is not over yet as there is one last big thing open: my business Instagram account for [Sturmsucht.de](https://www.sturmsucht.de/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de).
So, how am I going to proceed with @sturmsucht on IG? That's the thing I want to figure out in February. Certain is: I won't continue using it.
That being said, there are 3 options possible:
1. Let it rot
2. Deactivate it to prevent account hijacking
3. Delete it completely
Let's see where I end up by the end of the month. Deleting my WhatsApp account already sparked joy and by doing so I updated all footers, signatures and profiles on other platforms to stop pointing to Meta anymore. Instead I created a social media and messenger page on my website with [current accounts around the web](https://www.sturmsucht.de/de/social-media?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de). Gee, what a month.
### Summary of January
Despite all the drama in the world and the indirect impact on my business, I feel that things are slowly starting to connect with what I want Sturmsucht to be in the future. I'm happy to have found some great inspiration outside of my industry bubble and it seems that the end of my 2 year long search for my true identity is finally coming to an end this year.
### What will happen when I leave Meta and its platforms
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/what-will-happen-when-i-leave-meta-and-its-platforms/
Last updated: 2025-01-15T13:32:01.000Z
Well, this came suddenly, but not unexpectedly: when 2025 was just a week old, Zuckerberg [announced](https://www.threads.net/@zuck/post/DEhgYx4JbEG?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) that he was doing the [#SpaceKaren](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/space-karen?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) and going full hate by removing fact-checkers, moving content moderation from California to Texas "to address concerns that biased employees are overly censoring content" and helping Trump push back against what they call "censorship" from foreign governments - and we in the EU call *consumer protection*:
Let's be realistic: this is not a change that will lead to *"keep the communities friendly and positive"*. Twitter has become synonymous with hate speech, and the recent changes to Meta's hateful conduct policy give an indication of what to expect in the future:
Day by day new stories unveil that these changes come into immediate action in all its hate glory. The newest addition is the direct [deletion of trans and non-binary themes from Facebook Messenger and Instagram](https://www.404media.co/meta-deletes-trans-and-nonbinary-messenger-themes/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de). How hateful can you be?
ℹ️
If you want to dig deeper into these reports (and I can totally understand if you don't) I highly recommend [404media.co](https://www.404media.co/tag/meta/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) as in independent journalist-founded digital media company focusing on the tech world.
**The straw that broke the camel's back**
As someone with a big heart for privacy Meta/Facebook has always been the evil corp. Facebook's naughty list fills a [whole separate Wikipedia page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism%5Fof%5FFacebook?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) (not even mentioning there that Facebook once bought VPN provider Onavo and used it [to spy its users' Snapchat behaviour](https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/26/facebook-secret-project-snooped-snapchat-user-traffic/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de), which they couldn't buy) and the [Wikipedia page of Instagram](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instagram?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) lists over a dozen of different risks while using the app (pointing at various studies and reports): from depression, anxiety and stress over social exclusion, drug use, eating disorder to addiction, self-harm and suicide. This is common knowledge and yet we act like everything's fine.
So Zuckerberg now ingratiating himself with Trump and the far right with this new course was just the latest chapter of a man who's career started by judging his fellow female students as hot or not. But its definitely the last chapter for me.
Hate is a line I will not cross - even if it harms my business.
## **What will happen when I leave Meta**
ℹ️
I will mention the Fediverse in the following section. There is a separate blog post on that in the pipeline, but I want to give a short description:
The Fediverse is a new decentralised social web based on an open protocol that frees social media from the restrictions of Big Tech. Services in the Fediverse normally have a chronological timeline, are free of algorithmic feeds, free of tracking, free of ads and can interact with each other. You can find Fediverse alternatives for basically every Big Tech service: Mastodon for Twitter, Pixelfed for Instagram, Lemmy for Reddit, PeerTube for Youtube, etc.
Big tech has always been very good in telling us that everyone uses them and how relevant they are, especially for our business. *Everything's easy - just place a targeted ad. Here, have 10 bucks to get trapped.*
And of course we don't want to lose the time we've invested in this walled-gardened social media. We have been there for ages, gaining followers, making friends, building a portfolio. We used their apps every day - and became addicted. So leaving feels hard. But I want to do a reality check and talk about what might happen if I leave Meta.
This is a personal perspective from me as a self-employed wedding photographer. So, let's have a look:
## Threads
Threads is the easiest as I never had an account there. I was barely active on Twitter back then and deleted my account around the time #SpaceKaren took over. I went to [Mastodon](https://mastodon.social/@sturmsucht?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) in the Fediverse out of curiosity and over the time it became my main hub of my social media activity.
## Facebook
I spent some time on Facebook in the early years, but Facebook being Facebook made me lose interest and over the time my account and business page there (which never took off) got abandoned. I finally deleted everything during the pandemic. Never missed. Easy.
## WhatsApp
This is the first service I have some concerns about leaving. Let's break it down.
We all know how hard it is to get someone to switch from one messenger to another. People avoid change, and moving to a new service seems especially hard when *"no one else"* is there, or at least your best friends aren't. And another app? Unfortunately, the mere fact that Meta is tracking you with your WhatsApp metadata is not enough of a reason for most people. The fact that you are the one on the new service is not good enough for them to switch either.
And because WhatsApp is so ubiquitous, it's a very easy way to stay in touch with your clients in general, especially on shoot days. Sending the first wedding pictures to my couples' WhatsApp accounts over dinner is always a big hit.
### *Fears & Concerns*
- *losing contact with friends*
- *interaction with clients can be a bit harder*
### *Reality & Conclusion*
The reality is that WhatsApp has seen a lot of churn in the past because of changes to its privacy policy. People have already created accounts on other messengers like Signal. Some are actively using them, some are not. For those who had abandoned their accounts, I changed their names to something like "Peter | Signal" to remind myself to only use Signal when interacting with them, even if they had a WhatsApp account. In my environment, this led to more and more active Signal users.
Honestly, switching is not hard. We all have tons of apps on our phones and even without WhatsApp and Telegram I have 3 different end-to-end encrypted messengers installed + SMS successor RCS. I also managed to get my closest friends and family to switch to Signal - including my parents in their 70s.
For my clients, I've realised that quite a few of them already have Signal and are using it (great!). And for those who don't, it doesn't really matter in my business reality. RCS is a last resort, but most of my clients don't touch their phones on their wedding day, and many of the venues have poor reception. If I can't send them the first wedding pictures over dinner, I can always show them the pictures on my phone. Sparks joy as well.
So, yes, I might lose some contacts who are unwilling to switch. But honestly, so be it. Losing a contact on a messenger (remember: there's always phone and email) doesn't justify using (and being monitored by) a company that is willing to spread hate and fascism.
## Instagram
And then there is Instagram - where to start…
Being a photographer means having an Instagram account. It's THE way to attract new clients, keep up to date with industry trends and events, and showcase your portfolio and yourself as a photographer to the world.
Instagram has a massive 2 000 000 000 monthly active users worldwide - and a perversely high addiction rate (but still lower than TikTok). In the wedding photography industry, Instagram is basically everything. Not a course, not a workshop, not a conference, not a single photo-related service without the best tips on how to use Instagram, how to grow your audience, how to maximise your reach, how to go viral, how to attract new clients, how to use this or that tool to create stunning IG stories or reels. The best hashtags, the best posting time, the best video format, the best content... to trick the algorithm into thinking: you are relevant.
Instagram has become so popular among (wedding) photographers that some even question the need for a website (which will be part of a separate blog post).
### *Fears & Concerns*
When I think about leaving Instagram, a lot of fears and concerns revolve around the benefits of a social photo platform:
- not being seen anymore with my work aka: the reach
- having trouble finding new clients
- losing connections with friends and the industry
Let's break it down and do an ✨ *Instagram reality check* ✨
### *Reality & Conclusion*
### **Not being seen anymore aka: the reach**
The fear of losing reach is the biggest weapon big tech has built over the last two decades. By requiring registration, restricting third-party access to APIs, and eliminating RSS as a free and open technology for accessing content from outside a service, these platforms have built a walled garden. A garden that you can only enter through a gate and that keeps everything you have grown there when you try to leave. You may be able to download your personal data thanks to GDPR, but you won't be able to take your followers with you.
Your reach on walled-garden platforms is granted by the grace of the algorithm. It's an open secret that only a small number of your followers will actually see what you post on their timeline until you reach a certain level of activity or your content fits the real-time analysis of a follower's account.
Klaudia ([https://literatur.social/@viennawriter](https://literatur.social/@viennawriter?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)) has written a wonderful article on "The Myth of Reach", debunking the reach of algorithm-driven social media platforms and comparing it to open platforms like the Fediverse:
[Social Media Principles: The Myth of Reach \[EN\] – ViennaWriterViennaWriterKlaudia Zotzmann-KochKlaudia](https://www.viennawriter.net/blog/social-media-principles-the-myth-of-reach-en/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
My personal experience matches Klaudia's article. The reach and activity of my social media accounts in the Fediverse is much higher than what I would achieve on Instagram, for example, with the same number of followers. I also experience a much closer relationship with my followers, but more on that later.
Which leads to another aspect of reach: activity.
When I look at my Instagram accounts, the activity has more or less disappeared. People don't comment or even like posts anymore. They watch and scroll. It started with the introduction of Snapchat's copy-cat *Stories*, and is now peaking with span killer and TikTok copy-cat *Reels.* It's gotten so bad that even Instagram has changed its primary metric to views instead of interactions:
[Instagram is making views the primary metric for contentViews, views, views.The Verge](https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/7/24215398/instagram-primary-metric-views?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de)
We now have officially entered the human zombie phase.
They're pushing video so hard that they had to pull back a test of a new interface in 2022 after massive user complaints. The test basically turned the app into a full TikTok clone, and [even celebrities, who made Instagram the self-absorbed hell it is, didn't like it](https://www.theverge.com/2022/7/28/23282682/instagram-rollback-tiktok-feed-recommendations-interview-adam-mosseri?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de). Instagram reversed the changes - for now - and had to add *"but we need to evolve"* to tell their users they were wrong, followed by an explanation that they were just reacting to what users were doing. Blaming users for wanting video in the app is a weak excuse. Especially when you consider that people widely upload single images as videos to please the algorithm.
In the end, it all comes down to this: Instagram is no longer a photo social network. It has become a video social network and will continue to force this change.
**So, what does this mean for me?**
When you leave a platform, you are obviously no longer seen by its users, and the number of Instagram users is huge. But when I look at the interactions and growth of my account, the things Instagram wants me to do (= videos) and the things it's hiding (= my photos posted to 90% of my followers, not to mention specific content), I get the strong feeling that the time and effort I put into Instagram isn't doing anything for my reach. And that I could spend that time on something with more value and impact.
### **Having trouble finding new clients**
As I said at the beginning, Big Tech is very good at telling you how relevant and important they are to you and your business. Everyone seems to be there - and if not everyone, then certainly your customers. "*You have to be where your audience is.*" That's why leaving Instagram feels so hard - especially as self-employed artist.
But Klaudia mentioned a valid thing in her article about why big tech platforms force this narrative:
> "Because the whole „magic“ of commercial social media platforms lies in paid targeted advertising. You will find people who are interested in your work on the big commercial platforms, IF you pay money for it. Or otherwise only to a very limited extent."
Ever wondered why hot people on Tinder & Co. seem to disappear after some swipes? Or why you can boost your profile when you already swiped everyone in your area? That's why. You have to upgrade to a paid subscription to see those 10s that the app hides to free users.
Limiting reach is common business mechanic to make you pay for a service. I remember a discussion among photographers about 10 years ago where the recommendations for Instagram were: *Don't change your profile to a business profile. Don't ever do a paid ad or your organic reach will drop drastically afterwards.*
Which means: if I really want to reach my potential customers on Instagram, I have to do paid advertising. I have to spend money on a platform to boost my photos to people who don't interact anymore, who just consume. I have to spend money on a platform that has officially announced that it will no longer protect people who are already marginalised and oppressed because of their choice of identity or because they are fleeing war. And if you look at Twitter since the takeover, you know it's not going to stop there.
I honestly don't see how being on Instagram in any way aligns with my personal and business values. I can't promote myself as an LGBTQ+ friendly wedding photographer who proclaims to be a safe space for every form of love if I'm financially supporting the persecution and oppression of those I want to be there for. Thanks to my scepticism of meta, I have never subscribed to a verified blue box.
Which brings me back to the statement: *you have to be where your audience is*.
What this statement ignores is that your target audience is also in different places. They may be on Instagram (looking at the millions of users, they certainly are), but there are other places where you can find the same future customers. Places they value much more than an app that makes us all feel like we are not good enough. Places where you and your customers can really bond over common interests or beliefs. It's the best time to finally do your homework and evaluate what your niche is and where you can find those clients - besides Instagram.
Even if I were to stay on Instagram, this is the best and most sustainable thing I can do for my business. I will strengthen my website as the stronghold of my online presence and the only source I can fully control. I will sharpen my profile to speak to and attract my aligned customers. And I will go where they are. Outside the hateful platforms.
### Losing connections with friends and the industry
Leaving Instagram comes with the fear of losing touch with friends I've made on the platform or in real life, such as at workshops or conferences. I can't force them to follow me to the open social web of the Fediverse with Pixelfed as a direct Instagram alternative. I can only offer help and information if they want to join or otherwise stay in touch with me.
I would love to help my industry make the switch too. At the moment I don't think they're going to take any steps away from Instagram. They really have their audience on Instagram: us photographers. And a lot of people in the industry make a lot of money teaching others to ride the algorithm wave.
Fortunately, most of the relevant companies in the (wedding) photography industry also provide newsletters that keep me up to date with upcoming events.
And what about FOMO? Hm, I love my friends, but as a photographer I don't want to see their amazing work and lives every day (luckily I don't because of the algorithm). All these polished lives in the app make me feel like I am not good enough, not doing enough, not working hard enough and living an unfulfilled life. Artificial standards for business, life and relationships.
What I would really like to do is have a vernissage once a year and invite my friends to contribute with their best work of the year. We could stand in a gallery, drink fancy juice from fancy glasses, walk around the prints, bring all our art connoisseur vocabulary to the table and order pizza afterwards.
## Final thoughts
While writing this blog post, I quickly realised that leaving Meta won't be as painful as I first thought. I don't enjoy using their products - especially Instagram - and I don't know many photographers who do. Many of my friends just use their profile as an infrequently updated portfolio or even have it managed by someone else. Something I thought about myself about 6 years ago, when I already lost interest in being the product in an app for advertisers who don't care about my photography.
I even tested a number of options to spend as little time in the app as possible, forwarding Instagram DMs via beeper.com (a Matrix network) or automatically posting my Pixelfed posts to Instagram via an automation service and a Facebook developer account. Meta really knows how to build a wall.
Instagram is an AAA product, where the As stand for AI, Ads and Algorithm. It's extremely noisy (why does everyone feel the need to put a song on their pictures?), it's full of copycat content and it's increasingly showing us that we are its product. In no other world would a company promote AI profiles of fake people and families posting AI content as a good idea. It only makes sense if you want your users to do one thing: consume, not create.
Following Zuckerberg's announcement, right-wing political content will now flood our timeline and we won't be able to turn it off. We can only decide if we want to see less of it, normal or a lot of it. Meta will soon become a fascist media mouthpiece like Twitter after #SpaceKaren took over.
I hope that with this change, Zuckerberg is also experiencing the consequences that have hit Twitter: the withdrawal of major advertising partners. But I nevertheless have to measure each of the fears and concerns I have mentioned against this: the loss of connections, visibility and engagement, or ignoring and tolerating the publicly announced hunt for women, immigrants and other marginalised groups. This is fascism. I don't care if it's for profit or from the heart.
We all know that this company is not on the good side.
Let's stop pretending it doesn't affect us.
### Goodbye 2024
URL: https://blog.sturmsucht.de/goodbye-2024/
Last updated: 2025-01-06T16:46:26.000Z
2024 has vanished and while I spent the last days in solitude with my cat I was looking back to the ups and downs of the last 12 months. And I can tell: 2024 has been a tough one.
I felt a great frustration throughout the year; with my current life, with social media, with the industry I'm working in, god … with the whole damn world to be honest. I often found myself dissociating and fainting as I looked at the world around me from the outside, hardly finding a part that was not fucked up. Be it my industry breaching that luxury, high society weddings are THE new standard. Be it social media becoming more and more an AI bot army that forces you to become a short video influencer to reduce attention span even further. Be it the rise of fascist, genocides or the unstoppable climate catastrophe.
At this point I probably need to apologise to my friends for my more or less constant bad mood in the past and the outbursts of anger at industry, big tech and all the people who are wrong on the internet.
I know I can't change the world. But I can change the way I deal with it. And in 2025 this is what I will do.
## There has been good in 2024 though
Luckily 2024 hasn't been all bad. A short list:
### Storm Guild
After some frustrating experiences piled up within other photography communities, I launched *Storm Guild*, my very own community for introverts, seasoned pro in my age and above and everyone who also feels lost within social media and the mainstream market of our industry (a*t this point a special thanks to Ehrenbruder Jens for being a supporting founding member and the last kick in my ass to get started. Thank you!).* The first steps are done and right now we are already a handful of lovely humans. Looking forward to extend this network throughout this year!
### Social Media
Social media (Instagram especially) and I - that's an ongoing conflict since years now. An irresolvable conflict between my knowledge of the practices, business behaviour and social & political impact of Meta on the one hand and my conscience and believes on the other. This alone is a topic for a dedicated blog post. In 2024, however, I was happy to have found a whole new social universe that aligns way more with me and values and that is ✨*the Fediverse*✨ (or [*new social web*](https://jointhefediverse.net/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) as some are calling it). Yet another platform, you might think? Yes and no, as the underlaying foundation is an open source protocol that guarantees apps to be ad, tracking and algorithm free. Good old Social Media 1.0 vibes here and I will definitely dive deeper into it in one of the next blog posts.
### Blogging & Ghost
Speaking of blog posts: while crawling my way through the Fediverse, I felt encouraged by its lovely people to start blogging again. I always loved writing as it's a wonderful way for an introvert to express themself and with [Ghost](https://ghost.org/?ref=blog.sturmsucht.de) I found a wonderful open source platform to do so. But I haven't done it for a while because *blogging … that's what you did 10 years ago! Today you have to use Instagram or TikTok to get seen and become rich and famous.* Fuck that.
### Trips & Travels, Family & Friends
I had some good times with my closest friends during periods where I needed them most. Getting out of my four walls to *literally* change my perspective on life and work has kept me sane. It made me also realise that I need to prioritise the fun stuff in my life in the future. So thanks, my dears, for the unforgettable theatre trip to Vienna, the grounding midsommar days on a Swedish island and for having me at a conference to connect with my like-minded and refreshing honest colleagues. Also spending some time with my family before Christmas felt nice and overdue.
---
There were definitely more good things happening in 2024\. For example, last year I met and photographed some of the most wonderful people *(special shout out to all you brave elopement folk!)* who have kept my inner flame and passion for my art and my job going, and I'm looking forward to meeting some of them again this year.
In retrospective 2024 has been a year of internal change and transition for me. A transition that is still ongoing, but the fog is lifting more and more which makes me happy and curious about all the things that will unveil before me in the months to come. Until then I will follow the advise I read somewhere:
> When the world is too loud, too scary, much:
> Stop consuming, start creating.