When Waterloo Calls

When Waterloo Calls: How I Turn a Brussels Commute into a Drone-Fueled History Lesson

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take… and the history you don’t explore.” — Some guy in a lion statue

Okay, folks, picture this: it’s 4 PM on a Tuesday, you’re crawling out of yet another soul-sucking office meeting in Brussels, the traffic’s slower than your grandma’s Wi-Fi, and you’re about to resign yourself to another mind-numbing slog home. But WAIT—did someone say waterloo? (No, not the ABBA song—though I’ve definitely blasted that on repeat while I was lining up the drone shot.)

Step 1: Embrace the “Commute Hack” Mindset

Tom Bilyeu would call this “reframing your paradigm.” Gary V would scream “JAB, JAB, RIGHT HOOK!” (but with drones). Translation: stop seeing your daily drive as a black hole of despair—instead, see it as opportunity. Opportunity to:

• Stretch your creative muscles
• Level up your drone piloting
• Absorb a killer dose of Euro-history

Every traffic jam is just one more second to plan your epic overhead composition. Just saying…

Step 2: Check the Weather & Sun Position

I don’t always roll past Waterloo, but when I do, I turn into a full-blown meteorologist and astrologer. Sun too high? Your shots turn into a blown-out pancake. Clouds too angry? Say “cheese” ’cause you’re about to get bland, flat light. Ideal: low, golden sun kissing the plains, casting that chef’s kiss of long shadows around the Lion’s Mound.

Pro Tip: Use apps like Windy and Photopills. If you’re not planning, you’re playing… Russian Roulette with your ISO, and essentially, with your entire drone if it suddenly starts pouring...

Step 3: Mini 3 Pro to the Rescue (…Still Waiting on the Mini 5 Pro)

Look, DJI, I love you—but releasing the Mini 5 Pro would be the ultimate Christmas gift. Until then, my trusty Mini 3 Pro (aka “Lil’ Lion Tamer”) handles the job just fine:

1. Panorama Mode for that 180° sweep of fields, villages, and horizon.
2. Top-Down HDR to capture every blade of grass on the mound.
3. Silhouette Shot: Sun behind the lion statue = instant drama.

Don’t forget ND filters to keep your shutter speeds cinematic if you're filming—because nobody wants their Lionel King to look like a neon blur.

Step 4: Storytelling through the Lens

You’re not just “taking pictures.” You’re weaving a narrative:

• Opening shot: Wide panorama, scale of Waterloo’s fields—“This is where Napoleon met his Wi-Fi nightmare.”
• Middle act: Top-down HDR of the Lion’s Mound—“Behold the beast, guarding centuries of grit.”
• Finale: Silhouette against the setting sun—“Legend says if you listen closely, you can still hear ABBA echoing off the stones.”

Final Thoughts

Back in my day, we needed a trenchcoat and spyglass for historic recon. Now? A $500 drone and a bit of hustle. So next time you’re stuck in Brussels traffic, remember: the battlefield of boredom can always be conquered by the wings of creativity.

Go forth, take flight, and make history—and while you’re at it, snag that Mini 5 Pro for me, DJI. I’m counting on you.

Just saying…

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