3. Street Photography, NYC Nightlife & Finding Your Creative Voice | Terrel Phelps

The parties. The chaos. The photos you won’t believe. Terrel Phelps, aka Disposable Relly, shows NYC like you’ve never seen it. He’s the photographer and creative force behind Bodega Flowers, capturing everything from wild East Hampton summer parties and NYC nightlife to quiet street scenes and authentic, human moments.In this episode of Before We Cheers with Zach Miller, Terrel takes us behind the lens of his journey—from a personal passion project to a thriving creative community—and shares the stories, lessons, and moments that shaped him.They dive into:-How COVID sparked a creative renaissance and forged lasting friendships-The evolution of NYC’s social scene through his photography-Finding your own voice and building something meaningful from scratch-Iconic snapshots from parties, clubs, and art shows you’ve definitely seen but didn’t know the story behindTimestamps: 00:00 – Introduction02:00 – Weekend vs weekday event life & sleep schedule03:47 – Maintaining relationships in NYC nightlife04:17 – Growing up: middle school & high school basketball rivalry10:05 – Nostalgia: Facebook groups & buying tickets pre-COVID11:10 – First camera & taking photos for myself12:34 – COVID era: making friends & street photography14:50 – Mentorship & photography advice from Jeremy Liebman16:06 – NYC career pipelines & kids learning online18:49 – AI, technology & modern student life20:42 – Instagram: portfolio vs gallery experience23:15 – Bodega Flowers & favorite photos31:23 – Disposable camera photos & East Hampton adventures35:04 – Segment: Snapshot or Skip – pop culture flashback41:11 – Closing cheers: never give up