Yes I stopped looking frantically at the LCD on the back of my digital cameras after each and every shot. And I think it has made me take better pictures.
I often use some very simple ”studio” setups to shoot small items in my office or my living room, even my bedroom. There's no reason to make things too complicated.
Giving stuff away for free can be a very good way of making money. I have written about that before, and the current economic state of the world makes this even more true.
Motion pictures have severely influenced my photography. Pictures in movies are generally very well thought through and well executed. Here's a list of my ten favorites.