Do you create a "shot list" for WDW?

[Todd_H]

And no, not talking about the monorail crawl

Just curious if any others out there get inspired by the talent you see on this board and create a shot list of things you want to photograph in WDW? I always try to come up with my own shots, but I study others' shots as well for inspiration.

 

[tazdev3225]

I usually have a list of shots I take every trip of my kids or grandkids at the same spot to chronicle how they change from trip to trip and then I try and take new shots as I'm going around. I always have taken pictures of landscaping as flowers seem to inspire me. My last trip I did take a few from different perspectives based on some of the photos I have seen here. I use to be much more cautious in taking typical tourist pictures now I am inspired to look for different angles or "outside of the box". Thank you all who post your photos on here. They are inspirational.

 

[annnewjerz]

A candy corn, a girl scout cookie, a shot of rootbeer vodka, a kamikaze......


I don't have a list written on paper, but I do have one in my mind. Of course, I'd like to come up with a bunch of my own ideas---but there are a couple that I'd like to replicate. Maybe it would even be a fun game on the DIS, comparing the original to the replica and seeing how close we could get.

Here are some I'd like to get in December that were inspired by others:
1. Nice night shot of the Boardwalk from across the lake since we'll be staying there (inspired by photos I've seen from Bob and Groucho);
2. Some shots of Animal Kingdom after dark (inspired by Jeff's thread);
3. "Ghost" shot in front of Haunted Mansion using a long shutter speed (inspired by WDWFigment);
4. Daytime motion shots using my ND400 filter (inspired by Justin);

Here are some more general ones I have on my list to try during our trip:
1. Good night pics of the World Showcase;
2. Good shots on the indoor rides like Pirates and HM;
3. Shots of my DM enjoying her first vacation in almost 15 years;
4. Two words...food porn for all of those on the restaurant board
5. Shots of fireworks, lots of them.

I'm planning to make a Blurb book to use as a coffee table book rather than a normal photo album this trip, so I'm going to really TRY to pay attention, plan my shots out and take a few on different settings to see what works best. This will be my first vacation and trip to WDW with an SLR, so it'll be a challenge...I'm only hoping to get shots in the same ballpark as some others that I have seen recently from relative newbs.

 

[WillowBelle]

This will be my 19th trip to the world. It is also the 1st trip that I will have a photography list. I have seen so many fantastic photos on these boards, that I want to try to catch similar ones. Mostly, I'm breaking my list down by photos on which lens I would like to get. This will be the first trip that I take 5 lenses to the parks with me.

 

[WVDisGeek]

Sure do! My last trip in December was cut short (photographically) due to blowing out my knee. As such, I have some of the shots from that trip, plus a bunch more that I have added since. I have to agree, several of them have been inspired by shots I have seen on these boards. I want to see if I can achieve something close (not trying to blatantly copy anyone! ) but would like to see what I can come up with. I am sure the list will be huge by December and I am also sure I will never get them all....but that just means I have to plan another trip!

 

[annnewjerz]

Sure do! My last trip in December was cut short (photographically) due to blowing out my knee. As such, I have some of the shots from that trip, plus a bunch more that I have added since. I have to agree, several of them have been inspired by shots I have seen on these boards. I want to see if I can achieve something close (not trying to blatantly copy anyone! ) but would like to see what I can come up with. I am sure the list will be huge by December and I am also sure I will never get them all....but that just means I have to plan another trip!

Slightly OT, but when in December are you going? We'll be there the 12-18th!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I usually have a few "must gets", but no list, really.

I did peek at the upcoming contests before my last trip (and probably even printed the list up), but it was the last thing on my mind when I actually got there and lo and behold there was no list anywhere nor did I have any recollection of what what was on it.

 

[Groucho]

I've had a list the last couple trips, though I haven't accomplished all the shots on it! But there's been a few. I still have a few specific shots in mind that I haven't seen anyone else do yet but they're mostly ones that will take a minute or two to set up (and one requires someone else holding a flash unit several feet away!) so they haven't happened.

Not a big deal; I'll be back and I can grab those shots then. I did feel a little less pressure this trip; there are several things that I've shot on previous trips that I am happy enough with that I didn't feel any need to try to re-shoot.

 

[WVDisGeek]

annnewjerz Quote:

Slightly OT, but when in December are you going? We'll be there the 12-18th!

We will just miss you! We are there the 6-11th! Then we head back to my in-law's condo in Ormand Beach for a couple of days, then home.

 

[boBQuincy]

I usually have some ideas in mind, mostly from previous trips where I could see a good photo opportunity but for some reason was not able to get the shot I wanted. For example, I knew there was a nice view of the Canada pavilion from upstairs at the Japan pavilion, especially in afternoon light. I went to Epcot ready for this one, with a 70-200 and tripod. I was also prepared for sunset photos from Contemporary, with a 10-22 and tripod. The sunset was not as colorful as I had hoped for so there's one to try again!

Another photo op that is on the list is long shots of "Wishes" from the beach at Polynesian or the boat dock at TTC. The fireworks over the water look really nice and with a 70-200 and a tripod this could look good. A rare one is looking down Main Street (from the train station) when the flagpole is missing, usually only a few days around the Christmas Parade taping sessions.

I admire many of the photos taken by people on this board and plan to take some similar ones but hopefully with enough differences so it doesn't seem like I am copying. Copying is useful for learning but I want my photos to have a look of their own.

 

[Ju Ju Bean]

I will certainly have a list on my next Disney trip in September. We are doing a DVC cruise and then spending the weekend at DW for my daughter's birthday. I have not been to Disney yet since I've taken up photography so there are so many things I want to try!

 

[Groucho]

Another photo op that is on the list is long shots of "Wishes" from the beach at Polynesian or the boat dock at TTC. The fireworks over the water look really nice and with a 70-200 and a tripod this could look good.

You won't need much in the way of focal length for the Poly shots... I just glanced at some of my tripod Wishes photos from there and 115mm was narrow enough to chop the tops off some of the fireworks. I then zoomed out to 80mm and that seemed to work OK. The castle is a tiny element in the photos compared to the fireworks bursts.

I admire many of the photos taken by people on this board and plan to take some similar ones but hopefully with enough differences so it doesn't seem like I am copying. Copying is useful for learning but I want my photos to have a look of their own.

I agree. I sometimes flip through some others' photos (wherefore art though, 0bli0? and the Tales From the Laughing Place site has lots of nice photos from the magazine) just to get some basic ideas for ways to look at things a little differently, but ultimately, if your photos look just like someone else's, why take them?

 

[Todd_H]

I agree. I sometimes flip through some others' photos (wherefore art though, 0bli0? and the Tales From the Laughing Place site has lots of nice photos from the magazine) just to get some basic ideas for ways to look at things a little differently, but ultimately, if your photos look just like someone else's, why take them?

Definitely agree. I look to others more for inspiration and research (what settings were used for what conditions, etc.) and try not to copy shots. However, sometimes I try to recreate shots just to see if I can do it (i.e. test my technical skills). Groucho, one shot of yours that comes to mind that is a good example of one I would try to recreate is the fisheye shot you took while riding Expedition Everest last year (I think). I assume this was a pretty difficult shot to pull off:

 

[zackiedawg]

Absolutely I use other shots here for inspiration and ideas, though I don't try to copy or exactly replicate the shots, or create an actual list. It's more like bookmarking ideas in my head to recall later...sometimes I remember and sometimes I don't, which is fine. Each trip I tend to remember one or two shots that were from an angle I hadn't tried, or a location I had never shot from, so it inspires me to wander into the nooks and crannies, off-trail areas, and ride queues looking for where the shooter may have been for that shot. Once there, I may decide to try a similar shot, or may turn 180 degrees around and shoot something completely different...but their photo still inspired me to seek out that spot.

In that spirit, I embarked on the project to geotag all the photos in my Disney galleries - down to the exact spot I was standing when I took each shot. I recently finished my January batch. I figure maybe someone browsing through the galleries might be looking at a shot and wondering where that scene was, and they'll see the little 'view map' link below the photo...that'll take them to a Google map/satellite view with my location pinpointed, and it may help someone on their next trip to Disney...or maybe inspire someone to go down a trail or around a corner they had never gone before.

I have the lucky advantage of being close to Disney World, so I can go many times a year, and usually every few months or so can get back up there to see or shoot something I missed last time. So shots from others here are constant inspiration for me.

 

[Groucho]

Definitely agree. I look to others more for inspiration and research (what settings were used for what conditions, etc.) and try not to copy shots. However, sometimes I try to recreate shots just to see if I can do it (i.e. test my technical skills). Groucho, one shot of yours that comes to mind that is a good example of one I would try to recreate is the fisheye shot you took while riding Expedition Everest last year (I think). I assume this was a pretty difficult shot to pull off:

I'm pleased that you like the shot, but I have to be honest and say that that one was actually a quite easy shot to pull off. Just be in the left seat and turn to the left on the big hill, have a fisheye lens on your camera, and that's pretty much all there is to that. There is an element of luck (or skill, but in this case, luck) in getting the elements to line up in a pleasing manner; I do have a few variations on this shot but that one is probably my favorite.

 

[YesDear]

Yes I do use others for inspirations.

There are many great photographers here.

I do not make a specific shot list. but as an example I am going in May and the main reason is Flower and Garden. Most of my pictures will be of that. I always like to spend time in the butterfly area. I have a new micro lens since my last F&G so I will spend time with that etc.