The Disneyland Photo of the Day...

[KEBSD]

6-26-12
Today’s “Disneyland Photo Tip of the Day” shows Why and How to replace a sky in a HDR photograph.

Awesome tutorial! I will definitely use this. Thank you!

[chris001]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[Hot Sauce 1]

Here's a tad bit o' pretty for today. I'm not usually a fan of this type of heavy textured HDR work but I thought it fitting for this shot. The Storytellers Statue is actually somewhat dull in its texture and color tone, so I wanted to give it more detail and depth than it actually has.

There Once Was A Man Who Had A Dream... by Ring of Fire Hot Sauce 1, on Flickr

[sbk1234]

That's sweet!

[Hot Sauce 1]

Here's the bit o' pretty for today. This is another one where I replaced the sky with the sky from the -2 exposure. I also painted in the Carthay Circle marquee with the -2 and all the street lights.

A New Hope.... by Ring of Fire Hot Sauce 1, on Flickr

[Hot Sauce 1]

Here's another more unique bit o' pretty for today. I used the Van Gogh setting in the new Smart Photo Editor for this one. The reason I went with a stylized look for it was because I kept thinking the composition was just a tiny bit boring in the original photo. It was good but it didn't pop. Once I applied the Van Gogh filter to it, the whole think seemed to pop off my screen. This is one that I think would look really nice printed on canvas.


The Way You Used to Love Me... by Ring of Fire Hot Sauce 1, on Flickr

[KEBSD]

Wow. That is awesome...

[Hot Sauce 1]

Here's a bit o' pretty for today. Sorry I haven't had any new tutorials lately. Work is totally insane and we have no idea why we are so crazy busy.

A Vew with A View... by Ring of Fire Hot Sauce 1, on Flickr

[Tiki]

Love the trolley car treatment Mike - I've got to download that program.

Smart Photo Editor is on sale right now for $29.95 if anyone is interested.

You're hot sauce is still the best I've ever had.

I'm thinking you guys need a large factory with lots of mangers and employees so that you have more time to spend in the parks!

[timbre]

Here's a bit o' pretty for today. Sorry I haven't had any new tutorials lately. Work is totally insane and we have no idea why we are so crazy busy.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's busy becasue you guys make the best hot sauce and other products out there.

[Hot Sauce 1]

Love the trolley car treatment Mike - I've got to download that program.

Smart Photo Editor is on sale right now for $29.95 if anyone is interested.

You're hot sauce is still the best I've ever had.

I'm thinking you guys need a large factory with lots of mangers and employees so that you have more time to spend in the parks!

I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's busy becasue you guys make the best hot sauce and other products out there.

We need something. I don't know what is going on out there but it is getting STUPID busy. I feel like we just opened our own Cars Land or something.

June was really busy and all of our big distributors ordered real big so I figured July would be a bit slow and I would have time to catch up on things. As of July 2nd, we have orders that equal 3 weeks worth of sales, including the largest purchase order we have ever had in our 20 years. I'm tired and want to go to Disneyland!

Here's a touch o' pretty for today. I should have a short tutorial up in a day or two.

The new lady on the block... by Ring of Fire Hot Sauce 1, on Flickr

[PressPersily]

Here's another more unique bit o' pretty for today. I used the Van Gogh setting in the new Smart Photo Editor for this one. The reason I went with a stylized look for it was because I kept thinking the composition was just a tiny bit boring in the original photo. It was good but it didn't pop. Once I applied the Van Gogh filter to it, the whole think seemed to pop off my screen. This is one that I think would look really nice printed on canvas.


The Way You Used to Love Me... by Ring of Fire Hot Sauce 1, on Flickr

Wow, that is amazing. I'm gonna be completely honest here, this seems like a real painting, not a photo with a filter. That is amazing. I would love to see more photos like these of the new DCA. Thank you for taking the time to post these wonderful pictures and tutorials.

[Hot Sauce 1]

7-4-12
Today's "Disneyland Photo Tip of the Day" goes indoors and takes a look at White Balance and Tungsten.

This post is mostly for people using a Point & Shoot camera since the majority of them only shoot in jpeg format. It would also be for those people who shoot on jpeg with their DSLR's.

One of the huge benefits of a DSLR is the ability to shoot in RAW. A RAW file leaves a lot of the adjustments open that you would normally have to do in the camera. The White Balance setting is by far the most necessary adjustment that can be made in the computer after the photo is taken. If you shoot in jpeg, you don't have the ability to make those changes after you click the shutter.

Anytime you shoot indoors, you are most likely under some kind of incandescent or compact fluorescent lighting. The color temperature of that lighting is horrible and is why most people come out looking like they have yellow fever. It doesn't matter how good your camera is, leaving it on Auto White Balance does not get it right under indoor lighting conditions. I'm using a Canon 7D, which is a semi pro camera and very highly rated but it doesn't even come close to getting the right color temp indoors, especially under specialty lighting like you have everywhere in Disneyland. Without resorting to a Custom set White Balance, Tungsten is the closest setting for getting the proper color tone in these conditions.

Let's take a look at some of the more commonly photographed indoor spaces in Disneyland to illustrate my point.

To make it easier to see the difference, the photo on the left was set to Auto White Balance. The photo on the right is set to Tungsten.
First up is the beautiful chandelier in the Plaza Inn restaurant.


Next is one of the upper displays in the Emporium on Main St.


Over in the Disney Gallery there is a wonderful old model of Disneyland that really has some funky light on it, (according to the camera)


There is also a model of the Castle and Snow White's Grotto that is fun to photograph.


One of the more difficult locations that actually requires a custom White Balance setting or for you to shoot in RAW is inside the Golden Horseshoe Saloon. The shot on the left is on Auto, the middle is on Tungsten and on the right is with a custom white balance set at 2500.


These are just a few of the locations where you should really pay attention to the lighting and the white balance setting on your camera, especially if you are taking pictures of people. If you are taking pictures of people, it also helps to use your flash in these spaces. It will give them a correct color cast.

Some of the other locations that you should be aware of are:
Storyteller Cafe, any shop on Main St., Main St. at night, any location lit by the popcorn lights at night like Paradise Garden and any other restaurant be it in Disneyland or anywhere else.

Happy Snapping!
Michael Greening 2012

[alphabassetgrrl]

Tungsten - will have to remember that! Thanks!

[Hot Sauce 1]

Here's a little bit o' fireworks for the 4th of July. (not taken on the 4th of July though)

An American Celebration.... by Ring of Fire Hot Sauce 1, on Flickr