Does WDW buy photos from visitors?

[ArcticWildMan]

Not sure where to ask, so I'll use this forum.

Does Disney ever buy photos of the theme parks if they are of exceptional quality? I know they have armies of photographers at the parks and they hire pros for a lot of their advertising shots, but I recently took a pic of one of the tigers at Animal Kingdom that is really exceptional.


The camera shop I had the pic enlarged at, suggested I copyright the photo and contact Disney to see if they would be interested in using it since it is so good.

Would it be worth it to see if they would be interested or would it be a total waste of time? I'm really not trying to make any money off of it. I'm more interested in seeing if it's good enough for commercial use.

 

[ArcticWildMan]

Here's a small version of the pic. This is shrunk by 75% and a lot of the clarity and detail have been lost.

When it's viewed full size, it really is stunning!

 

[TheWho]

That is a great picture, have no idea if Disney would buy it.

HOWEVER,
if you had any naked pictures of ME in an embarrassing situation, I'm sure Roy would buy them !!!

Good luck with your photos

 

[ArcticWildMan]

LOL!!! I think I could request a King's ransom if I had any of those pics

 

[Dznefreek]

GREAT picture! but it does not give any sense or indication that it was shot at WDW which they would probably point out right away.

Disney does not accept unsolicited ideas, scripts, pictures, ride ideas, souvenir ideas, or any other type of "intellectual" property.

How do I know? Long before there was an MGM or a Tokyo Disney Seas I sent them an outline, drawings and concept for a ride based on "Journey to the Center of the Earth" and it was returned with a nice letter from their legal department which stated such.

 

[ArcticWildMan]

Originally posted by Dznefreek

Disney does not accept unsolicited ideas, scripts, pictures, ride ideas, souvenir ideas, or any other type of "intellectual" property.

That isn't surprising I guess. Sounds like if they can't lay claim to all the rights for marketing, they would rather not "play ball" so to speak. Kind of foolish IMO, but typical for such a big company in today's profit above all else culture.

 

[WDWHound]

Originally posted by ArcticWildMan
That isn't surprising I guess. Sounds like if they can't lay claim to all the rights for marketing, they would rather not "play ball" so to speak. Kind of foolish IMO, but typical for such a big company in today's profit above all else culture.

Actually, the policy is in place to protect them from lawsuits. If they accepted public submissions, but didn't buy the idea, photo or whatever, the sender can then claim that Disney stole their property if Disney ever did anything remotely similar to what was submitted.

For example, you submit your picture of the tiger. Disney rejects it, but later publishes another picture of a Tiger sitting down and looking at the camera as part of an Animal Kingdom flyer. You then sue them for stealing the idea for the composition and subject matter of your picture. Sure, it sounds silly, you wouldn't probably ever dream of doing this (and if you did, you would probably lose). Still, lots of people would sue and, win or lose, lawsuits cost money.

Disney gets sued all the time for supposedly stealing other peoples ideas or intellectual property. Their no unsolicited anything rule is the only means they have to defend themsleves.

 

[KNWVIKING]

***"Sounds like if they can't lay claim to all the rights for marketing, they would rather not "play ball" so to speak. Kind of foolish IMO, but typical for such a big company in today's profit above all else culture."***

I think it's more a sign of the time. They got sue'd - and lost- over WWoS complex. Disney is getting sue'd by someone in France over Nemo. there is still an old lawsuit over the design of Epcot.

If they don't take this cold hearted, legalistic stance, they'll simply get sue'd over everything because someone will claim they e-mailed an idea or sent in a picture or script of something that Disney just built or released.

 

[ohanafamily]

Great Pic, AWM, but I guess I have to agree with the Hound...

BTW, how was the trip and the "Other" wter park?

 

[Planogirl]

That is a gorgeous picture! Thanks for sharing it.

By the way, I'm curious too (hi ohanafamily! ) about your trip. Did you have a nice time?

 

[KNWVIKING]

What camera are you using ? It mut have a great zoom lense to get the pic of the cheetah.

 

[ArcticWildMan]

The trip was fun. Loved staying at OKW!! No way will I stay in a resort room ever again room if/when we go back, I'm spoiled now I was also very impressed with HIFS the two days we spent there and highly recommend it.

Wet N Wild was closed, so we never got a chance to try it. Instead, we pool hopped over at the Boardwalk one day. My kids enjoyed it, so it wasn't a total loss.


I had a good time, but the "magic" just wasn't there like in the past. This trip I REALLY noticed all the little cutbacks that have been instituted the past few years. A lot of cast members seemed stressed and/or distracted. There didn't seem to be nearly as many holiday decorations as the last time we visited during the holidays. I saw a lot of maintenance going on during the middle of the day. One day at EPCOT, they started pumping the ceptic system out in the middle of the day!! It's not exactly a "Disney" moment when you are sittting outside at the Rose and Crown eating lunch and suddenly a ceptic tank pump truck appears on the road and stops next to the R&C and starts pumping.

 

[ArcticWildMan]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
What camera are you using ? It mut have a great zoom lense to get the pic of the cheetah.

I use a Canon EOS digital Rebel. Most of my zoom shots were taken using a cheapie 80-210 Kodak zoom lense. I'm really not that happy with it since it seems to blurr the image a little at anything over 150mm.

I plan on getting a Sigma 70-300 APO Super lense for it. That should be a lot better lense.

 

[ArcticWildMan]

Here are a few more from AK...

 

[ArcticWildMan]

And just for grins, one from my commute to work the other day...

 

[Planogirl]

Very nice pictures! They're all great but the original one of the tiger and the one you made on the way to work are my favorites. Unbelievable beauty in Alaska.

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

Do you have any shots of a lion on top of the rock on the Kilimanjaro Safari? (reminiscent of the Lion King movie posters)?
I saw this on one of our rides but was out of film so I didn't get to get the shot! We had ridden the safari a few times during the trip and I had taken a bunch of photos so I wasn't too concerned about getting more photos -- but of course I missed a great shot!! It's etched in my mind, but I'd love to see similar photo caught by someone else. *sigh*

Your photos are beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

 

[ArcticWildMan]

Originally posted by SnoWhiteRabbit
Do you have any shots of a lion on top of the rock on the Kilimanjaro Safari? (reminiscent of the Lion King movie posters)?
I saw this on one of our rides but was out of film so I didn't get to get the shot! We had ridden the safari a few times during the trip and I had taken a bunch of photos so I wasn't too concerned about getting more photos -- but of course I missed a great shot!! It's etched in my mind, but I'd love to see similar photo caught by someone else. *sigh*

Your photos are beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

I have one of the lions but it isn't anything special. They were laying down and it's hard to see them. Also the tour bus driver refused to slow down so I was forced to snap pics as she raced through the ride.


Sorry

 

[KNWVIKING]

We did an early morning safari in Dec, very cool,briske morning temp, and the animals all looked like something you'd see on a National Geographic documentory. The lions were spectacular and the bus drive came to complete stops on both sides of the exhibit. AND WE LEFT THE CAMERA IN THE ROOM !!!!!

Oh well, there's alway another Dec trip around the corner.

 

[Snow Brite]

Welcome back Arctic Wild Man! Was it a shock to get back into Carhartts and Sorels? LOL!

Great, great pictures. But the one of Turnagain Arm is amazing. Just beautiful. You must go to work late in the day to get that shot. I am most jealous....

Now you just need one like that but of Denali and Susitna....thats the money shot there. LOL!

Glad you had a good trip, if not perfect.


Jennifer