Here is some video recording advise...

[ecpool]

My wife and I were looking as some of our past Disney trip videos and noticed something that didn't dawn on me untill now. We were so excited about being at Disney and Universal etc. that I did alot of taping of the rides the beautiful surroundings including the hotels and that sort of thing. But the thing that we were the most excited about as we were watching was when our kids were being recorded. We couldn't wait to see them on the video just see how much they've changed and how happy they were. Unfortunately there wasn't enough of them on tape. Yes, we recorded them but the emphasis was on other things. Honestly, the surrounding really didn't mean that much when we were watching them back. Think about it, you can always see pictures or video of the parks somewhere on the internet. But none with your family in it. Anyway, on our upcoming trip I am still going to record the surrounds but will immediately put the camera on the kids and family to see their reaction to those things. That is what we wish we had done. So please learn from our mistake and get more of your faimilies on tape because that is what will matter when looking back. I promise!

 

[lizally]

That's really good advice.

I noticed the same thing with our still photography, looking back on previous trips. The pictures I took of the castle or a building alone aren't half as interesting as the pictures with one of us in them!! That is what really matters to me looking back. We are planning on doing a lot of videotaping and photography on our upcoming trip (our first with kids) and I will definately try to keep a loved one in the shots!

 

[jenr812]

I absolutely agree - great advice

 

[SusanMomOf2]

I completely agree. It's like, when you're finally on your vacation, you want to take pics of things you've never seen before... things that make you go "wow." But in the end, like you said, when you look at those pics or videos, it's the PEOPLE who were with you who you want to see most of all.

Good post.

 

[TheGoofster]

Don't forget to let everyone take some recordings / pictures so that you too are in a few shots. If you are like me, most of your family shots are always missing one person - ME.
let you DW do some of the shooting, or let your kids take some of you and your wife together, or best of all let a CM or guest take some of all of you together.
We have literaly thousands of photos from our various outings and vacations, yet only a small handful of shots with all of us together.

 

[antree]

I have the opposite problem . All I video are the kids we can't see anything around them. When we get home from vacation and show everyone the video, we get asked what does Magic Kingdom look like, Epcot even MGM, What is there, the rides everything else around you, where is the tape of the Hotel. I am like "Hey didn't you want to see my Kids in Disney"

I focus to much on their face and waiting for reactions, I video them eating sleeping, looking at things, but know one can tell what they are looking at because I am focused on the kids face.

Just one year, I said to my brother I am going to video everything for you. Well I did, As I was walking I taped everything, as if he was walking and looking at it, that year I didn't get the kids on tape at all. go figure.

It seems you can never get it all.

 

[TheGoofster]

And then of course you always have those "why did we take a picture of this? What is this anyway? I've never taken a videos, but I imagine there are lots of footage as well of "huh, what's this supposed to be"

 

[Becky2005]

Good Advice.

A photographer friend gave my mom the advice of always have someone in the photo, rather than just taking a picture of the scenery when on vacation.

The thinking was you can always buy a postcard/print of *just* the scenery but to make it more personal and have someone in the shot.

I always try to remember that and honestly, when I'm looking at my photos/videos -- I want to see the people memories not just the places.

(Although, thanks to DIS I also photographed our food! Which was not something I would have done previously. )