Photography Tips

This Article Was Contributed by Scott

Taking pictures at Disney isn't something that happens by accident. Normally, from the perfect framing of the castle from the bottom of Main Street to the colour of the paths (sidewalks), Disney has put a lot of effort into making sure your pictures turn out as perfect as they can.

No flash photography! This isn't in place just to upset you and keep Disney rides secret; it's in place for the consideration of other guests. There is nothing that kills the atmosphere on an attraction more than a bank of flashes all going off. So please keep other guests in mind when taking pictures.

Tips for some interesting and unique pictures at Disney:

1. The development of Digital photography has increased your chances of getting good shots. Check the pictures before you move on, check that everybody is smiling and everyone has their eyes open. You can just keep snapping away, and simply delete the ones that don't work.

2. Try keeping the flash on, even outside; this can help reduce shadows.

3. At night, try taking the flash off. You will get more depth to your pictures, especially firework shots. Try changing the aperture and exposure times. A rough guide for some good night firework shots would be Exposure: 0.2 sec (1/5) Aperture: f/2.6. Think of the camera as your eye, the aperture is how wide your eye is (ie, how much light you let in), the exposure is how long you would keep your eye open. You can get some very cool looking pictures at night, but it is VERY important if you are taking a picture with a longer exposure and no flash that everyone keeps very still. As they say practice makes perfect, so try different settings, even at home before you go, and then pick a few that work for you.

   

4. Disney has a small army of photographers scattered around the parks, they don't pick those spots by accident. They are there because there are some good shots to be had, try and copy the sort of picture they are going for.

   

5. A basic photography tip is the rule of thirds. If the camera has grid of 9, try lining the main theme of the photo against one of the vertical lines rather than lining it up in the dead centre of the view finder.

   

6. Try to get a non-Disney picture in Disney. Try and frame a shot with ears, characters and other tourists; it gives you a more unique shot.

   

7. If you can, Take the camera onto a ride with you, the picture may not be the best following normal photography standards, but again, it will give you a unique picture that makes you smile and reminds you of happy days on your trip.

   

Happy Snapping!

Last Updated: May 9, 2009