Every photographer needs a tripod to get those tack sharp photos or long exposures, but there are times when tripods become annoying and it's time to put them down. 

If you want to do any of the following, you need a tripod:

• Long exposures
• Tack sharp photos
• HDR
• Focus stacking
• Stroboscopic photos
• Food or Product photography

There are many more times when a tripod really helps, and it's an essential tool. 

We'll discuss which types and materials to buy depending upon your needs. Some tripods cost a lot more than others, some are bigger than others, and there's no need paying for features you aren't going to use.

You'll learn how to decide which tripod materials and features matter most to you so you can make the right buying choice.

The post Why Tripods Are So Annoying and Absolutely Necessary appeared first on William Beem Photography.

Visit the show notes at:  https://williambeem.com/episode171

Everyone has a relationship with food, so it's an interesting story for most people. We all eat at least once a day, and hopefully more. Food photography is a great subject to build your audience - whether you're looking for a nutritional message, culinary tips, or just Instagram-worthy photos.

We'll help you understand how to create interesting backgrounds, lighting and styling for your food photos for studio or Instagramming your favorite restaurant menu items. 

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. Why Food Photography is so enjoyable
2. How to tell a story with your food photos
3. How to choose or create the perfect background for your food
4. How to setup your lighting or use available light
5. How to style your food to create the right mood

Visit the show notes at:  https://williambeem.com/episode170

Looking for some inspiration for your next photo? Well, you won't find it here. In this episode, we discuss why inspiration - while good - isn't the secret to creating better photos. 

Inspiration is unreliable. Yet plenty of photographers and influencers propose to offer you inspiration for your photography.

We think that's a bit misleading, because that isn't how inspiration works.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why ideas and examples aren't inspiration
• That real inspiration is a surprise
• How to improve your odds of being inspired

Inspiration is a wonderful thing when it strikes, but it's good to know is and isn't truly inspiration.

You will never progress as a "wanna-be" photographer. Learn why it's imperative to assert that you are a photographer and how that changes the way you approach your photography. In this episode, we'll help you learn:

• Why you have to stop Wanting and start Being a photographer
• Why your mental attitude about photography affects your performance as a photographer
• How to get started as a photographer

The post Why You Don't Want to Be a Photographer (You Are One) appeared first on William Beem Photography.

Have questions or comments? Be sure to join the conversation on the show notes page.

Visit the show notes at:  https://williambeem.com/episode168

How you behave as a photographer can mean the difference between getting a photo or not. If you have poor etiquette, you won't find much luck getting access or collaborating with others. 

In this episode, we'll define a few things:

• What is photo etiquette
• Why this matters to amateurs and professionals alike
• Why your online behavior may matter more than your in-person behavior
• The number one question you need to ask yourself before presenting yourself as a photographer

Lee and I tried to approach this topic in a respectful way, as we aren't trying to talk down to anyone. It's just that we've been around a few touchy issues that likely could've been avoided, and we hope to share some of those experiences with you so that you never have them in the first place.