Using a Flash to take pictures of fireworks is like taking a bath with your clothes on. I know it's hard to find time to read (with all the rushing around and ignoring people aound you), but learn some basic functions of your camera so that the rest of us aren't blind. More often than not you're built in flash makes a photo worse.
To paraphrase the immortal words of Dr. Ian Malcolm, "Just because you can (take a photograph) doesn't mean you should (take a photograph)". Words to live by.
Often it feels that "photographers" are more interested in their equipment (and aquiring "vintage" Polaroids, etc) rather than the images they create. Do something (with what you have), don't just have something (because it's cool to own it).
You know what you can't fix with Photoshop? Taking an actual good photograph. Look past the colorizing and fliters and composites of 25 separate exposures and see if you can find a story. If there's not story, there's no photograph, just a snapshot for a scrapbook dedicated of a to some faceless hipsters feet.
When a cellphone app can replicate that coveted "I'm so cool I use film but not really because I don't have the money to spend on it but I'm really awesome, look at this lonely tree" look, it might be time to think about taking real photos.
Take photos what you love and what interests you — and chances are someone else will love it too (and pay you for it) — unless your passion is HDR, then only murderers and Satan-worshipers will love you.
I know it's difficult and time consuming, but you might want to try not just standing there when you shoot something. For instance, bend your knees. Or even better, get down on the ground. Or how about this, stand on a chair. Perspective. Get some.
Just because someone does a fashion shoot with an iPhone 4 don't be fooled into thinking you can also — well, unless you have $45,000 worth of lighting equipment. With that kind of equipment you can shoot a piece of belly-button lint with a pin-hole camera and it would look great.
When a famed and talented photographer like Jeremy Cowart start to lose large clients to 14 year olds who think an f/stop is a sexual position and that aperture is just a software program, then you know professional photography is in a major state of "talent tainting".
It appears that tomorrow, Sunday June 27th, is "International HDR Day", or what I will call it, "International Worship Photos Created By Satan Day". To honor the day I will be squirking lemon juice and lighter fluid into my eyes and setting them on fire (thanks for the heads up carissa).