Public Service Announcement : dont forget your tri-pod

[DSLRuser]

lol. Was all geeked up for last weeks trip. In the rush to get everything packed, left my tri-pod.

I was wanting to focus on night long exposure shots this trip too. I tried to make good with benches and trash cans. But I left a lot of shots just because of no tri-pod.

I didn't want to go buy a cheap one to get buy.

Hope to work on my shots this week in light room and post some keepers.

 

[mom2rtk]

Oops. Sorry about that. Maybe next time?

Mind if I expand on that PSA?

When you pack your park bag the day you're staying to photograph Wishes........ make sure you keep that little plate in there. You know.... the one that attaches the camera TO the tripod.

Don't ask me how I know this. I might cry. Again.

It really just wasn't meant to be that night though. I was so disappointed I wasn't even noticing what my daughter pointed out a few minutes into the show. The cloud cover was so dense that the smoke was just hanging by the castle and I woudln't have gotten good photos anyway.

 

[Daisy14'sDH]

lol, my last trip, our 10th Anniversary with just me and the missus, my tripod didnt fit into the luggage. I didnt want to buy a cheapie, but we had a last making the best of it. Our favourite pics together were from the 45 minutes we spent at 2 am in front of the POFQ pool in various "poses".... using a remote of course

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

These are all the reasons (and I've done all of the above) my travel tripod is always on my bag and the Joby on the DW's. Even if I intend to use the around town tripod, I always have the others with me. You can never have enough equipment!! (including three DSLR's)


Bags 5015 by Terry McGraw Photography, on Flickr

 

[Daisy14'sDH]

Lowepro Slingshot 100AW, and is that the Canon version?

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Lowepro Slingshot 100AW, and is that the Canon version?

The right bag is a Lowepro Slingshot 200AW with a Joby DSLRZoom. The left one is a Lowepro 200 Fastpack with a Cullmann Magic.

 

[Pixel Dust]

lol. Was all geeked up for last weeks trip. In the rush to get everything packed, left my tri-pod.

I was wanting to focus on night long exposure shots this trip too. I tried to make good with benches and trash cans. But I left a lot of shots just because of no tri-pod.

UGH! I would die.

 

[Shutterbug]

lol. Was all geeked up for last weeks trip. In the rush to get everything packed, left my tri-pod.

I was wanting to focus on night long exposure shots this trip too. I tried to make good with benches and trash cans. But I left a lot of shots just because of no tri-pod.

I didn't want to go buy a cheap one to get buy.

Hope to work on my shots this week in light room and post some keepers.

Why not buy a cheap one? I mean if you had planned all these long exposure shots, why not go buy one so you could have gotten those long planned shots?

I still have the cheap tripod that I bought from a Kmart near the Outerbanks, the tripod from WalMart in Las Vegas lol

 

[mcraige]

Also, beware where you setup your tripod. Our last trip, I found a nice spot near Crystal Palace and setup my tripod (while the Main Street Electrical Parade was going on). After the parade, and before wishes, this family moved in and kept kicking my tripod even tho I was sitting on the ground right in front of it. I finally had to move 2 legs over the fence, and then "guard" the 3rd leg.

 

[mom2rtk]

Also, beware where you setup your tripod. Our last trip, I found a nice spot near Crystal Palace and setup my tripod (while the Main Street Electrical Parade was going on). After the parade, and before wishes, this family moved in and kept kicking my tripod even tho I was sitting on the ground right in front of it. I finally had to move 2 legs over the fence, and then "guard" the 3rd leg.

Just curious what time of year you were there, what time you set up in that spot, and how crowded it was at that time.

We're making a one night stop in the MK in early June and I was considering shooting Wishes from this spot. MSEP is at 9 and 11, Wishes at 10. I was hoping the CP spot might not be very busy during that first parade. My goal is to get right up by the fence with 2 legs on the other side, just as you did.

And yes, I get that I'll have hand to hand combat once the parade lets out. I'll wear my body armour.

 

[2Tiggies]

Just curious what time of year you were there, what time you set up in that spot, and how crowded it was at that time.

We're making a one night stop in the MK in early June and I was considering shooting Wishes from this spot. MSEP is at 9 and 11, Wishes at 10. I was hoping the CP spot might not be very busy during that first parade. My goal is to get right up by the fence with 2 legs on the other side, just as you did.

And yes, I get that I'll have hand to hand combat once the parade lets out. I'll wear my body armour.

I tried for that spot twice in September last year. Now although off season, once the parties start MK goes insane on non party nights so I am sure it added to the crowds but I saw that area filled up pretty well almost an hour before the parade started (only one per night in September).

Are you going to be alone? Even with the tripod legs stuck through railings another person is really helpful. I get my DD to stand on the one side and I stand behind/sort of to the other side to shield the parts of the legs that do protrude and I put my camera bag and anything else we have on the ground under the tripod to prevent people trying to get little ones under there, lol Oh and I have since thought that 10 bucks in payment for having my 'assistant' hold an umbrella over me and the camera if it suddenly rains may be a good incentive if she is reluctant next trip

 

[mom2rtk]

I tried for that spot twice in September last year. Now although off season, once the parties start MK goes insane on non party nights so I am sure it added to the crowds but I saw that area filled up pretty well almost an hour before the parade started (only one per night in September).

Are you going to be alone? Even with the tripod legs stuck through railings another person is really helpful. I get my DD to stand on the one side and I stand behind/sort of to the other side to shield the parts of the legs that do protrude and I put my camera bag and anything else we have on the ground under the tripod to prevent people trying to get little ones under there, lol Oh and I have since thought that 10 bucks in payment for having my 'assistant' hold an umbrella over me and the camera if it suddenly rains may be a good incentive if she is reluctant next trip

I was afraid of that. So you're saying there was one parade? Was it before Wishes then and it filled up an hour before the parade, which was an hour before Wishes? If so, that's probably more time than I can invest. I might have to punt on this one.

My 12 year old daughter will be with me. I'm sure she knows what we'd be in for. We've been in battle together many times preserving a tripod spot. But don't tell her she's underpaid.

 

[2Tiggies]

I was afraid of that. So you're saying there was one parade? Was it before Wishes then and it filled up an hour before the parade, which was an hour before Wishes? If so, that's probably more time than I can invest. I might have to punt on this one.

My 12 year old daughter will be with me. I'm sure she knows what we'd be in for. We've been in battle together many times preserving a tripod spot. But don't tell her she's underpaid.

I resorted to 'rewards' after my extremely patient, long suffering assistant had helped me guard my tripod on about 5 occasions already that trip (two of which were aborted due to sudden downpours just as the fireworks started!).

There was a parade before wishes. It was the only one for the night. I think Wishes was about an hour after the kick off of the parade. If you can get there before the parade and just stay where you are you will be fine. I found a lot of people fill up ANY empty gap on the Main St side of the park before the parade as they suddenly realize all spots on the route are full. What I did was observe on a night where we were not going to specifically watch Wishes to get an idea and I recall it being about 30 minutes before the parade when we walked by CP and that place was packed with people.

 

[Me!Thatswho]

OP, I sympathize. On our last visit to the world I remembered the tripod. Right before our trip I upgraded cameras, so I was really excited about having the opportunity of capturing Wishes with my new toy. The family agreed to allow me to shoot on our first night, which coincidentally was also an morning EMH, just in case something happened. So, for nearly 13 hours I proudly lugged my tripod & gear through the park. As the time drew near, I was practically giddy. In fact, while I was setting up near the flag pool with nobody within 10 feet on my tripod, my DS kept busting on me about the "stupid smile" I had on face. I was psyched about capturing the fireworks with the tops of Main Street within the frame. Then, lo-and-behold, I discovered that I forgot my remote. I was horrified. While I tried capturing a few, I shouldn't have even bothered as I didn't get a single useable image.