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Here is a selection of the best places to take photos in the parks,
if you have any to add, email me.
Magic Kingdom
Stand with your back
to the flag pole in town Square, with your subject at the edge of
the kerb, & look right up Main Street, you get your subject
with the castle in the background.
Anywhere along Main
Street, looking towards the castle, best first thing in the morning,
or especially at night with the castle lit up.
In Cinderella's rose
garden, you can get a lovely shot of the castle.
Just off the bridge from
the hub to Liberty Square.
On the bridge to Adventure
Land, with the castle in the background.
With your subject
standing in front of the Mickey & Walt statue, with the castle
in the background.
(the
mistake made with this photo was not using the flash!)
At the entrance, in front
of the Mickey shaped flowers.
For this one you'll
need to hire a water mouse from any of the Magic Kingdom Resorts,
& preferably have a water proof camera! Take the water mouse
out into Seven Seas Lagoon, & stop in the middle (away from
the other boats!), you can get a great view of Magic Kingdom &
the castle, & also the Grand Floridian.
Stand anywhere along
Main Street at night when the fireworks are on, & you can get
great shots of the fireworks going off over the castle (you might
have trouble if you have a lot of talll people stood in front of
you though!).
"A good spot to take
photos of the MK fireworks is on the Contempoary obversation tower
unobstructed view for your shot and for you." Dan
"Right as you walk
past the train station on Main Street on the right there is a bench
with goofy on it which makes for some fun photos"
"Just take Photos
of characters signing an autoughrgh book or a wonderful sight, Disney
World is such a beautiful place and easy to take good pictures"
MGM Studios
In
front of Star Tours, crouch down under the raised foot of the giant
AT-AT.
Looking up Hollywood
Boulevard to the Sorcerer's Hat.
Next to Gertie the Dinosaur.
Coparing your hand prints
with those of the stars in front of the Great Movie Ride.
Playing air guitar in
front of Rock 'n Roller Coaster.
Climb aboard the Star
Wars Speeder Bike parked across from the exit of Star Tours.
Holding onto the handle
of the Singin' in the Rain umbrella across from the Hunchback show.
Lie down in front of the
steamroller near Studio Catering Co.
"It's fun to take
photos of kids (or parents) at the "Honey We Shrunk the Kids" Playground."
Tyler Broyles
"In MGM, take a picture
of the Crossroads of the World statue at the front of the park"
Tyler Broyles
"Get a fast film and take
pictures of Fantasmic." Tyler Broyles
"MGM- Stand at the
end of Sunset Boulevard, and take a shot with the Tower of Terror
standing in the background."
Epcot
Between
Innoventions Plaza & Showcase Plaza, you get a great picture
of Spaceship Earth, with the fountain in the foreground. Try this
shot at night.
Standing on the ramp
to the monorail station, to get a photo of Spaceship Earth, especially
good at night. Better still, ask the CMs if you can go into the
wheelchair area, the view of Spaceship Earth is then unobstructed.
In Japan, at the
edge of the lagoon, there is an archway with a seat in front of
it. Get your subject to sit on this & take a photo, you get
Spaceship Earth in the background, framed by the Japanese arch.
There are many lovely
photo spots throughout World Showcase.
Take a picture in each
country of one/all of your party wearing a hat or some other piece
of clothing from one of the shops.
"When we were at
Epcot, my boyfriend and I had a man take our picture and he had
the 2 of us stand with our backs to the epcot ball and hold our
arms out like we were holding it up. It turned out real cute."
Animal Kingdom
The bridge from Safari Village to Asia.
The bridge from
The Oasis to Safari Village, you get a lovely shot of the Tree of
Life.
Anywhere where there
are animals, especially on the Safari.
Against the waterfall
as you exit the Safari.
Tips
For night shots
of parades & fireworks, a fast film (ISO 800) & a tripod
are helpful.
Photo processing is quite
expensive in Disney World, so it's best to either wait until you
get home, or get the processing done off site.
Flash photography &
video taping with a light is not permitted inside most WDW attractions.
When taking pictures of
fireworks and Spectromagic, do NOT use a flash.
There are photo spots
around the parks to help you get the best views for photos.
You will find official
Disney photographers in the parks, especially on Main Street &
Hollywood Boulevard, who will take your photo, which you can later
purchase. You can also ask them to take your photo with your own
camera.
Film is available at
shops & carts throughout the parks, but is more expensive than
off-site, so ensure you bring plenty of film with you.
The Camera Center on
Main Street(MK), the Camera Center near Spaceship Earth, Cameras
& Film at Journey into Imagination, or World Traveller at International
Gateway(Epcot), The Darkroom on Hollywood Boulevard (MGM), or Garden
Gate Gifts near the Oasis (AK), all fix certain types of cameras
& Video cameras. You can also get your video camera battery
recharged in the parks (remember to bring your charger unit!).
Don't be afraid to ask
other guests to take a photo of your whole party, & don't forget
to return the favour!
Make a small card
with your name, address & phone no. on, keep it in your camera
case. every time you start a new film, take a photo of the card,
then if your film gets lost during developing, it will be easier
to track you down.
"Don't forget to
take some shots of quiet moments too. One of my favorites from a
recent trip is of my husband (the workaholic) sitting in front of
Coronado Resort on a bench with a cup of coffee looking at the lake."
Don't be shy. Bend your
knees, squat or lie down, climb trees, whatever it takes. And don't
psyche yourself out. Be intrusive. Get closer. Let your subject
fill the frame.
Bring life to the scene.
Pictures of buildings or architecture will be more interesting with
people in them. People give architecture a sense of scale, as do
children, pets, birds.
Forget thinking you need
all the latest equipment, but if you buy one thing, buy a good tripod.
Most blurry pictures come from camera shake.
Ignore the old adage that
when taking portraits, the photographer should have the sun at his
or her back. That just gives you washed out faces of people squinting.
Instead, put subjects in shadow & use a flash - even in broad
daylight - to fill the shadows.
Count to three then take
the picture on five or six, after the fake smile has gone. Or try
taking two pictures in a row, one of the fake smile, the second
of the genuine one that usually follows.
Keep Your Camera Ready
- How many once-in-a-lifetime pictures have you missed because you
didn't have a camera with you? It's easy to avoid that frustration
by keeping a camera handy. Spontaneous moments make priceless pictures.
To capture them, you need a camera with you. If your regular camera
is too large to carry conveniently, consider a low-cost pocket-sized
model as a stand-by.
Get Close - As a general
rule, the closer you get to the subject, the better your pictures
will be. Getting close eliminates distracting, unnecessary backgrounds
and shows the subject clearly. Think about showing just enough of
the scene to make the picture clear and interesting. Be sure to
check your camera manual to learn the closest distance at which
your camera takes sharp pictures. Many point-and-shoot cameras cannot
focus closer than four feet from the subject.
Keep People Busy - When
photographing people, keep them busy! Your pictures will have a
feeling of lively spontaneity. To avoid stiff, static poses, prompt
your subjects to be active. Their expressions will be more relaxed
and natural.
Place the Subject Off-Center
- There is nothing wrong with placing the subject in the center
of your viewfinder. However, placing the subject off-center can
make the composition more dynamic and interesting to the eye.
Include Foreground in
Scenics - When taking scenic pictures, try including objects in
the foreground. Elements in the foreground add a sense of distance,
depth and dimension.
Look for Good Lighting
- Adequate lighting is essential to expose film, but good lighting
can make your pictures more interesting, colorful, dimensional,
and flattering to the subject. Strong sunlight is only one of many
types of good lighting. Some people are surprised to learn that
cloudy, overcast days provide the best lighting for pictures of
people. Bright sun makes people squint, and it throws harsh shadows.
On overcast days, the light is soft and flattering to faces.
Hold Your Camera Steady
- Sometimes good pictures are missed by overlooking the basics.
Holding the camera steady is vital for sharp, clear pictures. When
you push the shutter button, press it gently rather than jabbing
it. Even slight camera movement can rob your pictures of sharpness.
Use a brace to steady your arm or use a tripod, if available.
Use Your Flash - You can
improve your pictures by taking full advantage of the flash built
into most cameras. It provides extra light when you need it, especially
indoors, and it freezes action for sharp pictures. Be sure to stay
within the "flash range." This is the range of distance which will
be properly exposed. A typical range is four to twelve feet. Check
your camera manual for the effective range of your flash. Flash
can improve pictures outdoors, as well as indoors. Using flash outdoors
will soften shadows and brighten colors.
Tips for
taking photos at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge...
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