We cover how to take fireworks photos on this show, covering how to plan your shot, prepare your gear, and we provide some best practices to perfect your fireworks photography.

Visit the show notes at:  https://williambeem.com/episode126

Knowing how to take fireworks photos that impress requires more than having a tripod and knowing how to shoot at a small aperture. The fireworks photos that really please people are the ones that tell a story. The explosions by themselves make for boring photos. When you put your photos in context with people, a place or an event – then you have an interesting photo that tells a story.

In this episode, we cover how to take fireworks photos on this show, covering how to plan your shot, prepare your gear, and we provide some best practices to perfect your fireworks photography.

Plan Your Fireworks Photography Before You Leave the House

Fireworks photography sometimes comes down to luck. The best way to improve your odds and have good luck is to know what shot you want to get before you ever leave the house.

You can do that by studying the location where you want to do your fireworks photography.

Know the Lay of the Land

When you think about it, fireworks photography is a lot like landscape photography. You need a foreground, a middle and a background. All of those elements will help provide your photo with depth, but it also helps you as a visual storyteller. You can decide what elements go where.

Photos of fireworks exploding on a dark sky alone are boring. There's no context with that kind of shot.

Use your environment to put your fireworks in context. You want to show something that tells people where you are. Use people enjoying the fireworks as a foreground element. You may need to get way back to include the crowd, or maybe shoot across a river to show a cityscape under the fireworks.

These ideas mean that you have to know what you want in your photo before you leave the house, and where you need to place your camera to include those elements.

Sometimes that means missing out on the party where all the people are. Such is the life of photography. You can get the shot, or you can participate in the event. It's hard to do both well at the same time.

Research Past Fireworks Events on YouTube

Most cities and locations tend to shoot fireworks in the same spot year after year. That gives you an advantage to research the show on YouTube.

For example, I've never been to Philadelphia before. If I wanted to do some fireworks photography there, I'm clueless about the location and where to find the best view of the fireworks.

That's when I go to YouTube.

I just entered the query – Philadelphia Fireworks Show – in YouTube. The search returned about 87,000 results. You can see how the City of Brotherly Love puts on its fireworks show year after year, from plenty of points of view.  You even get drone videos to show the fireworks from the air.

Maybe you can use those videos for ideas to get a completely different type of shot. See if you can get access on a rooftop or balcony on a tall building to take in the whole show at once.

I did that with this shot on Independence Day at Walt Disney World by getting on a hotel balcony outside of the Magic Kingdom.

Visualize the Shot You Want

Does your location have an iconic building, statue or some other feature? If this is your first time photographing fireworks, there's nothing wrong with getting a classic shot for your location.

People in New York love fireworks over the Statue of Liberty, above the city skyline, or over the Brooklyn Bridge. The City of Orlando uses the iconic fountain in Lake Eola as a location for its fireworks events.

Once again, do your research and decide what you want your final result to look like. Chances are that it isn't about the specific fireworks bursts, but finding those explosions over or near a view that tells your viewers where you are and what you're celebrating.

Learn How to Protect Your photography gear and follow TSA Regulations on Your Next Photo Trip.

Visit the show notes at:  https://williambeem.com/episode125

Understanding how to travel with your camera and photography accessories can save you a lot of aggravation, pain and potentially money. This episode talks about some of the things you need to consider before you decide to hit the road or board an airplane with your photography gear.

Why You Should Always Keep Your Camera and Lenses as Carry-on Items

Before we get into anything else, there's one clear point that I hope sticks with you.

Always keep your camera and lenses with you as carry-on items.

My concern isn't as much about theft – while that is a small possibility – as it is about damaged or missing luggage. Airport baggage handlers have a tough job. They have thousands of heavy bags that are constantly being sorted from one location to another. It's a pretty thankless task, as most passengers never see or interact with these workers.

Considering that the maximum weight for a suitcase with many airlines is 50 pounds, that's a lot of weight to keep picking up from one spot and putting it down in another. Bags are awkward and the workers are under time pressure to keep everything moving.

Sometimes that doesn't leave time for delicacy.

They have no idea if something delicate or valuable is inside your luggage. Honestly, I doubt they care. Your bag is a 50 pound widget that goes from this place to that place. It's going to get tossed, dropped, stacked, lugged and maybe even kicked into place.

Do you really want your precious DSLR or expensive lenses to be inside that bag? I don't.

What Gear Do You Keep as Carry-on and What Can Go in Your Luggage?

There are some pieces of your gear that can safely go into your stowed luggage. I typically put my tripod or monopod inside of my suitcase. It's never been stolen or damaged. The only thing that ever happened is that I found a card inside my suitcase telling me that the TSA opened it to inspect the content.

My guess is that tripod probably looked a bit out of place and they wanted to make sure it wasn't a bad device.

The simple rule for deciding what can go in your suitcase is this:

Anything that you won't be devastated if it gets damaged or your suitcase goes on the wrong plane and isn't available when you land. It's rare, but sometimes suitcases get lost.

The items you keep with you are the precious items that may get damaged or are devastating if you lose them.

Lee mentioned that she's fine putting her memory cards in the suitcase. That's something I would never do. I can't take photos when I arrive without a memory card, and I'd hate to lose all of my photos on the way home if the suitcase gets lost or damaged.

Exceptions to My Rules

Keep in mind that my rules are not binding, but the airlines and regulating bodies like the TSA have some clout. Make sure you check the TSA article about Safely Packing Batteries for Your Trip to understand the rules and recommendations.

While you can keep some batteries in checked luggage, the TSA recommends that you keep them as carry-on items. Also, spare lithium batteries (both lithium metal and lithium ion/polymer) are prohibited in checked baggage.

Another exception to keeping everything as carry-on is when it simply isn't practical. Some commercial photographers travel with special cases and bags to carry a lot of gear for an assignment. They may use everything from hard-sided Pelican cases to ThinkTank Production Manager or Logistics Manager bags – large rolling cases designed to carry lighting gear, stands and more.

It's hard to travel with some extreme telephoto lenses, like 500mm and up. If you're planning on photographing wildlife, sports or some other genres that requires a lot of focal range, you may need to spend some money on a quality case and give the Sk...

Capturing great travel photography and video using mobile devices like an iPhone, GoPro or a point and shoot like the Canon G7x Mark II is easier than you may think.

Visit the show notes at:  https://williambeem.com/episode124

Capturing great travel photos and video using mobile devices like an iPhone, GoPro or a point and shoot like the Canon G7x Mark II is easier than you may think. We discuss what worked for us on a recent trip and something that didn't live up to the hype.

Why You May Want to Leave Your DSLR at Home

Think about the purpose of your trip. Is it a photography or video trip, or is it a vacation?

One thing I've learned is that it's really very hard to combine the two types of trips into one. If you're on a family vacation and you bring a lot of gear to take photos, then you're missing out on the purpose of your trip. Maybe your family understands, but you miss time with them and vice versa.

In other words, you may not be together while you're out taking photos.

If it's a photo or video trip, no worries. Go explore. Plan a list of shots that you want to take and execute your plan. I've done this plenty of times when I was single. I didn't disappoint anyone.

Thinking about lugging your DSLR along to capture nice photos with your family?

It sounds like a great idea. If you're not on the move, it may truly be a great idea. The time it becomes a lousy idea is when you're out away from your room or rental home. As you wander the streets with your DSLR, it gains weight. Seriously, you'd think the camera was munching on snacks and putting on pounds as you walk.

If the weight of your camera isn't manageable, you probably won't take it with you. If you do lug it along, you may end up miserable with it.

Smart Phones are Ubiquitous

If you decide to shoot with your smart phone, you won't stand out in the crowd. Nearly everyone carries a smart phone these days. Nobody bats an eye if you whip out an iPhone to take a few photos or video.

The reaction you get with a DSLR may be a bit different. While most times I was out shooting photos with my Nikon were trouble-free, I had a few incidents because of my “professional camera.”

Some places really don't care for people with DSLRs.

Twice I've had officials at Walt Disney World harass me for taking photos with my Nikon DSLR. Never mind that almost everyone else was taking photos of the same thing, I had a “professional” camera and it drew attention. Yet I've never seen them harass a photographer with an iPhone, GoPro or Point & Shoot camera.

These cameras are lightweight, inconspicuous and actually create some very nice results these days. You may end up with better travel photos and video as a result. They give you the freedom to involve yourself in the location and still capture nice images when the right subject or moment appears.

Should You Plan in Advance or Get Lost in the Destination?

A lot of travel photographers share the advice that you should allow yourself to get lost in your destination. It's not a bad thought. You'll discover things you never knew existed. Maybe you'll get some photos that others missed.

Some people love to plan, though. I'm actually one of them. There are some benefits to making shot lists and plans before you go. This is particularly true for video.

That's because you need to tell a cohesive story with your video clips, and understand how your shots will transition from one clip to the next.

Don't overthink those transitions, though. They can be nice and perhaps clever, but people don't really care how clever you are. They just want a nice video with a story. Something that tells them about the place, what you did, or better yet, what they can do if they visit.

So should you be a planner or a wanderer? I think you can succeed either way. Go with your gut feeling. Do what makes you happy. Just remember that busting out of your comfort zone every once in a while may lead to some new results you like.

What is Your Travel Story?

The point of capturing travel photos and video is to tell a story.

Upgrade your photography to stop taking average photos and learn how to create something eye-catching, instead?

Visit the show notes at:  https://williambeem.com/episode123

Do you want to stop taking average photos and learn how to create something eye-catching, instead? Some people get these concepts right away, and others go for years wondering why their photos just never rise to the top.

In this episode of The Photo Flunky Show, we're going to share 5 tips to help you understand where you can improve your results and stop taking average photos.

You Need Beautiful Light

Perhaps you've heard this tip until you're sick in the head, but you still don't truly know what it means. After all, what do you do if the light just isn't beautiful when you want to take photos?

For starters, you accept the notion that you may have to adjust your photo schedule to the time when the light is at its best. Outdoor lighting is generally best at sunrise and sunset.

Be patient. Get there before sunrise. Wait until after sunset. The best light doesn't always happen at the specific time each day for the sun to rise or set. That glow you get before the sun rises or after it sets may be what you need.

The Problem with Overhead Lighting

You're dealing with a few factors during these times. The first is sidelight. We're used to the notion that light comes from above. Our building interiors usually have lighting on the ceiling. Most of our daytime hours features the sun above us.

What do we get from the majority of that light?

Hard shadows. Boring light. We're used to light coming from above, so there isn't anything special about it. That means taking your photos with light from above isn't special, either.

Light has direction. Use it to impress your viewers. Make the light come from an interesting angle. If you can't do that by waiting for it to appear naturally, use your flash to create the light you need.

Daylight Balanced Light is Everywhere

Light has color.

Daylight balanced light is perfect for documenting someone. Nice headshots have daylight balanced lighting. They aren't very exciting, though.

Color excites the eye.

That doesn't mean you have to turn your subject into the Green Goblin, but you can add mood or feeling to a photo with a subtle change in the color of light. Using a color gel on the background could add excitement or interest to an otherwise drab photo.

Warm colors generally flatter portrait subjects. Cool colors drain the life out of your subjects. That may be OK if you need to show a bleary world, something sinister or generally unhappy.

Choose the Quality of Your Light

Typically, we believe that soft light is more flattering to our portrait subjects, and general photo subjects. That doesn't mean that hard light is bad light, though.

The fighter above works outdoors in midday light. You can see harsh shadows and specular highlights that tell you this light is beating down on him. That's part of his story. Hard light reveals his muscles and the fact that he's a pretty tough guy.

If I waited to get a shot of him in the shade next to that punching bag, you wouldn't get the same view of who he is.

The quality of light isn't good or bad. It's situational. Good light for this subject may be inappropriate for another.

In general, I prefer soft light. I like to see a subtle gradation of shadows rather than a harsh line.

It's a bit more flattering.

You Need the Right Angle of View

Rules are made to be broken. Just not all the time. Here's a list of things that you shouldn't do with your photo angles.

* Shoot at eye level

* Center your subject

Why We Avoid Eye Level Photos

What does everyone see every day?

Life at eye level. It's normal. It isn't unique or interesting. It's what we expect, which makes it mundane.

Let me clarify something about eye level, though. I'm specifically talking about shooting at your eye level. If you're taking a portrait of a person or an animal,

If you want to learn how to improve your creativity and photography, you're going to also have to learn how to let go of a few things.

Visit the show notes at:  https://williambeem.com/episode122

If you want to learn how to improve your creativity to become a better photographer, you're going to also have to learn how to let go of a few things. Not the least of which is the kind of lessons that were driven into you since childhood.

Why Do Photographers Need to Be Creative in the First Place?

Spend enough time online within the realm of photography and you'll hear someone refer to us as “Creatives.”

If we're supposed to be creative, why is most of the photography training we receive delivered in the form of recipes? We're told how to use the Rule of Thirds, which complementary colors to use, and we're sold endless presets to paste someone else's post processing on our photos.

Is that really what it means to be creative these days?

Of course not.

While many of these solutions can truly help photographers, they aren't exactly creative. Photographers who want to stand out from the rest truly need to be creative, but how we go about that depends upon your motivation. Just what reward do you want from your creativity?

So What Happened to My Creativity?

I believe that we're all born as creative people. Children don't know how to do anything other than be creative. They're exploring the world without lessons or boundaries imposed by adults.

Any parent will tell you that creativity is messy.

That's because kids aren't naturally afraid of making mistakes. They don't care about being orderly. They aren't trying to fit in with anyone else. They just want to be free and creative. They want to explore their new life and sometimes you gotta make a mess to do it.

That's when we start to impose order upon children. We provide them with structure and boundaries.

As we do, some of their creativity dies.

A while later, kids go to school and get more lessons, more order, and less creativity. We learn that we can't do what we want, when we want. More than that, we learn that other people are judging us.

That's new.

It used to be you could make someone else happy by pooping in your pants, but now that's no longer acceptable. You start learning to feel bad for some of the things that you used to do.

Basically, our creativity suffers when we do what we think others expect of us.

How Do I Get My Creative Juices Flowing Again?

Now we know what's happened to our creativity. We became civilized and creativity was beaten out of us. Banished. Not welcome in a productive society.

Fortunately, our sense of creativity isn't truly gone. It's just learned to hide in the face of potential embarrassment, ridicule or scorn from others.

There are times when you can get truly creative and receive praise for it. One of my favorite quotes came from Gen. George Patton:

“Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.”

In a nutshell, that's what you need to do with your photography. Here are a few hints to help you get there.

Stop Worrying What Other People Think

We inhibit ourselves because we don't want others to think poorly of us. Never mind the idea of doing something that may cause others to think well of us! Plenty of people are trying to avoid a negative impression instead of going for a positive one.

Creative people don't truly spend a lot of time worrying about what someone else thinks of their work. Yes, they want to be appreciated, but that isn't the most important thing in their life.

If they create something they truly love, and others don't like it, the creative person i more likely to think that everyone else just doesn't get it or is somehow incapable of seeing the beauty of their work. They won't change their opinion of their creation, though. It's still wonderful and self-satisfying.

Those are the folks who can give themselves over to creativity because they do it for their own reasons, not for public praise.