Competing with Postcards

A trip to Disney World would appear to offer a wealth of photographic opportunities, but there’s nothing more discouraging than working to get a great image of Cinderella’s Castle only to find that your efforts were in vain- your image can’t compare to the stunning shots found on every postcard, in each book, and throughout Disney’s web site. Indeed, Disney actually marks off areas that are ideal to shoot different elements of the park. So how do you do something original in one of the most photographed places in the world?

First, not everyone needs to feel that their pictures are unique. Family pictures that capture your own vacation experience are a primary reason to shoot in the Disney World. But for the photographer in you, for the artist striving to create an image that tells a story or uniquely captures a scene, the challenges are manageable. The key is to find unique ways of looking at the common scene. Photography instructors make an analogy with the way children see the world- they get under things, climb above things- they explore. The key to unique pictures is to explore... and to occasionally simply get lucky.

My recent visit to Disney was without my primary cameras- not everyone in the family wants distracting pro cameras being whipped out every minute to take pictures- it can be annoying to the vacationing mindset. My camera was the Nikon P7000, smaller than a DSLR but with manual controls beyond those found on the average point and shoot. 

My first unique shot occurred while waiting for breakfast on day one. Looking at Cinderella’s Castle in the distance, a Disney balloon, tied to a parked child-stroller, blew into the foreground. These new balloons feature a Mickey-shaped balloon with a clear outer balloon. I shot the castle with the balloon in the foreground and had a unique perspective. 

Finding often-missed details in the park can also generate interest in Disney pictures. Hanging from a Christmas-themed store in the Magic Kingdom was a sign for piano lessons offered by the infamous Ichabod Crane. The picture’s not an amazing shot- it simply points out something the most miss as they explore the Magic Kingdom.

Night photography also creates unique pictures (most people retire their cameras in the evening). Take out the camera, boost the ISO (the sensor’s light sensitivity), and- most importantly- turn off the flash. A point and shoot camera’s flash only travels a small distance. If it does illuminate something close by, it will be overexposed and washed out. If it doesn’t illuminate anything, you’ve just significantly drained your battery for no great reason. The goal is to capture the natural lighting of the park. Override the camera’s white balance setting and, assuming the light is incandescent, set the camera correctly. A small tripod is essential for long exposures (I’d left mine at home- and no Disney stores sell them) but handheld shots are possible if you keep the lens in a wide-angle mode and stay as still as possible.

Finally, images of people are always unique. Eating at Epcot’s Japanese Steak House allows shots of the unique food preparation. My favorite shot of the trip, a people-shot, was a purely lucky one. I was photographing the Spitting Gargoyle statue in the French section of Epcot when a little girl wearing a sorcerer’s hat (from Fantasia) and armed with her Magic Wand cautiously approached, perhaps casting a spell or just preparing to defend herself. 

Serendipity. 

Unique. 

And there’s no postcard like that.