Well, now I'm glad I can't sleep. Great updates! I am in awe of your photography
I'm trying hard to learn night time shooting. I think I need some new lens's. If you hold a class, I'm in
Carey
Sorry you couldn't sleep! But thank you for the kind comments. I feel like I have come a long way with my photography, but definitely not ready to teach classes!
Most of the time I feel like I know just enough to be dangerous! Actually, I feel like I understand it all in my head........... but still have to think really hard to put it into action.
I actually learned it all hanging out in the photography forum here on the DIS. First I lurked a while reading all the questions posted by others, then reached a point where I didn't care if I looked stupid.... and started asking. Everyone there is SO patient with beginners and love to help.
I'm sure you were disappointed to miss the show, but what a consolation prize - pics with the princesses (and princes) in those beautiful costumes in front of the castle!
Beautiful pictures of the castle, parade and Wishes . . . my guess is the picture of Cinderella's Coach with the Fairy Godmother looking at you in the MSEP is the shot you wanted. It turned out great!
DING DING! We have a winner!
On both counts. Yes, I was excited to hear them say the performers were coming down for photos. I had seen an occasional photo posted of the show performers but had never lucked into the opportunity myself. And heck, we would still have plenty of chances to see that show!
And yes..... I chose our spot that night just to see Cindy's carriage pass in front of the castle. I snapped away hoping to get Cindy looking my way, maybe even the Fairy Godmother. Fortunately my small camera buffer didn't "busy" up at the wrong moment! When I reviewed the photos at home, I was holding my breath until I finally found the one with both looking my way!
Fantastic trip report! Your photos are amazing... I am definitely going to check out the photog thread on here. Last but absolutely not least, you have an amazing sewing talent! I'm superbly impressed with those gowns that Katie gets to wear!!!
Many thanks! As I mentioned above, the photography forum here
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=97
is a great place to learn and be inspired. If nothing else, it's a great place to see some of the best Disney photography anywhere.
1) My goodness you are quick at providing updates. I have to tell my wife to stop making plans to go away for the weekends so that I can keep up
I am several pages behind and just catching up from your lunch so pardon the late responses.
2) What a great table at the castle overlooking fantasyland and you got some great pictures with the other princesses besides your daughter. I can't tell if you needed a flash with the lighting there but if you did use one then you did a great job because, well I can't tell if you used one
3) Wow, if TTA had a line then boy that was one awfully crowded day. You did good to accomplish so much.
Great shot of Wendy on Peter Pan. One good shot from that devilish ride is one more than what I was able to get on my 2009 trip. I did have a little more success on my last trip but not too much more. I was wondering if manual focus was needed with your camera/lens combo but I guess it was. That is part of my downfall. I am just not as good with manual focus.
4) Great pictures of HOP and HM. I love the shot you have with the 5 busts. I don't have a wide enough fast lens to capture such a shot.
5) Awesome pictures of the parade with the castle in the background as well as the sky turning colors in the background. I especially love the first picture. Great job!
6) I am jealous of your holiday lights with the castle. We have yet to travel at that time of year to see it. Sigh, someday....perhaps I'll make it there. Your pictures are beautiful.
7) Great job with MSEP. The ability to use the high ISO really on your camera is such a wonderful thing. Great capture of the coach and you favorite character. Love it with the castle and the holiday lights in the background.
8) Finally, love the wishes pictures. It seems like at least the wind was not bad enough to cause slight movements with your camera in your tripod. Just outstanding shots.
So many great pictures in your day/night at MK. Wonderful job!!
1) Late? Nah, I just did my update last night. All you missed was a bunch of drama.......
2) We usually end up by the windows in CRT, which I love, for both the view and the lighting. I usually try to position myself so the lighting is hitting from the side, and I can get some of those gorgeous windows in the background. I understand that view is completely blocked through June. So I'm glad we won't be there.......... OK..... just kidding. I'd still love to be there...... but I'd be disappointed with the lack of a view.
And yes, I used my flash. But I do totally feel inept at flash photography, so do appreciate the kind comment. The one thing I've been doing is dialing the flash down so it just fills in the shadows and doesn't wash the subject out.
3) I think of the title of your 2009 trip report every time I get on Peter Pan now! That was my first keeper ever from that ride. But I didn't use manual focus. I haven't practiced with manual focus, so didn't want to experiment there. I think there was just enough contrast with Wendy's blue dress for the camera to lock on. But the rest of the ride it never locked in focus. What I want is that dang clock tower. That will definitely require manual focus.
4) I had fun in the Hall of Presidents swapping back and forth between my wide angle and my zoom.
I just checked the EXIF on the HM heads. I apparently left my 17-55 f/2.8 on in there, but dialed the ISO up to 6400. I'm not sure why I left that one on. I typically would have put on the 30mm f/1.4. But at 30mm I never would have gotten all 5. So we'll just say I was planning for that shot.....
5) Thank you! It was a fun little parade. And the sky made it worth sitting there in the cold. I was happy with how those turned out. I used a flash, but kept it dialed down a bit. I was concerned about everything looking really fake bright against the darkening sky.
6) Well, I'm jealous you have a return trip planned already, so I guess we're even, right???
Seriously though....... it's definitely worth planning something for that time of year. It is absolutely breathtaking. I still remember my first glace of the castle lights from the monorail in 08. Just amazing, even from that distance.....
7) DING DING!
We have another winner! Yep. The coach with Fairy Godmother is what I was after. Proof positive that if you snap enough frames, one will likely turn out! But I definitely needed the higher ISO here to get a fast enough shutter speed. The noise reduction in LR3 really has been a huge improvement for me this past year too. I would be afraid to use those higher ISO's without the NR. I think I went to 3200 for the MSEP.
8) I really do like my tripod. It did get a good workout on this trip. It's nice and tall, and also small and lightweight, so it's not as sturdy as would be ideal. But I knew that going in. My 2 priorities were height and size since I use it most at Disney.
I have a Nikon D300s. I had a D100 for about 5 years, and honestly, I killed it. I murdered the on-camera flash (luckily I had an external flash) and I had some major dust issues on my CCD that I just couldn't get rid of.
Last August, I photographed a wedding weekend for DH's cousin (a destination wedding in Frankenmuth, MI) so I
had to upgrade. Since then, I've put about 15,000 images through it...
LOL!
Just loved it right to death, did you?
I know what you mean about wearing them out. I have had a DSLR since 2004. I never really knew how to USE it until recently. But even on full auto, I loved it and have used it to bits. I have kept mine under an extended warranty from the first day in 04, and have work out a bunch of them. Thankfully, each one was replaced with the newer model available.
Where did you get all that dust? I worried a lot about dust on our trip through the Southwest last year. After all, many of those amazing rock formations were made through wind erosion.
Your pictures are just AWESOME!!!!!!!
Thank you!
Beautiful pictures. As well as a talented seamstress you are also a very talented photographer!
Thank you too!
Beautiful photos! They really do look so crisp! I love the ones of the Electrical Parade with the castle behind it. So which shot did you really want to get with the backdrop? I'm guessing it is of Pete's Dragon. That one turned out fabulous! I also love all of the shots of Wishes. I think that ended up being a great viewing angle. I hope you get warmed up before you have to head back out in the morning.
I really loved Pete's Dragon too, but it was Cindy's carriage.
One of the advantages of stalking the photography forum is that you get to see all sorts of examples from others. That's how I settled on being in front of the castle for the parade.
We actually made it back to the Magic Kingdom the next morning on time for early park entry. Not to worry........ there was no attempt at opening the park......... I knew we had to do that early in the trip since we'd wear out as the trip went on........
So where were we were headed before park opening?
Did it warm up the next day?
Believe it or not, we had an even longer day ahead of us, so we crashed the moment we got back to the room.
both your parade pictures were amazing! The first parade you caught at a great time of day the sky and castle are breathtaking. I have to say your camera is very sharp, good show 
aboard!
that you went after your answer though! 
started going off in my head and I started piecing it all together.
