PDA

View Full Version : Bradk... How did you take those amazing photos?!



Pages : [1] 2

HelloMikey
08-24-2006, 10:56 PM
How did you do it with hardly any people in the background, find all those characters, etc? Its like you had the park to yourself! Wow they are good!:cool:

stan4d_steph
08-25-2006, 05:51 AM
Private messaging is a wonderful thing...

Crazy4DL
08-25-2006, 06:38 AM
Private messaging is a wonderful thing...

. . .unless they have it turned off ;)

stan4d_steph
08-25-2006, 06:44 AM
Your answer is in this previous thread (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?t=56726&highlight=bradk).

bradk
08-25-2006, 06:44 AM
well, maybe it's even more wonderful for those that have it turned off ;)

while it's gratuitous (and by the way, thank you very much), i'm not sure it has to be private. it's asking for photo tips. maybe not the best forum for it, but..

to answer your question, quite often enough, i was (virtually) the only one in the park :) other than that, a lot of it has to do with timing and angles and the like. i'm proud to say that none of the photos as displayed have been edited short of lighting up a little. no cropping. only 3 WDW photos to the best of my knowledge have actually been digitally altered (the guitar at RnR had one person removed, one of the tree of life shots had someone removed and i think one of the castle shots may have had someone removed).

i can certainly address specifics if you want to know about how i obtained a particular photo.

hlbtimes2
08-25-2006, 07:19 AM
One big advantage Brad has (correct me if I'm wrong Brad)- is that he travels ALONE. He is able to get up and get to the parks before opening. He isnt waiting anyone else,and no one is waiting on him. If has to wait 10-15 minutes to get the perfect shot, he can. There is no child tugging on his sleeve asking to get to the next attraction. Its also much easier to hurry if you dont have to wait for other people who might get distracted on the way.

I know that when I was in the park for a couple hours alone in May I was able to get some great pictures and ride a lot of rides. I did way more then I can when I'm with other people.

bradk
08-25-2006, 07:32 AM
heh. after traveling with a pack of 10 last december who collectively refused to get up before 11 am, i'd have to agree with most of that.

however my objective is also not to stand around taking photos all day :) i like to actually experience attractions and interact as well, so very few shots i've had to wait that long for. i think the only ones i remember waiting for was a castle shot at MK and also a shot of the monorail passing by the golf ball at EP and that was just cuz i was waiting for the monorail (which doesn't like to come often enough in 90+ degree heat).

being there early is one of the best approaches (but remember, you still need to contend with a pack of people right behind you that doesn't care about your photos), but on that token, being late is also sometimes a benefit. at DAK for example, in the off season, the park closes when it's still light out which can afford a lot of people free shots. i always recommend waiting until after park closing to take that family shot in front of the tree of life.

DisneyDustin22
08-25-2006, 07:34 AM
I agree. Being able to be there on your own is usually the best way to get those best shots. That is how I do it. I have a shot looking up Main St. where I was literally one of the last 15 guests in the park. Early in the morning or at the very last moments you can be in the park are the best ways to get very clear shots w/ no guests. If you have the luxury of being able to visit whenever you want, it also helps to go during the off season, even less people to deal with. But speaking from a photographer, and most of you can agree, it's mostly about timing. Just finding the perfect spot and waiting for the perfect time to snap the shutter.

If you're unable to arrive early or stay late or are visiting with family or what not, my advice is to utilize areas of the park that are less common with guests. Not only will it be easier to take a photo, but you can get some more interesting or different shots as well. For example, around Snow White's Grotto or the area just to the left of the castle. Experiment with angles. Different is what makes photos interesting. Anyone can take a picture head on. :)

hg0079
08-25-2006, 08:52 AM
i am glad this wasn't asked privatly as I was wondering the same thing

stan4d_steph
08-25-2006, 08:53 AM
For some other great photo tips, don't forget MousePlanet staffer Frank Anzalone's great photo tips series. Links are located on his bio page (http://www.mouseplanet.com/search.php?type=w&aid=fa).

honeymoon @disney
08-25-2006, 11:52 AM
Just a general tip, make sure your camera doesn't take forever to take a picture, or you'll get a photo a couple seconds later than you want. My camera focuses ahead of time, and takes the picture immediately when I click. I managed to get a photo of a courthouse I really wanted, on a busy busy intersection. I timed the picture between speeding cars, and voila! No cars in the picture, even though it was very busy intersection.

ralfrick
08-25-2006, 07:26 PM
Just a general tip, make sure your camera doesn't take forever to take a picture, or you'll get a photo a couple seconds later than you want.

On some, if you press the shutter button slightly, it will focus and set the exposure which may take a couple of seconds. Once that has happened, the photo will be nearly instant once you press it the rest of the way.

Cheers.

bradk
08-25-2006, 08:56 PM
i think honeymoon may be referring to cameras that have extreme shutter lag. they'll focus on the half press, but even after completely pressing them, there's a significant delay before the image is taken. my old camera used to suffer from that drastically. i don't think it's much of an issue with newer cameras though.

pacdomer
08-26-2006, 11:45 AM
Brad,

Great pics. I have two questions for you: 1. do you ever use a tripod when taking your shots? and 2. how were you able to get such great shots of Aladdin A Musical Spectacular?

I have problems with indoor shots but you seem to have hit the nail on the head!

olegc
08-26-2006, 05:08 PM
Brad - what an amazing documentary of a complete Disneyland visit. Great overall pics of most of the lands (i noticed a lack of tomorrowland) but the one pic that caught my eye was red car 03. We were there on that day (my 6 yr old and i). I know because the sticker was on the window and the driver gave us a private spiel of it's history, etc. Great stuff.

Thanks again

bradk
08-26-2006, 06:03 PM
while i own a tripod, i've found no convenience in porting it along on vacations with me since i try to pack light, so none of my shots use a tripod. basically for indoor shots, i just try to set the shutter speed quick enough so it's not too much of a worry. also, one of my first life lessons with photography is take as many shots as possible. take 100 shots and hope 2 or so are worth keeping :) actually, i never take less than 2 or 3 shots of any subject, especially people. you'd be surprised at the world of difference there is between 2 photos taken within the same second.

the aladdin shots were takin from the mezzanine, front row center.

as for tomorrowland missing, a LOT is actually missing :) i've been very lazy about uploading my photos from my last DL trip. i have them all sorted, but need to actually review each one and upload. as a special thank you, i will go ahead and take care of tomorrowland tonight.

Vegitabeta
08-27-2006, 03:27 AM
Thanks for the tips :) I've had my digital camera for four years now, so it's behind with the technology, even though it produces very clear shots. Only problem is, I have to get really close to anything I take a photo of. Even if I zoom right in, things look far away:(

yellowrice
08-29-2006, 10:43 PM
Hi Brad and everyone else that may be able to help

I asked you in the WDW thread what camera you had... I think you mentioned a Canon EOS 20D.

Well my girlfriend bought me for my birthday a Digital Canon Rebel XT (body only) and an EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II USM Lens.

Now i'm just an amateur with this whole SLR cameras, would you or anybody else on this board be able to recommend that I keep or exchange the EF 55-200mm lens? and what other lenses you would recommend I should get?

I have a couple of days to do exchanges and want to have the right lenses for my upcoming trip in late September.

Thanks as always =)

stan4d_steph
08-30-2006, 05:58 AM
Hi Brad and everyone else that may be able to helpI would suggest you check out the Tech Room forum here. There may already be a thread, or you can start a new one. There is frequent discussion regarding digital cameras there. :)

yellowrice
08-30-2006, 08:25 AM
I would suggest you check out the Tech Room forum here. There may already be a thread, or you can start a new one. There is frequent discussion regarding digital cameras there. :)

Oops... sorry... Thanks for directing me! :)

disneyroxxx
08-31-2006, 02:13 PM
those are amazing pictures! i love tigger jumping and tigger looking at captain hook...you really capture disney moments! im glad you take a lot of time to take pictures....everything looks so great! i cant wait for more!!!:D

bradk
08-31-2006, 03:25 PM
thanks :) i do need to get on that.. especially since i'll be at WDW in less than a month.

thanks for mentioning tigger. he really shocked me. whenever he bounced for me at WDW, it was these tiny little hops. when i asked him to bounce for me at minnie & friends, he looked at me like i was crazy and told me he had no room to do it, but i was kinda puzzled because i was expecting him to get like half an inch off the ground. he wasn't kidding! hook was awesome too.

that shot with the two of them was hook making tigger 'walk the plank'... basically hook locked tigger out of the room.

disneyroxxx
08-31-2006, 06:13 PM
that shot with the two of them was hook making tigger 'walk the plank'... basically hook locked tigger out of the room.

i love how they all get into character. i think thats part of what makes disneyland so special!:)

Vegitabeta
09-01-2006, 02:39 AM
i love how they all get into character. i think thats part of what makes disneyland so special!:)
Where's this Tigger pic?

disneyroxxx
09-01-2006, 02:52 AM
heres the link to the captain hook and tigger pic

http://bradk.smugmug.com/gallery/1465116/7/69932581