Just looking for general WDW pic tips & help w/ my A55.

[BigGreen73]

Hi all, I was just looking for some general WDW pic tips. Might be heading back to the world in Sept and it would be my 1st WDW trip w/ my Sony A55. I do have a variety of Sony lenses; 75-300mm, 18-250mm, 35mm, 50mm, 30mm macro, and the kit lens. I also have an external flash, tripod, and monopod.

Picked up the camera end of last year, did quite a few pics (1000+) around home but nothing compares to pic opportunities at WDW. I'd be flying down so I just want to take the camera, a couple of lenses, and maybe the monopod (cause it's compact).

I like taking pics of everything, but would like any tips I get get on the following;

1. Character pics indoor and out.
2. Night parade pics and fireworks
3. I'd most likely be doing MNSSHP one night, so that's be a lot of night pics too.

Thanks!!

 

[NLD]

Hi. Okay, if I were choosing from your gear listed, I'd bring:

18-250 mm
35 mm
external flash
tripod


The 18-250 gives you wide and telephoto options.
The 35 mm allows you to shoot in low light without a flash.
The flash helps your character photos.
The tripod helps your fireworks and nighttime shots.

Edited to add: and if you don't have one, consider getting a remote shutter release for your camera. You'll want to use that for any long exposure shots when you have the camera on the tripod--it helps reduce camera shake.

 

[mom2rtk]

The monopod won't do the trick if you want to shoot fireworks.

I'd use the fastest lens in your kit for the night parade (MNSSHP). I've shot the party parades both with and without flash. To be honest, there are advantages to both. Certain elements of the parades do better with just a touch of flash to illuminate a character's face, and certain elements are lit from within and would look much worse with a flash.

During the daytime, I'd use the external flash for almost all character pics, indoors and out. It does a nice job of eliminating daytime shadows.

I'd leave the 75-300 home since you'll have reach in the 18-250 and it probably gives you no speed advantage.

I'd probably also leave the kit lens home since you'll have that range covered with the 18-250. I'm not that familiar with the Sony kit lens though, and might bring it, but only if it has much better IQ than the 18-250.

Have fun!

 

[BigGreen73]

What I was planning to bring was:

18-250mm
35mm
Monopod (maybe)
External Flash
30mm macro (maybe)

I have had pretty good results shooting WDW fireworks in the past w/ just my P & s cameras. I am not too up on lugging my tripod to WDW. Maybe if I could find a good compact tripod that I would feel is solid enough for my A55, I may go that route. Any suggestions.

A55 has image stabilization in the body which is nice.

I was looking at my 35mm as the go to for chracters and night/ indoor shooting (IE night parades, dark rides). I am assuming you have to crank the ISO up for the dark rides and parade shots since you can't hope for taking those type of pics on a long exposure.

 

[wbeem]

The monopod really won't be of any use. If you had a 400mm lens, sure. However, it's not a stable platform. A monopod is to support the weight of a camera, not to stabilize it. Leave it at home.

If you want to shoot fireworks, you need to leave the shutter open for at least 3-4 seconds in order to let the light from the bursts travel. That requires a tripod, which s why folks are recommending a tripod. This is one of those cases where you need a given piece of gear in order to get a clean shot.

Of course, I can understand why you wouldn't want to lug around a tripod on a vacation trip. So you have to ask just how important those fireworks shots are to you. If it's not that big of a deal, then leave the tripod at home and forget the shots. If it's something you really want, then the tripod is what makes it work.

Image stabilization is useful in some cases, but not all of them. Also, it has limits. Don't expect it to help too much for the night parades. IS (or VR on Nikon) helps you get a sharp photo hand held at slow shutter speed - provided your subject isn't moving. Parades move. So that slow shutter speed may work fine on the castle, but not so much for the parades.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Because of all the things there are to shoot at WDW, I would recommend you start by making a shot list of everything you think you want to shoot. Then determine the equipment it is going to take to get those shots. Then you can decide if you have the equipment or you have it, but don't want to carry it, AKA tripod. This will help to focus your photography. Remember, you are there on vacation so don't let the photography overwhelm the fun! When it comes to a tripod, the one I travel with is not the one I use around home. I have a travel tripod that weighs less than three lbs and is sturdy enough to support my gear (it is rated to hold between 6-7 lbs, folded 13 1/2 x 4 3/4, extends to 67"). It folds flat and is either attached to my camera bag or in the suitcase when I travel (air). It also converts to a monopod. FOR ME,I would not travel to WDW without it. I use it for more than just fireworks. I love to shoot at night and to get those long exposures, its a requirement. You will have to decide who, what, where and when you want to shoot. If those long, sharp fireworks trails and night long exposures are not your style, leave it at home.

 

[ukcatfan]

Image stabilization is useful in some cases, but not all of them. Also, it has limits. Don't expect it to help too much for the night parades. IS (or VR on Nikon) helps you get a sharp photo hand held at slow shutter speed - provided your subject isn't moving. Parades move. So that slow shutter speed may work fine on the castle, but not so much for the parades.

Also be sure to turn it off if you decide to do the fireworks with a tripod. The IS can actually cause problems in long exposure shots like that.

 

[BigGreen73]

When doing a long exposure to get the FW's (multiple bursts) at MK, how do you set the camera so that the Castle, or even the surrounding lights/buildings, don't overexpose?

 

[ukcatfan]

When doing a long exposure to get the FW's (multiple bursts) at MK, how do you set the camera so that the Castle, or even the surrounding lights/buildings, don't overexpose?

Use a small aperture of say around f/16 and the ISO as low as possible which is usually around 100.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Use a small aperture of say around f/16 and the ISO as low as possible which is usually around 100.

That's one way and another is with the use of a Neutral Density filter. The goal is to lower the amount light reaching the sensor over a longer period of time. Usually I use f11 with a 2-3 second exposure and that will give me 2-4 bursts, if they are close togther. Otherwise, the other two methods are employed.

 

[BigGreen73]

That's one way and another is with the use of a Neutral Density filter. The goal is to lower the amount light reaching the sensor over a longer period of time. Usually I use f11 with a 2-3 second exposure and that will give me 2-4 bursts, if they are close togther. Otherwise, the other two methods are employed.

I was wondering on that. I have yet to pick up any ND filters. Not sure if I would be using them or if they would be worth the investment. I have a couple of UV and polarizing filters but that's it right now.

I am going to look into some compact tripods that may suit my WDW needs.

Okay, so far for FW's I am hearing ISO 100, 2-4 second exposure, @ f/11 - f/16. Now I take these manual settings with not read as a correct exposure on my DSLT. These #'s are more from experience.

So what about night parades. I took pics of Spectromagic before w/ point and shoot w/ decent results. Now in Sept, I would really like to ramp it up a bit when taking pics of the Electrical Parade. I have not seen that parade yet. Any tips/ suggestions for the night parade?

 

[mom2rtk]

I was wondering on that. I have yet to pick up any ND filters. Not sure if I would be using them or if they would be worth the investment. I have a couple of UV and polarizing filters but that's it right now.

I am going to look into some compact tripods that may suit my WDW needs.

Okay, so far for FW's I am hearing ISO 100, 2-4 second exposure, @ f/11 - f/16. Now I take these manual settings with not read as a correct exposure on my DSLT. These #'s are more from experience.

So what about night parades. I took pics of Spectromagic before w/ point and shoot w/ decent results. Now in Sept, I would really like to ramp it up a bit when taking pics of the Electrical Parade. I have not seen that parade yet. Any tips/ suggestions for the night parade?

I go with a higher ISO (3200) for the light parade so I can accomplish a faster shutter speed. I looked at my last batch and I was around 1/100 or 1/125 for most of my shots.


mk1msepalice by mom2rtk, on Flickr

Sleepy in the Main Street Electrical Parade by mom2rtk, on Flickr


Main Street Electrical Carriage by mom2rtk, on Flickr

 

[BigGreen73]

I go with a higher ISO (3200) for the light parade so I can accomplish a faster shutter speed. I looked at my last batch and I was around 1/100 or 1/125 for most of my shots.


mk1msepalice by mom2rtk, on Flickr

Sleepy in the Main Street Electrical Parade by mom2rtk, on Flickr


Main Street Electrical Carriage by mom2rtk, on Flickr

Love the pics. Great examples. And it's looks like you had a great spot with the castle as your back drop. What size lens for did you use for these and how did you set your camera?

I guess really my question for the pics is how to you decide what you want to set your camera at. IE use shutter priority, full manual, etc to get decent pics.

 

[mom2rtk]

Love the pics. Great examples. And it's looks like you had a great spot with the castle as your back drop. What size lens for did you use for these and how did you set your camera?

I guess really my question for the pics is how to you decide what you want to set your camera at. IE use shutter priority, full manual, etc to get decent pics.

Thanks!

I used my Canon 17-55 f/2.8 lens. You can opt to use aperture priority set to the wides available aperture, or maybe stopped down just a bit. Or you can go shutter priority and choose a speed at which you think you can freeze the action. I went shutter priority with these, but I've done both.

Most (not all) lenses are not at their sharpest wide open, so I try to stop down a little if possible.

 

[BigGreen73]

Thanks!

I used my Canon 17-55 f/2.8 lens. You can opt to use aperture priority set to the wides available aperture, or maybe stopped down just a bit. Or you can go shutter priority and choose a speed at which you think you can freeze the action. I went shutter priority with these, but I've done both.

Most (not all) lenses are not at their sharpest wide open, so I try to stop down a little if possible.

Again thanks.

Now I am a little grey on the stop down terminolgy. Does that mean that even though your lens was f/2.8, you used an aperture setting one stop higher (say 3.3) to try and get sharper images?

 

[mom2rtk]

Again thanks.

Now I am a little grey on the stop down terminolgy. Does that mean that even though your lens was f/2.8, you used an aperture setting one stop higher (say 3.3) to try and get sharper images?

Sorry about that. Yes, that's what I meant.

 

[BigGreen73]

Sorry about that. Yes, that's what I meant.

Great..just wanted to make sure I understood what you were saying. Now my final is charaters. Indoor, outdoor, and possible night tips? Tips on flash uage? Would the camera flash be enough or should I be using my small external one instead. I was thinking that my Sony 35mm f/1.8 would be my best bet for charater pics. DW love's charater meals and character hunting.

 

[mom2rtk]

Great..just wanted to make sure I understood what you were saying. Now my final is charaters. Indoor, outdoor, and possible night tips? Tips on flash uage? Would the camera flash be enough or should I be using my small external one instead. I was thinking that my Sony 35mm f/1.8 would be my best bet for charater pics. DW love's charater meals and character hunting.

You're going to find a lot of opinions for what works best for character shots. I sort of put these into 4 categories:

1) outdoors in bright daylight: I always use my flash here to offset any harsh mid-day shadows. Any lens should work here since there will be ample light. If you want the option of using a shallower depth of field to blur the background, then use the fastest lens you have.

2) character meals: The circumstances vary here depending on available light. I always use my flash here. Some go without the flash to allow in more ambient light. I just have not had good luck with that. I use my flash and dial down the flash exposure compensation a bit to avoid that "deer in the headlights" look. If you want to try flashless, then your fastest lens will be needed. If you are going to use a flash, then your kit lens, or something with a little zoom would be fine.

Don't be afraid to ask a character to slightly shift position. If you're at Cinderella's Royal Table and the shot is set up with the windows behind them, ask if they can turn a little to the side so you can avoid them being backlit. I have never had them say no.

Do NOT take your photos from a seated position at the table. Get up, stand in the aisle, and watch the table. You don't want drinks and plates of half-eaten food upstaging the character.

3) Characters outdoors at night: I have never tried these without a flash. While there's lighting usually set up for these, I have found it to be pretty hit and miss. So I always use a flash here.

4) Characters in night parades: Electric parade..... if you're going to use a flash, my opinion is don't even bother. You'll need a high ISO and a fast lens. Halloween or Christmas party......... I'm back and forth on this. Some have lighting on their floats, some are walking with no lighting. In 2010 I used my flash, but dialed my flash exposure compensation down (maybe -2??) and I was pretty happy with these. In 2011 I tried completely flashless. I had fewer shots of the quality I liked (sharp and not too noisy) but the shots that were keepers, I did like better than what I got in 2010. Clear as mud, huh?

It's all about tradeoffs and what's most important. If you're at a character meal and will be distraught if you miss a certain shot (that's the camp I'm in usually) then put on your external flash, dial it down a bit, and just go with it.

I love having some zoom available, so don't use a prime very often. Your 35mm is nice and fast, but my personal preference is to give up a little speed for a little zoom (including the wider end so I can get full-length shots). But then I have a 2.8 17-55 with IS. But as I type this, I'm thinking of trying my 30mm 1.4 more next time. Nothing like having some concrete thougths on the matter, huh?

 

[BigGreen73]

@ mom2rtk

Great advice all around. I was on the same lines for some things and you just reinforced what I was thinking. . Been a fan of your pics, so I know the advice is coming from a good source.

Anyway, what's wrong w/ half eaten food in your charater pics? Adds personality.

I just think that I need to get in more practice using my external flash as this point to see what it can/can't do.

I am am with you on fixed or zoom? I think my 35mm would be great for charater meals but you never know when the wider angle will come in handy. Decisions, Decisions...

 

[mom2rtk]

Many thanks BigGreen!

I control the flash exposure compensation on my Canon through the camera itself. So take a look at the menus on your Sony.

If you want to learn more about flash, Bryan Peterson, author of "Understanding Exposure" recently came out with "Understanding Flash Photography". I still need to read it a few more dozen times, but it explains it better than anything I've read to date.

I guess hte half eaten plates aren't as much problem to me as the photos I took one trip, from my seat, with drinks and straws in the kids faces! At least I learned from my mistake!

Best of luck and be sure to post some shots here when you get back!