An Evening with Trey Ratcliff (at MK)

[wbeem]

I thought I'd share this video with the rest of our Disney photographer folks here. On Friday night, I had an invitation from Keith Barrett & Trey Ratcliff to join them at MK to do some shots of the fireworks. After the Wishes show was over, Trey found an angle he liked of the castle and worked to get the reflection shot that's on his blog today.

I captured a bit of it on my iPhone and posted it to YouTube. The video quality isn't that great at nice, but I thought it was sufficient to show how he conceived a shot and then got others to cooperate and help him make it.

Here's his blog post with the photo, and then my YouTube link below.

http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2012/04/01/where-the-princess-dwells-at-night/

http://youtu.be/GKJ6_ZmQOjU

 

[YesDear]

William:

Thanks for sharing and what a great opportunity to spend some time with Trey.

After your two run ins with Disney castmembers and photography did it make you wonder how it was that Trey was able to get them to do his bidding?!!! LOL.

Some people just have that knack to disarm people and get them to do amazing things.

No slight to you or your powers of persuasion, just fascinated to watch those people get what they want.

Thanks again for sharing. I hope Trey gets his flight worked out! The inaugural cruise of the Fantasy should be something!

 

[Daisy14'sDH]

I'm a huge fan of Treys work and follow his blog among others, but he has a certain charm to him that is really likeable. Thanks for sharing!

 

[wbeem]

William:

Thanks for sharing and what a great opportunity to spend some time with Trey.

After your two run ins with Disney castmembers and photography did it make you wonder how it was that Trey was able to get them to do his bidding?!!! LOL.

Some people just have that knack to disarm people and get them to do amazing things.

No slight to you or your powers of persuasion, just fascinated to watch those people get what they want.

Thanks again for sharing. I hope Trey gets his flight worked out! The inaugural cruise of the Fantasy should be something!

Nope, doesn't make me wonder at all. I've done the same thing (showing my pics to someone) as a way to appeal for some help or access to get a shot.

Let's also put a bit of perspective here. A couple of weeks after my run-in with Downtown Disney security, Trey visited there and they called the Orange County Deputy Sheriff on him - and he was a resort guest and had permission from Disney to be there for his photos! He posted about it on his blog, should you care to go back and look for it.

I've had two problems over several years of visits to WDW. Most of those were very pleasant visits, often chatting with cast members who have helped me find some new shots or otherwise given a positive experience. The only time I was approached inside a park was at Animal Kingdom. That woman already had her mind made up before she approached me. The conversation was very polite, and she kept changing the terms of her complaint.

In this case, Trey was talking with guys pushing water around, not someone who identified herself as a park manager approaching a photographer. I don't see it as the same thing at all. These guys were open to helping. The folks I met had already decided they didn't like my camera before I ever saw them. It happens to me, it happened to Trey, and it happens to other people, too. Persuasion only works if the other person hasn't set their mind in stone.

 

[Renysmom]

Thanks for sharing. I saw the photo yesterday on FB and the first thing I thought of was only Trey could convince others to add water where they want it to go away.

I am in the car actually now (DH is driving) and hope to run into Trey in the parks, just to say hello.

 

[wbeem]

Thanks for sharing. I saw the photo yesterday on FB and the first thing I thought of was only Trey could convince others to add water where they want it to go away.

I am in the car actually now (DH is driving) and hope to run into Trey in the parks, just to say hello.

Actually, Trey is with his family on a Disney cruise (the new ship). I'm not sure what his plans are once they return to Florida.

 

[WDWFigment]

Nope, doesn't make me wonder at all. I've done the same thing (showing my pics to someone) as a way to appeal for some help or access to get a shot.

Let's also put a bit of perspective here. A couple of weeks after my run-in with Downtown Disney security, Trey visited there and they called the Orange County Deputy Sheriff on him - and he was a resort guest and had permission from Disney to be there for his photos! He posted about it on his blog, should you care to go back and look for it.

I've had two problems over several years of visits to WDW. Most of those were very pleasant visits, often chatting with cast members who have helped me find some new shots or otherwise given a positive experience. The only time I was approached inside a park was at Animal Kingdom. That woman already had her mind made up before she approached me. The conversation was very polite, and she kept changing the terms of her complaint.

In this case, Trey was talking with guys pushing water around, not someone who identified herself as a park manager approaching a photographer. I don't see it as the same thing at all. These guys were open to helping. The folks I met had already decided they didn't like my camera before I ever saw them. It happens to me, it happened to Trey, and it happens to other people, too. Persuasion only works if the other person hasn't set their mind in stone.

+1 on this.

I've had a number of wonderful encounters with Disney security and other Cast Members when shooting, and have many times had them assist me with shots (taking me to "cleared" areas, etc.), but I've also had encounters where no amount of politeness or reasoning would have made a difference. I've learned that, when it appears the latter is going to be the case, just to cede defeat, say thanks, and move along. It's frustrating, but it's a no-win scenario.

I've heard Downtown Disney is a "difficult" place to shoot with regard to security (from others besides Trey & William, too), and I've had difficulties shooting at Downtown Disney in California, so this doesn't surprise me. I don't know if it's the third party tenants or the drunk-traffic, or what, but it seems to be a 'sensitive' place to shoot.

Cool stuff, William...now, where are your shots?!

 

[wbeem]

You're absolutely right. When you realize that they have their mind made up, it's time to move along.

On my way out of Animal Kingdom that night, I had a number of other cast members who saw my camera and asked if I got some great shots. They were happy to discuss them with me and, I think, represent the kinds of folks I meet there who will tell you about cool stuff.

I had a longer conversation with one of them and he mentioned that Downtown Disney is harder on photographers because it is "open" - meaning that there is no filter of ticket-paying guests. They've had some problems in the past and it seems someone there thinks photographers are on the same level as vandals, arsonists, or terrorists. I've decided not to go back there, even though I know it has some great photo opportunities.

Personally, I have far more positive encounters and really enjoy talking with cast members about photography when they're interested. The same was true recently when I went to Washington, D.C. and spoke with a Park Ranger by the Korean War Memorial. He told me about some cool vantage points that I would have missed.

The folks who are there can be great resources. Most are happy to help. Now I need to process some pictures.

 

[Experiment_626]

I've done some shooting at Downtown Disney and never experienced any problems. However, I've always shot from in or around the Marketplace side; based on the experiences Trey and William have reported, I'd be hesitant to shoot on the West Side.

In fact, I've never had any actual problems shooting anywhere on property that I've tried. Closest I've ever come was a couple different times around the Great Movie Ride after the posted closing time at DHS, once a group of manager types making a sweep asked me if I were "about done for the night." And as a matter of fact, I was making my last exposure when they asked. The other time I had asked a cast member if it was okay if I went to that same area to shoot, and a bit later I was approached by a security guard who asked if I was aware the park had been closed "for over an hour" (if 45 minutes qualified as over an hour). I replied that I had asked permission, and that I would be finished in less than three minutes. He said okay and didn't bother me further (and I finished in about two minutes).

SSB

 

[Shazzasmd]

Thanks for sharing. I saw Trey's shot of the Fantasy atrium area on his blog. Can't wait to see more of what he does on the cruise.

(We just finished a cruise on the Dream, and I let the family activities wear me out, so photography took a backseat, but am expecting fun stuff from Trey).