Disney's Professional Photographers experiences???

[Mom2disneygirls]

Hi all. Seriously debating a photographer coming in to take family pictures or using one with Disney. Trying to find more info and possibly some photos of those who used the Disney. This is not the photo pass but the option they have of a 20 or 40 minute session with photos. Would like to hear from someone who did it and were they happy with the results etc... Thanks

 

[Loveallthingsmouse]

Hi all. Seriously debating a photographer coming in to take family pictures or using one with Disney. Trying to find more info and possibly some photos of those who used the Disney. This is not the photo pass but the option they have of a 20 or 40 minute session with photos. Would like to hear from someone who did it and were they happy with the results etc... Thanks

We booked a photo session on our first trip to Aulani, I was a bit nervous since I couldn't find much about them in regards to people who had used them before. We loved our session and our photographer, she was great. We have a daughter with special needs and she hates getting her picture taken. The photographer did a great job getting her to not only take pictures but smile! We are planning to do it again on our next visit. We were thrilled with the quality and amount of photos. From what I have read, an outside photographer can take pictures on the beach (beach is public) but can't come onto Aulani property to take photos. We had photos taken around the pool and on the beach at sunset. We were very pleased!

 

[Mom2disneygirls]

We booked a photo session on our first trip to Aulani, I was a bit nervous since I couldn't find much about them in regards to people who had used them before. We loved our session and our photographer, she was great. We have a daughter with special needs and she hates getting her picture taken. The photographer did a great job getting her to not only take pictures but smile! We are planning to do it again on our next visit. We were thrilled with the quality and amount of photos. From what I have read, an outside photographer can take pictures on the beach (beach is public) but can't come onto Aulani property to take photos. We had photos taken around the pool and on the beach at sunset. We were very pleased!

I called them and they said we could only pick the pool or the beach that only 1 location would be used for photos. I was a bit disappointed. The outside photographer we talked to said she was very limited what she could do at Aulani and was not allowed by the lagoons.

 

[Loveallthingsmouse]

Was that for the short session? I recall that the short session was one location and the longer session was two.

 

[Mom2disneygirls]

I asked them that specifically and they said for either session it was one location. Would love for someone else to chime in if they get more info... hoping maybe I got someone who doesn't know.

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

I called them and they said we could only pick the pool or the beach that only 1 location would be used for photos. I was a bit disappointed. The outside photographer we talked to said she was very limited what she could do at Aulani and was not allowed by the lagoons.

Thanks for sharing this info. I've been going back and forth about whether or not to book a session for when we're there next month (and I think I need to decide soon so I don't risk not being able to get a time). I'm not sure which location I would pick. Ugh, I wish they had sample pictures on their website.

 

[Loveallthingsmouse]

Just spoke with them, they confirmed that it is now only one location regardless of the length of the session, which I think is a bit of a bummer. We truly loved our beach photos so much more than those by the pool, so maybe it's not that big of a loss for us. We still plan to do again when we visit this summer, just may choose the shorter session instead.

 

[Loveallthingsmouse]

If you contact them directly, they will email you sample photos taken. My profile pic is one of my girls taken on the beach by during our session.

 

[texansue]

We used their service last February during our visit. It was pricey but it was important to me to get photos of my whole family together. We were given the choice when I made the reservation (via phone several months in advance) of either an early morning or a late day shoot. They explained the different lighting that the time of day would give us and we chose the early morning session. Worked out well since we were still on CT time. Only one location was offered - either the beach or a tropical spot on the resort and we chose the beach. We got about 50 photos or so and really we only liked 2 of them. But it was worth the $ even just getting the 2.

We are going back again this summer but I won't be doing it this time. Hoping to put that money towards something else.

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

If you contact them directly, they will email you sample photos taken. My profile pic is one of my girls taken on the beach by during our session.

Thanks! I think I will ask them to do that. When you had your beach photos, were they able to get any with the resort as the background or were they all with the water behind you?

We used their service last February during our visit. It was pricey but it was important to me to get photos of my whole family together. We were given the choice when I made the reservation (via phone several months in advance) of either an early morning or a late day shoot. They explained the different lighting that the time of day would give us and we chose the early morning session. Worked out well since we were still on CT time. Only one location was offered - either the beach or a tropical spot on the resort and we chose the beach. We got about 50 photos or so and really we only liked 2 of them. But it was worth the $ even just getting the 2.

We are going back again this summer but I won't be doing it this time. Hoping to put that money towards something else.

Thanks for sharing your experience. How early was the early morning session?

 

[Loveallthingsmouse]

Thanks! I think I will ask them to do that. When you had your beach photos, were they able to get any with the resort as the background or were they all with the water behind you?



Thanks for sharing your experience. How early was the early morning session?

Ours was just with the ocean in the background, I'm sure you could ask to have the resort in the photo. If that's what you want, early morning might be better, probably a better chance to not have others in the background.

 

[Loveallthingsmouse]

We used their service last February during our visit. It was pricey but it was important to me to get photos of my whole family together. We were given the choice when I made the reservation (via phone several months in advance) of either an early morning or a late day shoot. They explained the different lighting that the time of day would give us and we chose the early morning session. Worked out well since we were still on CT time. Only one location was offered - either the beach or a tropical spot on the resort and we chose the beach. We got about 50 photos or so and really we only liked 2 of them. But it was worth the $ even just getting the 2.

We are going back again this summer but I won't be doing it this time. Hoping to put that money towards something else.

Did you do the mini session or the full? We are trying to decide which one to get this time. Since it's either or on location (we had both during the full last time) not sure it's worth a full session this visit.

 

[ToodlesRN]

Last April when we bought the photopass cd we were told the photographers will take pics of the family, we just call the desk tell them were we would be and the time. We gave it a try just to see and sure enough one came took some photos of the family and placed them on our cd! This time around we plan to get all dressed up and have some taken on the beach of us. Worth every penny buying the CD!

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

I called to make our appointment and wanted to share the info I got. For the time we will be there (April) the session times they are offering are early afternoon for the garden location or late afternoon or sunset for the beach location. I asked about early morning beach sessions and was told only afternoon or sunset. I'm not sure if the times offered vary with the time of year, but this is the info for our timeframe. They emailed me sample photos of garden sessions as well as afternoon vs. sunset at the beach (thank you Loveallthingsmouse for the tip on getting sample photos sent). I asked if it was possible to get some shots with the resort in the background at the beach location. She said generally all the beach photos will have the water as the background and that they could try to get a couple with the resort in the background but shooting that direction would put the sun in our face.

So with all that said, after looking at the samples we opted to go with the garden location. I hope we made the right choice. I really liked the samples with the water and palm trees in the background too but something about the garden photos appealed to me so I went with my gut. I'll post an update when we return from our trip if anyone's interested.

 

[aulanidreamer]

We got great beach photos with just the regular photopass. There were 7 of us and we were down at the water right when the evening sunset photos were starting. We went early in the week in case we didn't like the photos, but they ended up great so we didn't go again. While we were there the photopass viewing on your room tv wasn't working, so we had to go down to the desk to see if we liked them. I recommend getting Darren to take your photos if you can, he is awesome. Also if you pre schedule a session, the weather may not cooperate.

 

[Mom2disneygirls]

Hmm still torn. Called and this is the rates etc I got told for July visit. They said $350 for the 40 minute session and it would be 30-60 photos ($400 if we wanted sunset). It was $225 for the 20 minute with 15-35 photos with it being $275 for sunset premium. Only 1 location. The photographer I am debating is in a similar price range but only 20 pictures (not sure if that includes the rights) and we have to drive 15-20 minutes and do a car rental. @aulanidreamer So do that have a photpass person set up to do sunset shots and just put on the photo pass cd??? Thinking may not be worth the premium if this is the case.

 

[aulanidreamer]

They have 2 photopass photographers down at the beach every evening. We had a good experience, but weren't looking for 40-50 pics. We had about 10-15 pics total which included my immediate family, a few of the kids, a few with my parents, just them, and a few of my husband and I. If they weren't great, we would have tried another night, but we were happy with how they turned out. We also got a few more of sunset pics on the photopass when we went to ama ama. They had a photographer inside the restaurant that evening. Not sure if that is normal.

 

[Loveallthingsmouse]

Hmm still torn. Called and this is the rates etc I got told for July visit. They said $350 for the 40 minute session and it would be 30-60 photos ($400 if we wanted sunset). It was $225 for the 20 minute with 15-35 photos with it being $275 for sunset premium. Only 1 location. The photographer I am debating is in a similar price range but only 20 pictures (not sure if that includes the rights) and we have to drive 15-20 minutes and do a car rental. @aulanidreamer So do that have a photpass person set up to do sunset shots and just put on the photo pass cd??? Thinking may not be worth the premium if this is the case.

That doesn't seem like very many photos for the 40 minute session. We received 2 CDs with photos with over 200 photos to pick from, I hope that is not another change since we went.

 

[Loveallthingsmouse]

Also, not sure if this makes a difference for decision making, if you are a DVC member, show your member card when you pick up your CD for a 10% discount.

 

[cmph]

I just signed up for a photo session (20min mini on the beach). The confirmation email says photopass is only $49.99 for those booking a private photo session. So that's one nice perk!