For photography buffs, the New York State Fair is a kaleidoscope of colorful subjects and exciting action. Of course, many Fair visitors carry a camera, if only a cell phone with photo capability. But getting the most out of your pictures, whether it’s the kids on a ride, an adorable animal or a memorable performance isn’t as simple as point and click.

State Fair Hound is here to help with these hints and tips from Hound photo editor Nick LoPresti:

When shooting a concert with a black backdrop, it is important to manually adjust your exposure to achieve proper lighting of the musicians. You can do that even if you have a point-and-shoot camera.

To shoot fireworks you need a tripod because you will be using long exposure times, from five to 10 seconds, impossible to hand-hold without blurring. Manually pre-focus.

Here’s a long shot that could become a portrait as illustrated in the next photo, simply by zooming in or cropping and reframing.

This is an example of an action shot taken after Nick pre-focused manually. You may have to try several times to get the proper timing.

It seems that into each New York State Fair some rain must fall. But when it does, there’s no reason to stay home. There’s so much indoors to enjoy and with some foresight, a wet day can still be a great one on the Fairgrounds.

OK, so you may not be able to ride your favorite midway contraption and some of the outdoor shows will be cancelled, but you’ll have the advantage of encountering fewer people crowding the grounds, shorter lines and less competition for many attractions.

Regular State Fair Hound readers know that the number one rainy-day tip offered here is waterproof shoes. Infrastructure improvements over the past few years have reduced flooding along walkways, but there’s no avoiding some puddles and soft spots on unpaved ground.

Add an umbrella or better yet a waterproof jacket or poncho, and you can cover a lot of ground without much problem.

Oddly enough, many of these same indoor-exhibit strategies can work to get you inside and cooled off on sunny, humid days. Most major buildings are air conditioned and there’s good airflow through the barns. Remember–Much of the Fair is indoors where it’s always dry.

Wednesday marks the opening of the 2018 New York State Fair. State Fair Hound will be on hand, of course, keeping you up to date with all of the excitement and pleasures of those fabulous 13 days. You should to expect larger-than-usual evening crowds arriving for concerts at the amphitheater Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Attending the Fair earlier those days is highly recommended.

As always, planning your day at the Fair before heading out is the best way to give yourself a chance to maximize your enjoyment. See you there.

Advance New York State Fair tickets are on sale, but before you stock up, search out any tickets you have left over from last year. They will be accepted at the gates every day this year. When unplanned $1 admission days were added during the 2017 Fair, many ticket holders wisely held onto their $6 ducats and were rewarded when the State validated them for this year.

It’s a great deal if you have a few tucked away–it’s like getting in free.

Don’t forget about all of the promotions that allow free or reduced-priced admission on various days this year. The complete list is on the Fair website, www.nysfair.ny.gov.

So do your inventory of 2017 tix, supplement with some 2018 advance sale and get ready to make it over to the Empire State’s greatest show.

If Mom left her purse home or Dad forgot to check his list before loading the kids into the car, your day at the Fair doesn’t have to be ruined. You can find sunscreen, , bug spray, ponchos, medicine, batteries and all of the indispensable items you may need to avoid disaster and keep the fun flowing by stopping at Fair Essentials, a business started in 2011 by two Baldwinsville men.

Their wooden shack displays a large sign to introduce their general store where they sell “Everything convenient, everything essential, Fair Essentials.” This year you can find them at the western end of Broadway, not far from the Cow Birthing Center.

A complete list of items and prices is posted on the stand, allowing notoriously cautious fairgoers to feel comfortable choosing what they need. The General Store is coincidentally located right next to an ATM. Now in their seventh year, these guys are the vendors most likely to save the day.

Whether you take a tram to stop number 2 or stroll over from the main square, you may hear drumbeats calling you to the lovely Pan African Village. A festive tent in the middle of the action is well-stocked with handmade craft items. Colorfully-attired proprietors display unusual clothing, jewelry and statuary.

Hot rhythms from the nearby stage add to the ambience of one of the most exotic and exciting Fair locales. Every visit is enhanced by the spicy aromas of resident food vendors cooking signature dishes from Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa.

This year, the village has been tweaked with more walking space, enhanced signage and spruced-up décor to make this venerable Fair neighborhood seem fresh and new. The Pan African Village should be on every Fair itinerary.

The strong storms that rocked the Fairgrounds the day before opening day served to remind that the rough weather can hit at any time, jeopardizing the safety of patrons and workers alike. Earlier that day, Acting Director Troy Waffner accepted a certificate from David Nicosia of the National Weather Service in recognition of the Fair’s storm-ready status. That basically means that there is a plan in place to monitor potentially bad weather, to effectively communicate that information throughout the grounds and to take actions to promote safety. While visitors can walk through the gates ready for a day of fun, it’s comforting to know that the Fair is prepared for weather-related emergencies.

Visitors can come home from the New York State Fair feeling exhausted after a day of pounding the blacktop, standing in food stand lines, shopping Center of Progress gadgets and focusing on entertainment from Chevy Court to the Iroquois Village. While it’s always been true that having too much fun at the Fair wears you out faster than running a marathon, it was never more true than last year. The cause, of course was the sparkling new, expanded layout of the grounds.

While the entire Fairgrounds didn’t get larger—it’s still the 375 acres it’s always been—many fans likely toured more of it than they had in previous years. The turf formerly occupied by the mile-long oval track and the massive acreage that had been the infield are now part of the center area. Back then, folks rarely made the trek across the track to the infield, despite the best efforts over the years of Fair planners, who tried many different attractions to utilize it. So, even though that area was part of the whole package, it was largely invisible to Fairgoers.

That’s no longer true. Last year the newly-enlarged midway and the Broadway area were crowded with people trekking across the just-opened vastness of that middle ground and enduring the blisters and perspiration that came with it. Thus, it’s really important to think ahead and prioritize your walking, recognizing that you can’t do it all in one day. Use the tram and take frequent breaks to avoid getting exhausted. You’ll have a much better Fair experience if you do.

If you can , go several times, planning ahead to maximize each visit by focusing on making a few stops each time at your favorite building, exhibit or entertainment venue. It’s more affordable than ever to get through the gate, so go two or three times rather than try to do too much in one visit. Your dogs will thanks you.