Day 2 - Studios, Contemporary, MK

[boBQuincy]

One of the "problems" of this board is the incredible amount of talent of the contributors. Many of the photos are great, really great! The challenge is how to take (or make) a photograph that has not been seen before.
My goal this year (now that school is done) is to really study the camera and software, to create photos that are out of the ordinary. Sometimes it works, but most of the time... well, I keep trying. ;)
Here are some that I like:

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/tot_1642.jpg

I always liked this billboard, a reminder of Hollywood's golden era.

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/tot_1658_6_7.jpg

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/army_1721.jpg

A green army man doing "Stayin' Alive" in Block Party Bash

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/hbd_1695_3_4.jpg

Waiting to get a Hollywood Brown Derby Cobb Salad!

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/contemp_1780_78_79.jpg

I went to the Contemporary Resort to catch the sunset over Magic Kingdom. It was a mostly bland sunset, but the one the next evening (when I was at MCO) was spectacular! Hmm, a drab sunset over MK or a glorious display of red and orange over a Southwest 737... ;)

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/contemp_1798_6_7.jpg

Photographing the CR is fun with a 10mm lens.

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/mk_1806_4_5.jpg

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/main_st_1809_7_8.jpg

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/castle_1870_68_69.jpg

MK is unstable, in that a 30 second exposure often is blurred. My tripod is steady so my take is that with all the tunnels MK is more like a large parking deck, it feels stable but not enough for a long exposure.

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/wishes_1861.jpg

Behind the castle gives a different view of Wishes.

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/castle_1909_7_8.jpg

A tripod means "Photopass" to many guests, at least five guests handed me their Photopass cards.

[Todd_H]

More great shots, Bob! Please keep 'em coming. It's making me really look forward to our September trip!

[klmall]

I really like your Contemporary shots Bob. I'm just starting to experiment with HDR and it is so much fun!

Keep the pictures coming please!

[pdmedic]

Great pictures.

[Code]

Awesome shots, and the HDR works well for some, but others I admit I'd love to see without the treatment.

[Evad]

Very nice Bob!! Love the 1st and 6th one!! Can't wait to see more! :thumbsup2

[boBQuincy]

More of "Wishes":

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/wishes_1854.jpg

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/wishes_1862.jpg

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/wishes_1863.jpg

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/wishes_1864.jpg

The Grand Finale

[Groucho]

Some really nice shots there but like Code, I think I'd prefer some of them without the HDR treatment. Just my taste...

MK is unstable, in that a 30 second exposure often is blurred. My tripod is steady so my take is that with all the tunnels MK is more like a large parking deck, it feels stable but not enough for a long exposure.
I'm not so sure about this. I went back and found the first 30-second tripod exposure at MK I could find and it is razor-sharp, no blurring at all (except for things that were actually moving, of course!) Remember also that the tunnels only go around the perimeter of the park, plus a single tunnel running front to back.

I just found three more 30-second exposure at MK and they are all extremely sharp. I'm not sure why you're having issues with blurring and long exposure, but I don't believe it's because the ground is moving.

I'll be happy to provide some 100% crops of the 30-second exposures if you're curious.

[boBQuincy]

Some really nice shots there but like Code, I think I'd prefer some of them without the HDR treatment. Just my taste...

That is usually my taste too. My direction for HDR is that if I do it well it should not be noticeable that it is HDR. So far I do some well and some not so well... The extended range is a great bonus but the software is going to take some learning to make it not so obvious.

As for the long exposures at MK, I have some that are very sharp at 30 seconds and some that are quite blurred at 6 seconds, taken in the same location. I think the blurred ones are from when someone was walking by but that's only a guess. Some are from near the Noodle Station and the area may be cantilevered over the water near Plaza and Tomorowland.

Upstairs at Main Street Station is more obvious, when a train is approaching we can forget any long exposures! ;)

[Michele]

Did I miss Day 1 thread? Or was the 'traditional just got back' day 1?

Great photos by the way. I always wondered what Wishes looked like behind the castle. Are there areas roped off that you can't get to because of the fireworks?

[austin77]

Amazing....

[KarenB]

Mind if I use a pic for my desktop? Great photos!

[boBQuincy]

Did I miss Day 1 thread? Or was the 'traditional just got back' day 1?

Great photos by the way. I always wondered what Wishes looked like behind the castle. Are there areas roped off that you can't get to because of the fireworks?

You didn't miss it, day 1 was the 'traditional just got back' thread.

The area from about the midpoint of the carousel to the castle is roped off. For photos including the castle it seems best to get all the way back by Pinocchio's Village Haus and use a very wide angle lens. Unfortunately most of the fireworks will still be behind you, at least until near the end.

[boBQuincy]

Mind if I use a pic for my desktop? Great photos!

I don't mind at all. Thanks!

[YesDear]

SHOW OFF! Great pictures Mr. Elliott.

[PhotobearSam]

Nice shots...but I hate you...NOW I want a 10mm lens and it's all your fault...LOL;)

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Again, I'm lovin' your photos! Thanks for posting!

[boBQuincy]

Nice shots...but I hate you...NOW I want a 10mm lens and it's all your fault...LOL;)

;) ;) ;)

It's a public service that some of us on this board provide, to help stimulate the economy! ;)

[Pea-n-Me]

Never mind. I haven't even posted my blazing sunset Southwest picture yet. :rotfl2:

[jann1033]

One of the "problems" of this board is the incredible amount of talent of the contributors. Many of the photos are great, really great! The challenge is how to take (or make) a photograph that has not been seen before.
My goal this year (now that school is done) is to really study the camera and software, to create photos that are out of the ordinary. Sometimes it works, but most of the time... well, I keep trying. ;)
Here are some that I like:

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/tot_1642.jpg

I always liked this billboard, a reminder of Hollywood's golden era.

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/tot_1658_6_7.jpg

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/army_1721.jpg

A green army man doing "Stayin' Alive" in Block Party Bash

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/hbd_1695_3_4.jpg

Waiting to get a Hollywood Brown Derby Cobb Salad!

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/contemp_1780_78_79.jpg

I went to the Contemporary Resort to catch the sunset over Magic Kingdom. It was a mostly bland sunset, but the one the next evening (when I was at MCO) was spectacular! Hmm, a drab sunset over MK or a glorious display of red and orange over a Southwest 737... ;)

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/contemp_1798_6_7.jpg

Photographing the CR is fun with a 10mm lens.

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/mk_1806_4_5.jpg

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/main_st_1809_7_8.jpg

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/castle_1870_68_69.jpg

MK is unstable, in that a 30 second exposure often is blurred. My tripod is steady so my take is that with all the tunnels MK is more like a large parking deck, it feels stable but not enough for a long exposure.

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/wishes_1861.jpg

Behind the castle gives a different view of Wishes.

http://www.suzieandbob.com/wdw/feb_09/castle_1909_7_8.jpg

A tripod means "Photopass" to many guests, at least five guests handed me their Photopass cards.

like these, lost the page one so have to go back to that but i especially
like the second tot shot, looks like an old postcard coloration..:thumbsup2 personally never thought of any of your photos as boring or not creative but did you do some creative coloring with some of these (ie the resort lot shot) or was the color just like that naturally. thinking the main street is hdr??

[boBQuincy]

like these, lost the page one so have to go back to that but i especially
like the second tot shot, looks like an old postcard coloration..:thumbsup2 personally never thought of any of your photos as boring or not creative but did you do some creative coloring with some of these (ie the resort lot shot) or was the color just like that naturally. thinking the main street is hdr??

Actually, all of these are HDR except the billboard, army man, and fireworks. I toned down the color on the Tower and the billboard to try for an old postcard look, I'm glad it worked! :)

[Groucho]

As for the long exposures at MK, I have some that are very sharp at 30 seconds and some that are quite blurred at 6 seconds, taken in the same location. I think the blurred ones are from when someone was walking by but that's only a guess. Some are from near the Noodle Station and the area may be cantilevered over the water near Plaza and Tomorowland.

Upstairs at Main Street Station is more obvious, when a train is approaching we can forget any long exposures! ;)
Well, I'd agree with that (about the train), that's a few tons of steel moving around... but I'm sorry, I cannot believe that someone walking by will affect a shot on the pavement at MK. If it was that flexible, the concrete would be cracking constantly! To the best of my knowledge, the whole thing is solid ground beneath you except for the tunnel around the perimeter and down the middle. I've certainly never seen any issues like what you're describing... I would have to guess it's more likely a tripod or head issue, that would be much more believable than the entire ground at MK vibrating enough to affect a photo.

The bridge between the hub and Liberty Square - that definitely does vibrate as people walk over it though; every time I went to take a long shot there last trip, someone would cross the bridge, and never when I wasn't taking a shot. :)

[bostran1]

As far as the MK moving goes, it looks to me like you may be having issues on the fireworks photos. The sound waves from the fireworks could certainly be causing a small amount of vibration on the tripod or the camera.

[vettechick99]

Fantastic shots!!!