Big thanks to the SnapKnot wedding photography directory for offering this great camera giveaway!
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
How Disney Kept Me Going, When I Had Nothing Left
Walt Disney World is an interesting place. Everybody who goes down does so for a reason. Perhaps it's to see the smile on their kid's face. Perhaps it's to put a smile on their own face. Or perhaps it is to take spectacular photographs, or to tell someone how much you love them. Four parks, numerous rides and countless cuisine types, there is something for everybody.
For me, Disney started off as one of those prior reasons. But after some events in my life occurred, it has evolved into so much more. Disney kept me going when nothing else in the world would.
The first occurrence was during when I had an identity crisis. I had been out of college a year and a half, all spent in the field I had earned my degree in: accounting. As we all do, I had a review where my boss told me that I was not spending enough time at the office, ignoring the four hours of work I would do in my apartment every evening. Yes, it wasn't in the office, but it was work. And then my boss told me that I should not be leaving at 5PM to pick up my father from the train station and drive him back to his office, because my job was more important than my family, because my job paid the bills. I learned just how untrue that statement was, but that's during the second occurrence of when Walt Disney World kept me alive and kicking.
It was after that meeting that I decided that it was time for a change, and a big one. I needed to not only change jobs, but careers as a whole. Of course, this was not an easy transition, there was a lot of self-doubt. After all, I had just finished up college, spent countless hours investing in an education for a career in accounting. And now, I was deciding whether or not accounting was for me. Previous to this meeting, though, I had planned and booked a trip to Walt Disney World. Throughout the months that followed, interviews, long conversations with myself and my parents as to the direction I was heading, the knowledge of going to Walt Disney World kept me going. When I was at my lowest point thus far in my life, it was the knowledge that eventually, I would be going down to Walt Disney World kept me going. For months, I would wait with baited breath to find out park hours, and stress over dining reservations rather than stressing about not having a job. And when I got my job, when my Disney vacation finally came, it mades so much more sweet.
The second example of this is slightly more extreme. Those people who follow me on Flickr have known small details surrounding a house fire my family and I were subjected to back in June. Fact of the matter is that our house caught fire and burned to the ground. Very little that was in the house was salvageable, whether from fire, smoke, or water damage. We were, for all intents and purposes, starting over. Again, luckily, I had found out back in January that I won 3 free nights stay at a Disney-area (but not Disney-owned) hotel from an online contest sponsored by WDWLive.com. Throughout the tears, the pains, the realizations of what was lost, my family came together. During a hurricane in our rental house, we used my MacBook Pro to watch the Modern Marvels for Walt Disney World, because the cable was out and the generator still allowed the TV to work. When I was sad, thoughts of spending time down at Disney kept me pushing through. Knowing there was something good on the horizon, and each bad day I suffered through would bring me closer to a few days where nothing could hurt me. Disney was providing a feeling of safety that nothing else could provide. It did the same for my parents, too, as the trip I won was only for two, and I took my younger sister down for part of her graduation present. They ended up booking a trip as well, to the Grand Floridian for my Dad's birthday, just the two of them.
So, the deposit paid for my next trip in May, my dining reservations locked in, I am so thankful that there is nothing bad happening. I get to look forward to my trip to Disney unhindered by a job search, or by daily trips to a burned out hulk of a house, looking for whatever little trinkets, however meaningless before, survived. Ironically enough, however, it will be that sort of trip for my travel companion, Mike. My roommate in college, Mike has never been to Disney before. And shortly after booking our room, he lost his job. I told him, "Mike, in May we are going to be down at Disney, laughing about this whole ordeal." And we will be: he just accepted a job offer after two months of being unemployed.
Walt Disney World. Keeps you pushing through things were you normally thought all you could do is curl into a tiny little ball and give up. When my tank was on empty, that magical place kept me going through.
For me, Disney started off as one of those prior reasons. But after some events in my life occurred, it has evolved into so much more. Disney kept me going when nothing else in the world would.
The first occurrence was during when I had an identity crisis. I had been out of college a year and a half, all spent in the field I had earned my degree in: accounting. As we all do, I had a review where my boss told me that I was not spending enough time at the office, ignoring the four hours of work I would do in my apartment every evening. Yes, it wasn't in the office, but it was work. And then my boss told me that I should not be leaving at 5PM to pick up my father from the train station and drive him back to his office, because my job was more important than my family, because my job paid the bills. I learned just how untrue that statement was, but that's during the second occurrence of when Walt Disney World kept me alive and kicking.
It was after that meeting that I decided that it was time for a change, and a big one. I needed to not only change jobs, but careers as a whole. Of course, this was not an easy transition, there was a lot of self-doubt. After all, I had just finished up college, spent countless hours investing in an education for a career in accounting. And now, I was deciding whether or not accounting was for me. Previous to this meeting, though, I had planned and booked a trip to Walt Disney World. Throughout the months that followed, interviews, long conversations with myself and my parents as to the direction I was heading, the knowledge of going to Walt Disney World kept me going. When I was at my lowest point thus far in my life, it was the knowledge that eventually, I would be going down to Walt Disney World kept me going. For months, I would wait with baited breath to find out park hours, and stress over dining reservations rather than stressing about not having a job. And when I got my job, when my Disney vacation finally came, it mades so much more sweet.
The second example of this is slightly more extreme. Those people who follow me on Flickr have known small details surrounding a house fire my family and I were subjected to back in June. Fact of the matter is that our house caught fire and burned to the ground. Very little that was in the house was salvageable, whether from fire, smoke, or water damage. We were, for all intents and purposes, starting over. Again, luckily, I had found out back in January that I won 3 free nights stay at a Disney-area (but not Disney-owned) hotel from an online contest sponsored by WDWLive.com. Throughout the tears, the pains, the realizations of what was lost, my family came together. During a hurricane in our rental house, we used my MacBook Pro to watch the Modern Marvels for Walt Disney World, because the cable was out and the generator still allowed the TV to work. When I was sad, thoughts of spending time down at Disney kept me pushing through. Knowing there was something good on the horizon, and each bad day I suffered through would bring me closer to a few days where nothing could hurt me. Disney was providing a feeling of safety that nothing else could provide. It did the same for my parents, too, as the trip I won was only for two, and I took my younger sister down for part of her graduation present. They ended up booking a trip as well, to the Grand Floridian for my Dad's birthday, just the two of them.
So, the deposit paid for my next trip in May, my dining reservations locked in, I am so thankful that there is nothing bad happening. I get to look forward to my trip to Disney unhindered by a job search, or by daily trips to a burned out hulk of a house, looking for whatever little trinkets, however meaningless before, survived. Ironically enough, however, it will be that sort of trip for my travel companion, Mike. My roommate in college, Mike has never been to Disney before. And shortly after booking our room, he lost his job. I told him, "Mike, in May we are going to be down at Disney, laughing about this whole ordeal." And we will be: he just accepted a job offer after two months of being unemployed.
Walt Disney World. Keeps you pushing through things were you normally thought all you could do is curl into a tiny little ball and give up. When my tank was on empty, that magical place kept me going through.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Mr. Toad's Last Ride
Really love this picture of a hidden gem at the Haunted Mansion. An often overlooked detail, but also a wonderful homage to former attractions and the history of Walt Disney World. Even when moving forward, Disney Imagineers remember to honor their past.
Change of Pace
So you know that part where I said this wouldn't be a regular Disney blog about when I'm going and what I'm doing? Yeah, that's not so much going to work anymore. Obviously, I did not have near enough to say about that.
But I will take this space to post up about my upcoming trip, and to post up pictures from my previous trips. To start, I won a contest a few months back that would get me down to Orlando and staying for free. And that is where I start.
Well, after some back-and-forth (actually, a lot of back-and-forth with the travel agency that provided the prize) I finally got my room booked. Now I just have to call and tell the hotel that the reservation is for two people instead of one, and that we'll need two beds for sure; I invited my sister to come along, after all.
So, October 20th to 23rd I will be in Orlando, and am excited to go back down. After the car crash, one emergency move before my roommate's house was foreclosed upon, and the house fire, I could really use a vacation. I haven't booked flights yet, but I will fly down EARLY on the 20th and come back as late as possible on the 23rd. No rental car because the hotel we're staying at will be running shuttles.
I did, however, promise my sister we would go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter whilst we were down there. Now, I've never read the books, I've never seen the movies (and I have no desire to do either), but my sister (who is 21, will be 22 in a couple of days) really likes it, so we can go for her. That seems to be the day one itinerary, which was important to iron out. This is because on the second day, October 21st, my sister and I will be going to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party! I've wanted to do MNNSHP for a long time, and this is the best excuse to. I just bought my tickets two days ago, so I am locked in and cannot wait there. I've been trying to figure out a good costume idea; I think with my mop of curly hair I might be able to pull off a pretty good version of Aladdin! I'll have to look into getting poofy white pants.
So that is it for now. Still trying to figure out the food things; obviously we won't be needing dinner reservations either the first or second nights, but perhaps the third day (perhaps in EPCOT to enjoy Food and Wine?) we will eat somewhere nice, and I'll clue in the dining service that my sister graduated college, to make it a little special for her. So much to figure out, but at least I know I'm going down.
But I will take this space to post up about my upcoming trip, and to post up pictures from my previous trips. To start, I won a contest a few months back that would get me down to Orlando and staying for free. And that is where I start.
Well, after some back-and-forth (actually, a lot of back-and-forth with the travel agency that provided the prize) I finally got my room booked. Now I just have to call and tell the hotel that the reservation is for two people instead of one, and that we'll need two beds for sure; I invited my sister to come along, after all.
So, October 20th to 23rd I will be in Orlando, and am excited to go back down. After the car crash, one emergency move before my roommate's house was foreclosed upon, and the house fire, I could really use a vacation. I haven't booked flights yet, but I will fly down EARLY on the 20th and come back as late as possible on the 23rd. No rental car because the hotel we're staying at will be running shuttles.
I did, however, promise my sister we would go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter whilst we were down there. Now, I've never read the books, I've never seen the movies (and I have no desire to do either), but my sister (who is 21, will be 22 in a couple of days) really likes it, so we can go for her. That seems to be the day one itinerary, which was important to iron out. This is because on the second day, October 21st, my sister and I will be going to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party! I've wanted to do MNNSHP for a long time, and this is the best excuse to. I just bought my tickets two days ago, so I am locked in and cannot wait there. I've been trying to figure out a good costume idea; I think with my mop of curly hair I might be able to pull off a pretty good version of Aladdin! I'll have to look into getting poofy white pants.
So that is it for now. Still trying to figure out the food things; obviously we won't be needing dinner reservations either the first or second nights, but perhaps the third day (perhaps in EPCOT to enjoy Food and Wine?) we will eat somewhere nice, and I'll clue in the dining service that my sister graduated college, to make it a little special for her. So much to figure out, but at least I know I'm going down.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Magical Money
Before there were emotionless plastic Disney gift cards, Disney had a different type of currency. The Disney Dollar. They come in $1, $5 and $10 denominations and are worth their US dollar equivalent in Walt Disney World, Disneyland, some Disney Stores and aboard Disney Cruise Line ships. And unlike the dinosaurs, Disney Dollars have not gone extinct, even with the growing popularity of little fake debit cards pre-loaded with money.
Printed in much the same manner as actual US currency, Disney Dollars are printed on unique paper with a feel much like the dollar bill. However, with the relatively little amount of circulation these bills experience, they all have a wonderfully crisp feel to them. Additionally, they are printed in full color, as opposed to dollar bills (and larger denominations until quite recently).
As previously mentioned, gift cards have a rather emotionless feel to them. Much like credit or debit cards, a simple swipe takes care of the transaction. There isn't much chance for interaction between the customer and cast member. Disney dollars, on the other hand, are a conversation piece. Sure, if there is change involved, then obviously there will be coinage returned. But isn't that sometimes fun? Especially for kids, the ability to count out special money just for them, get the right amount, and then get coins given back to them makes them feel grown up, doing exactly the same things that their parents are doing. They can actually see their supply of bills get smaller with each transaction, which, unbeknownst to them, is teaching them money management skills. They can see that if they want those Mickey Mouse ears now, then they will have less bills for things later. This is lost with a gift card, where they swipe and magically their money is gone, and eventually it runs out. Disney dollars are a fun learning-experience for them, very much adhering to the original dream of Walt Disney.
Printed in much the same manner as actual US currency, Disney Dollars are printed on unique paper with a feel much like the dollar bill. However, with the relatively little amount of circulation these bills experience, they all have a wonderfully crisp feel to them. Additionally, they are printed in full color, as opposed to dollar bills (and larger denominations until quite recently).
As previously mentioned, gift cards have a rather emotionless feel to them. Much like credit or debit cards, a simple swipe takes care of the transaction. There isn't much chance for interaction between the customer and cast member. Disney dollars, on the other hand, are a conversation piece. Sure, if there is change involved, then obviously there will be coinage returned. But isn't that sometimes fun? Especially for kids, the ability to count out special money just for them, get the right amount, and then get coins given back to them makes them feel grown up, doing exactly the same things that their parents are doing. They can actually see their supply of bills get smaller with each transaction, which, unbeknownst to them, is teaching them money management skills. They can see that if they want those Mickey Mouse ears now, then they will have less bills for things later. This is lost with a gift card, where they swipe and magically their money is gone, and eventually it runs out. Disney dollars are a fun learning-experience for them, very much adhering to the original dream of Walt Disney.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Behind the Mirror
Disney employees are cast members, and so things that happen out of the sight of the general public are considered to be going on backstage. The stage is where the general public is, and Disney has metaphorical mirrors placed all over the park that help reflect the realism and the rightness that goes on in the eyes of the public. This blog entry will give you a brief, tantalizing peek behind the mirror, into some of the secrets and tricks that Disney has perfected to make a person's experience at Disney seamless and enjoyable.
Many people have heard rumors of tunnels underneath the Magic Kingdom. Secret passageways within which people can travel around the Hub unseen. Used by celebrities to magically pop up and then quickly disappear to regain their privacy. These rumors are absolutely true. The story goes that when Walt Disney saw, in Disneyland, a worker from one land walking through another, he decided that broke the vale that he worked so hard to create and ruined the story he worked so hard to tell. This caused him to plan Walt Disney World, specifically the Magic Kingdom, a bit differently. When you walk along Main Street, U.S.A. you are not on the ground floor, as it looks like. The ground floor is where the tunnels, or Utilidoors (a mashup of utility and corridors) exist. These Utilidoors allow workers to travel between lands without being seen, thereby keeping the illusion alive. There are also special employee entrances at EPCOT and other parks for the same reason as the Utilidoors at the Magic Kingdom. However, the Magic Kingdom is the only park that features Utilidoors.
Along with not seeing cast members from Frontierland or Tomorrowland as you walk down Main Street, U.S.A., there's something else different, something else out of the ordinary. Although buildings appear to be full size, two-story structures, that is not the case. The various Disney parks employ a technique known as forced perspective to make things seem as they are not. By canting the sides of the buildings in slightly, the eye perceives height which is not actually there. This sort of technique also works inversely, and Disney takes advantage of this too, however not at the Magic Kingdom. The American Experience at EPCOT is a very large building as it has to house a stage with fly-in sets and audio-animatronics. At the same time, the building had to look like something from colonial New England, where even the biggest buildings rarely broached three stories. So, by upsizing all of the building's features, including doors and windows, the building appears to be smaller. Just go and get your picture taken outside of the American Experience and take a look at how small you look against the comically large features of the building. A way to make a huge building look smaller, and also a way to make a smaller building look full size.
Finally, I want to address one of my favorite parts Disney in brief. Hidden Mickeys are such a major feature of Disney that they deserve their own full entry. But in brevity, a Hidden Mickey is a Disney character hidden in the park, on a ride, in a hotel, or somewhere on Disney property. The most common is the 3-circle silhouette of Mickey Mouse's head. Just when someone thought that they had seen everything that Disney had to offer, there remains something so big that there are books published on the subject. Hidden Mickeys are huge and they are small, they are straightforward and abstract, but they are all fun. If this sounds like your cup of tea, then look forward to a full blog entry on them in the future.
Many people have heard rumors of tunnels underneath the Magic Kingdom. Secret passageways within which people can travel around the Hub unseen. Used by celebrities to magically pop up and then quickly disappear to regain their privacy. These rumors are absolutely true. The story goes that when Walt Disney saw, in Disneyland, a worker from one land walking through another, he decided that broke the vale that he worked so hard to create and ruined the story he worked so hard to tell. This caused him to plan Walt Disney World, specifically the Magic Kingdom, a bit differently. When you walk along Main Street, U.S.A. you are not on the ground floor, as it looks like. The ground floor is where the tunnels, or Utilidoors (a mashup of utility and corridors) exist. These Utilidoors allow workers to travel between lands without being seen, thereby keeping the illusion alive. There are also special employee entrances at EPCOT and other parks for the same reason as the Utilidoors at the Magic Kingdom. However, the Magic Kingdom is the only park that features Utilidoors.
Along with not seeing cast members from Frontierland or Tomorrowland as you walk down Main Street, U.S.A., there's something else different, something else out of the ordinary. Although buildings appear to be full size, two-story structures, that is not the case. The various Disney parks employ a technique known as forced perspective to make things seem as they are not. By canting the sides of the buildings in slightly, the eye perceives height which is not actually there. This sort of technique also works inversely, and Disney takes advantage of this too, however not at the Magic Kingdom. The American Experience at EPCOT is a very large building as it has to house a stage with fly-in sets and audio-animatronics. At the same time, the building had to look like something from colonial New England, where even the biggest buildings rarely broached three stories. So, by upsizing all of the building's features, including doors and windows, the building appears to be smaller. Just go and get your picture taken outside of the American Experience and take a look at how small you look against the comically large features of the building. A way to make a huge building look smaller, and also a way to make a smaller building look full size.
Finally, I want to address one of my favorite parts Disney in brief. Hidden Mickeys are such a major feature of Disney that they deserve their own full entry. But in brevity, a Hidden Mickey is a Disney character hidden in the park, on a ride, in a hotel, or somewhere on Disney property. The most common is the 3-circle silhouette of Mickey Mouse's head. Just when someone thought that they had seen everything that Disney had to offer, there remains something so big that there are books published on the subject. Hidden Mickeys are huge and they are small, they are straightforward and abstract, but they are all fun. If this sounds like your cup of tea, then look forward to a full blog entry on them in the future.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Wrapping Oneself in Disney
Dictionary.com defines the word "wrap" as a verb meaning: to surround, envelop, shroud, or hide. The phrase came to me this morning as I grabbed a sweatshirt to keep me warm against the rain falling outside. It was the that I realized that the retro style Walt Disney World zip-up hooded sweatshirt my mom and sister got for me earlier this year on their Disney trip didn't just keep me warm and dry. It also made me feel good. It was fuzzy and warm inside, it had a nice hood, but it also had His Mouseness on the front breast and splayed across my back. And there was a good feeling that I got when I zipped the sweatshirt up. It was that Disney feeling, only in miniature. Just seeing Mickey Mouse reminded me of how I feel at Disney. Not many icons make a person feel that way, but Disney can touch a person in ways beyond their comprehension if people are open to it.
A lot of people visit Disney. A lot of people visit Disney a lot more often that I do, and I'm a self professed Disney dork. Less people, however, really let themselves get wrapped up in Disney. There's a huge, but subtle, difference. It's the difference between getting your picture taken in front of the castle and sprinting and lining up behind a queue of 6-year-olds to get your picture taken with Jafar. Between sleeping on the taxi to the parts and dancing in your seat on the Magical Express. Between acting your age and letting yourself go.
It's a special feeling when you're at Disney. And it's not just because Disney engineers itself to look and feel like the happiest place on Earth (and it does, just try to buy a newpaper inside any of the parks). You can relax, you can enjoy yourself, and you do not have to worry for a few days. Disney takes care of everything for you, and it's not very often that the ordinary person can not worry about things. You feel warm and welcomed. People go out of their way to make things easier. You're smiling a lot. You think you know a lot about where you are, and then a Cast Member tells you or your kids about Hidden Mickeys and suddenly there's another layer to the onion.
Take Disney at it's face value and you can have a good, fun vacation. Take Disney like a blanket and let yourself be wrapped up in it and you'll have the time of your life every minute you spend in the parks. I learned that between my 2004 and my 2008 trips. In 2004, I was taking Disney at face value. I had fun, but honestly, I don't have many memories about it. In 2008, I grabbed my camera, I grabbed my Hidden Mickeys Guide, and I had a blast. I had my picture taken with Jedi Mickey (a picture I happily waited 45 minutes for), I found a hidden Jafar, I tried to find a Captain Jack Sparrow to have my picture taken with. I was having a blast. I have so many memories, and I ended up taking far more pictures. I find these came hand-in-hand. When I look at my pictures, remember my memories, I start feeling warm like I did at Disney.
There's a reason, after all, that my computer wallpaper is all Disney.
A lot of people visit Disney. A lot of people visit Disney a lot more often that I do, and I'm a self professed Disney dork. Less people, however, really let themselves get wrapped up in Disney. There's a huge, but subtle, difference. It's the difference between getting your picture taken in front of the castle and sprinting and lining up behind a queue of 6-year-olds to get your picture taken with Jafar. Between sleeping on the taxi to the parts and dancing in your seat on the Magical Express. Between acting your age and letting yourself go.
It's a special feeling when you're at Disney. And it's not just because Disney engineers itself to look and feel like the happiest place on Earth (and it does, just try to buy a newpaper inside any of the parks). You can relax, you can enjoy yourself, and you do not have to worry for a few days. Disney takes care of everything for you, and it's not very often that the ordinary person can not worry about things. You feel warm and welcomed. People go out of their way to make things easier. You're smiling a lot. You think you know a lot about where you are, and then a Cast Member tells you or your kids about Hidden Mickeys and suddenly there's another layer to the onion.
Take Disney at it's face value and you can have a good, fun vacation. Take Disney like a blanket and let yourself be wrapped up in it and you'll have the time of your life every minute you spend in the parks. I learned that between my 2004 and my 2008 trips. In 2004, I was taking Disney at face value. I had fun, but honestly, I don't have many memories about it. In 2008, I grabbed my camera, I grabbed my Hidden Mickeys Guide, and I had a blast. I had my picture taken with Jedi Mickey (a picture I happily waited 45 minutes for), I found a hidden Jafar, I tried to find a Captain Jack Sparrow to have my picture taken with. I was having a blast. I have so many memories, and I ended up taking far more pictures. I find these came hand-in-hand. When I look at my pictures, remember my memories, I start feeling warm like I did at Disney.
There's a reason, after all, that my computer wallpaper is all Disney.
Monday, September 27, 2010
What has been and what will be.
Some people, some photographers, go into a Disney vacation with a laundry list of shots they've seen and want to replicate, of shots that they want to take... a list that is sometimes pages upon pages long. I do not have a list. I don't think I will have a list. When I went down to DC earlier this year, I didn't have a list and I feel my shots came out quite well.
What I will bring with me will be my camera, three lenses, all my filters, my tripod and my shutter remote. I had all of these except the ND filters when I took the above picture in DC, and I'm happy with how a lot of them came out. I've been playing around with the ND filters a bit since I've gotten them, and I'm really looking foward to using them to shoot fireworks. Cory, a gentleman I follow on Flickr, has generously provided me with a tutorial about how to take a post-process those wonderful fireworks shots he and Tom, another gent on Flickr, take. It will certainly be different watching the fireworks when you have to stake out a spot, set up your tripod and defend the tripod so no kids bump it during your long exposure shots. My prior attempts at fireworks photography at Disney (back in 2008) were poor, with a definative lack of color and far too much smoke.
Since 2008, I've really grown as a photographer. I've started seeing my own style developing in my shots, and getting a real feel for my camera and what I can do with it. Looking back on my last trip to Disney, the pictures are all the same: center in focus, subject centered. Of course, the camera I used was certainly holding me back with a terrible color sensor and only being a DSLR-style point and shoot (Minolta DiMAGE Z6) as opposed to a true DSLR. With the control I have over my Nikon, I'm expecting better shots. Additionally, I've learned a lot in terms of composition, and light, and how to position oneself in order to have the light work with you, rather than against you. I will certainly say, though, there will be no more dangling my camera off the top of the Contemporary Hotel to get a long-exposure shot of the Magic Kingdom. And the zoom I'll be using will make shooting Lights, Motors, Action a lot more fun.
What I will bring with me will be my camera, three lenses, all my filters, my tripod and my shutter remote. I had all of these except the ND filters when I took the above picture in DC, and I'm happy with how a lot of them came out. I've been playing around with the ND filters a bit since I've gotten them, and I'm really looking foward to using them to shoot fireworks. Cory, a gentleman I follow on Flickr, has generously provided me with a tutorial about how to take a post-process those wonderful fireworks shots he and Tom, another gent on Flickr, take. It will certainly be different watching the fireworks when you have to stake out a spot, set up your tripod and defend the tripod so no kids bump it during your long exposure shots. My prior attempts at fireworks photography at Disney (back in 2008) were poor, with a definative lack of color and far too much smoke.
Since 2008, I've really grown as a photographer. I've started seeing my own style developing in my shots, and getting a real feel for my camera and what I can do with it. Looking back on my last trip to Disney, the pictures are all the same: center in focus, subject centered. Of course, the camera I used was certainly holding me back with a terrible color sensor and only being a DSLR-style point and shoot (Minolta DiMAGE Z6) as opposed to a true DSLR. With the control I have over my Nikon, I'm expecting better shots. Additionally, I've learned a lot in terms of composition, and light, and how to position oneself in order to have the light work with you, rather than against you. I will certainly say, though, there will be no more dangling my camera off the top of the Contemporary Hotel to get a long-exposure shot of the Magic Kingdom. And the zoom I'll be using will make shooting Lights, Motors, Action a lot more fun.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
The story thus far
First thing said: this is not a blog about my vacation. It will not end when my vacation ends. There will be more to this than just attractions and pictures and parks. This is how Disney effects people, how it effects me, and the hope it provides when all was lost.
My trip to Disney has been as fluid as any trip can be. This started off as a very big trip, four people, lots of fun, and all that goes along with it. Oh how things have changed. Back when this started, I was an accountant. Now, I'm a mobile technician. And in all honesty, I'm happier for it. Things have changed, though, along the lines of my vacation. First, two people left because they could no longer make it. Then, a close friend of mine and I had a dispute over money, and it looked like my trip was in jeopardy. It has since been fixed, and I shall be going as I always have wanted to go.
I'm bringing along my trusted Nikon, as this trip has been as much about expressing myself through photography as much as taking a well deserved vacation. I'm really looking forward to the chance to take pictures to my heart's content. Recently, I've been trying to use my camera in says I haven't before. Tripod shots, ND filters, new angles... using a lens I'm not as comfortable with. Additionally, I'm renting a lens I've never used before for my trip.
Artistic expression is something that I missed as an accountant. In a world defined by hard numbers and tall cubicle walls, there was not much room for artistic expression. Despite the fun doodads I filled my desk with, the bright M&Ms I would eat in color order, the pictures plastered to every flat surface in what was my prison, my body was screaming for a way to express itself.
Moreover, Disney was something I held onto when I left Neopost. In those two months when I had no life outside my apartment, when all I did was look for a job and wonder what on this Earth I would do next, I could always hold onto Disney. It was a trip, it was booked, and each day past was another day closer. So, for those that think a vacation is always a vacation, that isn't always the case.
In conclusion, keep an eye on this. In the coming days I'll be posting where I'm going, concept and practice pictures I've taken to get ready for Disney. While at Disney, I'll be writing summaries, posting quickly edited pictures, and musings. After Disney will be reflections, as well as the pictures I post daily or so on Flickr. Writing has always been cathartic for me. It is time for me to take that back.
My trip to Disney has been as fluid as any trip can be. This started off as a very big trip, four people, lots of fun, and all that goes along with it. Oh how things have changed. Back when this started, I was an accountant. Now, I'm a mobile technician. And in all honesty, I'm happier for it. Things have changed, though, along the lines of my vacation. First, two people left because they could no longer make it. Then, a close friend of mine and I had a dispute over money, and it looked like my trip was in jeopardy. It has since been fixed, and I shall be going as I always have wanted to go.
I'm bringing along my trusted Nikon, as this trip has been as much about expressing myself through photography as much as taking a well deserved vacation. I'm really looking forward to the chance to take pictures to my heart's content. Recently, I've been trying to use my camera in says I haven't before. Tripod shots, ND filters, new angles... using a lens I'm not as comfortable with. Additionally, I'm renting a lens I've never used before for my trip.
Artistic expression is something that I missed as an accountant. In a world defined by hard numbers and tall cubicle walls, there was not much room for artistic expression. Despite the fun doodads I filled my desk with, the bright M&Ms I would eat in color order, the pictures plastered to every flat surface in what was my prison, my body was screaming for a way to express itself.
Moreover, Disney was something I held onto when I left Neopost. In those two months when I had no life outside my apartment, when all I did was look for a job and wonder what on this Earth I would do next, I could always hold onto Disney. It was a trip, it was booked, and each day past was another day closer. So, for those that think a vacation is always a vacation, that isn't always the case.
In conclusion, keep an eye on this. In the coming days I'll be posting where I'm going, concept and practice pictures I've taken to get ready for Disney. While at Disney, I'll be writing summaries, posting quickly edited pictures, and musings. After Disney will be reflections, as well as the pictures I post daily or so on Flickr. Writing has always been cathartic for me. It is time for me to take that back.
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