The Disneyland Photo of the Day...

[Kangel]

I really like your photos of signs! How do you get them to be so interesting?

Oh and your shot of the lobby was awesome!

Thank you for your tutorials! I'm so thrilled to see them!

I was wondering on the site line tutorial, would you be able to show us some before and after pictures so we can see how you picked the right "line" to follow? I really like the affect, but being a total newbie to photography ( other than the "oh look!" * click * and then later looking at it and being disappointed that my pictures are lifeless.)

I'm learning a ton and really enjoying the great pictures! Thanks!

[desertgroomer]

I've actually been looking at the 430EX II lately. I am going to the hard ticketed Halloween party at Disneyland on October 5th so I was going to buy one for that trip. I will definitely get a flash cord when I do.



Off camera flash will open the door to amazing possibilities, akin to those made possible with studio strobes.
PC cords, on the other hand, are obsolete. These days you can get radio remotes for less than the price of a (hard to find) cable. Check this as an example: Wireless Flash Trigger for Canon 430EX 580EX 580EX II - eBay (item 280549655731 end time Aug-19-10 09:16:52 PDT)
You can have an assistant (wife or kids???) hold the flash head for you in the best position for the light, or get a Bogen Super Clamp, attach it to a structure and forget it for the rest of the night.
Cords are also downright dangerous to drag around in a crowded location (and they look soooo 1950's!)
You won't have TTL with the cheap models, but that's irrelevant.

Keep them coming!!!

Rico

[Hot Sauce 1]

I really like your photos of signs! How do you get them to be so interesting?

Oh and your shot of the lobby was awesome!

Thank you for your tutorials! I'm so thrilled to see them!

I was wondering on the site line tutorial, would you be able to show us some before and after pictures so we can see how you picked the right "line" to follow? I really like the affect, but being a total newbie to photography ( other than the "oh look!" * click * and then later looking at it and being disappointed that my pictures are lifeless.)

I'm learning a ton and really enjoying the great pictures! Thanks!

Thanks so much for the comment, questions and kind words.
For taking pictures of the signs, Never take one looking straight at it. If you do, turn the camera at an angle so it gives it a unique perspective. For example:

Even though I'm looking straight at it, the perspective has changed by tilting the camera.

If you shoot most of the signs where they are either on the edge of the frame or looking at them from an angle it makes them more interesting. Think about what is the sign pointing at and try to get some of that in the background.

I do plan on doing more posts on lines. So far, since I've been doing these daily posts, I've had to think of a concept, then go through my existing photos and find pictures that fit that concept. I haven't had a chance to get to Disneyland and actually take pictures to fit a certain concept. I have many more (for lack of a better word) "lessons" planned out but I need to get there to take the pictures to support and enhance the lesson. I am hoping, hoping, hoping to get to Disneyland on Monday and have a huge list of pictures I need to take. When I return, I hope to have much better lessons with more detail and examples of before and after.

My wife (using just a simple point and shoot camera) is actually the one with the really good eye for lines. I asked her opinion and she said that it really helps to just stop, take a breath and look all around before taking a picture of something. By doing so you see other things that you might want or don't want in the picture. It also gives you a second to think about how you want to line up the shot to give it more impact.

I think that is one of the biggest mistakes people make (and I'm very guilty of it too) taking photos. They just see something and click. If you take just a few seconds to think about it first, you will see a dramatic improvement in your pictures.

Mike

[Hot Sauce 1]

I've actually been looking at the 430EX II lately. I am going to the hard ticketed Halloween party at Disneyland on October 5th so I was going to buy one for that trip. I will definitely get a flash cord when I do.



Off camera flash will open the door to amazing possibilities, akin to those made possible with studio strobes.
PC cords, on the other hand, are obsolete. These days you can get radio remotes for less than the price of a (hard to find) cable. Check this as an example: Wireless Flash Trigger for Canon 430EX 580EX 580EX II - eBay (item 280549655731 end time Aug-19-10 09:16:52 PDT)
You can have an assistant (wife or kids???) hold the flash head for you in the best position for the light, or get a Bogen Super Clamp, attach it to a structure and forget it for the rest of the night.
Cords are also downright dangerous to drag around in a crowded location (and they look soooo 1950's!)
You won't have TTL with the cheap models, but that's irrelevant.

Keep them coming!!!

Rico

Hi Rico, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE IDEA. I will definitely buy a remote for it. I can totally see where a cord would just be restrictive and get in the way.

[Hot Sauce 1]

8-18-10
Today’s “Disneyland Photo Tip of the Day” is based on the principal that “Sometimes the single part is greater than the sum of all of the parts”, especially when it comes to photography.

One of the all time giants of modern architecture and design was Mies Van der Rohe, who was known for his revolutionary designs of glass and steel buildings during the mid 20th century. He was also very famous for his dictum “LESS IS MORE” favoring clean, simple lines without all the ornamentation and clutter that was the staple of Victorian architecture at the turn of the century.

We can apply that same “Less Is More” philosophy to photography. Sometimes not showing the whole subject can create a photograph with greater visual impact that is just more interesting to look at.

For example; here is a picture that most people would take of the Corn Dog Cart at the end of Main St. USA in Disneyland.


The picture is fine but it lacks character, interest and impact.

And here is a picture of just the hood ornament on that same corn dog cart.


By using a shallow depth of field and capturing the sun gleaming off of such a small but vital detail, it stands out on its own and is now something that I want to have in my screensaver slideshow.

So the next time you are in any of the Disney Theme Parks, think about all the little details and give them a picture of their own.

Happy Snapping!
© Michael Greening 2010

I almost forgot to mention that this post is also available on the WDW Photography website, a truly wonderful site all about photographing Walt Disney World. http://www.wdwphotography.com/

[Kangel]

If you shoot most of the signs where they are either on the edge of the frame or looking at them from an angle it makes them more interesting. Think about what is the sign pointing at and try to get some of that in the background.

Thanks! It's funny how "obvious" it sounds after it's explained to you! I'll be trying your tips!

I do plan on doing more posts on lines. So far, since I've been doing these daily posts, I've had to think of a concept, then go through my existing photos and find pictures that fit that concept. I haven't had a chance to get to Disneyland and actually take pictures to fit a certain concept. I have many more (for lack of a better word) "lessons" planned out but I need to get there to take the pictures to support and enhance the lesson. I am hoping, hoping, hoping to get to Disneyland on Monday and have a huge list of pictures I need to take. When I return, I hope to have much better lessons with more detail and examples of before and after.

Your lessons are already very detailed and extremely understandable! I'm just thrilled, because it's the first time, I "get it!" I mean I REALLY look forward to each lesson!

My wife (using just a simple point and shoot camera) is actually the one with the really good eye for lines. I asked her opinion and she said that it really helps to just stop, take a breath and look all around before taking a picture of something. By doing so you see other things that you might want or don't want in the picture. It also gives you a second to think about how you want to line up the shot to give it more impact.
I think that is one of the biggest mistakes people make (and I'm very guilty of it too) taking photos. They just see something and click. If you take just a few seconds to think about it first, you will see a dramatic improvement in your pictures.

That's a good point. Simple, but easy to forget to do.

Thanks again for the great tutorials!

[Hot Sauce 1]

8-19-10
Today’s “Disneyland Photo Tip of the Day” is partially inspired by Kangel who asked how I get pictures of signs to be so interesting. One part of my answer was to never shoot them straight on, and if you do, tilt the camera at an angle. So today’s post is about taking Crooked Pictures - "On Purpose".

I am one of those mathematically driven people who see things as straight lines and can’t stand it when a picture on the wall is even the least bit crooked or isn’t exactly centered or evenly spaced between other pictures. When I bought my first digital camera and started taking pictures for fun, it was at least 6 months before I could even fathom taking a picture that wasn’t either perfectly horizontal or vertical. (at least intentionally)

For most beginning photographers it can be difficult to open your mind to seeing things from a different point of view and not think so straight across or up and down.

Here are some pictures taken by tilting the camera at a unique and freeform angle. If you can imagine them straight as compared to crooked, you can see that by tilting the camera the picture is more fun, has a lighter mood and is just more enjoyable to look at.















So if you have one of those straight up and down, linear type minds like I do, break free, tear up that box you are in, loosen up and just have fun. You’ll find that your pictures are not only more interesting to look at but more fun to take.

Happy Snapping!
© Michael Greening 2010

[MrHatboxGhost]

Aww I love the one of Pluto!

[Hot Sauce 1]

8-20-10
Today’s “Disneyland Photo Tip of the Day” actually has very little to do with how to take better pictures or make them better in post processing. Today’s post is about the enjoyment of taking pictures, thus taking better pictures. I call it Taking a Photo Expedition.

When I first upgraded from a Point & Shoot camera to a DSLR, I was dying to go to Disneyland and spend the day just taking pictures. Problem was, my wife didn’t want to stand around and do nothing while I took pictures all day. I bribed her with lunch and talked her into going on a photo expedition with me in which she would use my old P&S. We picked an area of the parks that we don’t normally go into and decided to spend at least 4 hours in that area doing nothing but looking for unique details and taking pictures. For our first expedition we chose Grizzly Peak and Redwood Creek.

I am only showing pictures taken by my wife that day because it was her first time using that point and shoot camera, she had no knowledge of photography and was the epitome of a beginning amateur picture taker. To my surprise, the photos she took are actually my favorites, even above the ones I took with a DSLR. The only thing done to these pictures post processing was possibly a little cropping, a little adjusting with the backlighting tab and increasing the color saturation a little bit. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.





















This one was taken from the lookout tower in Redwood Creek. If you have never been up there to take pictures, it is well worth the climb.


We only rode 1 ride the whole day and it remains one of my favorite days that I’ve ever had at the parks. What made that day so memorable and special to me was not the pictures we took but the time we spent together sharing a hobby and enjoying a very leisurely stroll through a truly beautiful and under appreciated area of DCA.

So if you are a photographic enthusiast and whether you go with a spouse, family member or best friend, take a photo expedition together. You will not only have more fun taking pictures, I guarantee that you’ll take better pictures.

Happy Snapping
© Michael Greening 2010

[Row2k]

Love 'em!

I'm not sure whether or not you plan on covering this in any future posts, but do you have any tips on where/how to take good people pictures?

[Hot Sauce 1]

Love 'em!

I'm not sure whether or not you plan on covering this in any future posts, but do you have any tips on where/how to take good people pictures?

I definitely do plan on doing a post (VERY SOON) about taking people pictures in the parks. I have a bunch of theories about doing it different ways and in different places, I just need to get to the park to try them out. I also need to find some people to model for me, that's going to be the hard part. I'm literally going to be asking strange families if they will let me take their picture.

I am going to the park on Monday with an enormous list of photos that I need to take for future posts. I also have some theories about shooting Dark Rides with a Point and Shoot that I need to test out. Hopefully sometime late next week I will be able to cover both of those subjects.

Thanks for looking and asking.

[RegionsBeyond]

Those photos are all really cool, some shots in there I outright love...your wife knocked it out of the park, honestly, and definitely having an accomplice/loved one with you to bounce ideas off of and concentrating on a specific area can bring out original photos you might not normally observe or take.

[Hot Sauce 1]

Those photos are all really cool, some shots in there I outright love...your wife knocked it out of the park, honestly, and definitely having an accomplice/loved one with you to bounce ideas off of and concentrating on a specific area can bring out original photos you might not normally observe or take.

Thanks. I thought she knocked it out of the park as well, especially for her first time really using that camera. What surprised me the most was that we were right next to each other taking pictures and hers are completely different than mine. I don't know if it's because she is 7" shorter than me or that we just see things so differently.

[WDITrent]

Hot Sauce 1- About my suggestion for a monorail stop/motion fusion picture, I realized it would be a bit difficult, since the monorail never really stops in the middle of the track. I guess you would probably get the most luck taking some at the stations, where you have it entering, stopping, and leaving. But you probably already took that into consideration. Good luck with your photography!

[DizneyMonstro]

i'm really enjoying this thread!! i can honestly say that i look forward to new photo tips everyday!! love love love your photos!!

also looking forward to 'shooting in dark rides' lesson!!! i've been trying to get a good picture of the last scene in Snow White.