No Flash Pictures Please --- Redux

[Gisele]

How many cameras does one person need? Ha ha!
I have not bought a camera yet. So maybe that tourist would like to send me one as a early Christmas gift.

 

[LavenderPeach]

It seems Disneyland has slacked on enforcing flash photography during the rides, I remember as a kid they would actually take your camera.

Back in the early 80's I was riding POTC and I happened to get seated with a boat full of Japanese tourist. They were having a blast taking pictures like mad before the ride actually started and several cast members mentioned to them about the Flash policy.

Anyway, once the ride started one guy whipped out what looked like a professional camera and started lighting up the place, rapid fire and going nuts with it. My sister and I dropped our jaws and stared at each other because we thought it was like taboo to do such a thing. We never thought about this ruining the ride, it was just fodder that Disney was so "Top Secret" about everything and didn't want people stealing their ideas.

So a cast member, from out of nowhere jumps on the boat and tells the man he can't use flash photography and takes his camera. The man was talking in Japanese so I don't know what he was saying but a few minutes later he whips out another camera (same style) ad starts going at it again. He was laughing and having a good old time, heck my sister and I were chuckling too. Another cast member jumps on the boat and takes his camera and then disappears.

Finally, he whips out another camera and starts taking more pictures. They stopped the ride and took the dude and his camera off the boat. I never did find out what happened and I've never ever taken a picture on that ride.

That is so funny that he kept whipping out cameras.

 

[LavenderPeach]

Gisele, I thought of you and this thread when we went for a quick trip to DL today. No problems with flash photography but i had a similar experience to the one yakety76 mentioned with people chatting the whole ride.

We had 4 teenagers behind us who decided to use POTC as a place to hang out and chat about all kinds of things. They weren't even looking at the stuff on the ride. Well, except when the one girl had to explain, in detail, her experience at the Blue Bayou and how good the food was, what she ordered, etc. It was SO annoying. They also said things like "I've been on like, all the rides here." "Really? Even the teacups?" We thought that was funny. Then the one girl finally stopped talking for 10 seconds and her friend said, "are you okay? You seem upset?" and then the girl started talking again - non stop. They also discussed weather or not the Subs have ramps on them so that their one friend (who apparently had an injured leg) could go on it. Their final consensus was that the subs MUST have ramps to accomodate people. Hmmmm.... that would be nice but I don't know how they thought a small submarine could have a ramp on it.

Anyway, it's kind of funny now to think about the conversations they were having but at the time I was thinking "Oh how I would trade these chatters for a person using the flash on their camera!"

 

[hulamom]

That is funny! he he, that your DH ,likes the challenge of holding his camera as still as possible,while taking indoor ride pictures. I give him credit for that. I would love to see more of your pictures. The POTC, is one of my very most favorite rides of all time.

Here are a few more from POTC (using his Nikon D300):

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

Then the one girl finally stopped talking for 10 seconds and her friend said, "are you okay? You seem upset?" and then the girl started talking again - non stop.

That is just hilarious! She doesn't talk for 10 seconds and they think she's upset. She must be a chatter box.

 

[Gisele]

I have no idea why my avatar is not showing up. Any ideas? I have checked my information, and my image is showing, but it is not under my name. That is very confusing to me.

 

[Krissy Marissy]

That is just hilarious! She doesn't talk for 10 seconds and they think she's upset. She must be a chatter box.

It totally is a chatty teen girl thing isn't it?? And the guy who had 3 cameras...I get just as annoyed as the next guy but I would have been cracking up!! My goodness, some people. I just dont get it

 

[Krissy Marissy]

You can get penalized on DIS? Is this not a discussion and PUBLIC message board? Seems silly to me. How long until you can get your stuff back? I was going to tell you that I was having trouble getting the christmas tree mickeys that nancy sent me to show up but I think that is another issue entirely different.

 

[Krissy Marissy]

Thank you Krissy for replying. I know that we rather had gotten off the wrong foot, on a different thread. I never had that in mind to happen. Anyway, it is in effect for one month.[edited].

Sorry. And yes, I was cranky a lot from lack of sleep due to my newborn daughter. Thankfully she sleeps through the night now and I am in a much better mood. I am sorry that they punished you right away, hardly seems fair but that is how it goes sometimes. At least you still have your cool tags under your name right?

 

[dipin]

I am just returning from another trip and it seems that flash photography is worse than ever. First of all, I dont understand the need to get an out of context pic of a ride. After all, there are plenty of those online, why not enjoy the ride and not bother with it? (This, of course, doesnt apply to the amateur photographer like some here, where the challenge is getting the pic without the flash anyways, so they dont bother anyone).


But the worst is when not only the people are rude, but, in my opinion, stupid as well. I mean, flashes at POTC is annoying, but at least the person will get their shots. But trying to take a flash picture at haunted mansion and its light effects, really? Worst of all, these people will often insist at that, never realizing why their flash pictures are not getting the ghosts or the images projected by light.

I really wish disney would enforce the no flash photography policy more vehemently. Not only an audio warning when people are boarding, but how about a sign explaining that it is a useless effort as the pics wont come out? CMs warning the person either during the ride or immediately after it?

After all, since they do take action against people yelling or making loud noises during musical attractions or attractions that rely on sound, why not do the same for flash photography in attractions with lighting effects? A flash picture during haunted mansion for me is on par to yelling during a musical, with the added aggravation that lines at HM are often much longer.

 

[tink2dw]

I was on haunted Mansion in the next car behind me they had a video camera with infa red that shoots night movies. Well, we to the area with the head in the glass globe and the ride stops, And the CM announces No! Infa red camera's!! It seems it messes with the effects.

 

[Gisele]

One would think that people would either have learned by now, or would have realized otherwise, what is correct and is courteous and what is not. Obviously that is still not the case, most regretfully.

 

[Gisele]

Any new tales?

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Although I agree that people should not use flash photography on the dark rides, unfortunately a lot of people don't know how to use their cameras beyond point and shoot. That's why there are so many people w/ P&S cameras in the park and all over the world. Many of them probably don't know how to access the camera's menu system to turn the flash on or off. And w/ P&S cameras, if you turn off the flash on a dark ride, 99% of the time, the photo will not come out right because the sensor is too small. (It'll be blurred, out of focus, extremely noisy/grainy, etc.) Unless the ride is at a total standstill due to traffic or technical difficulties, a P&S won't cut it on a dark ride like Pirates. Also, not all P&S cameras have an easy to find single button to turn flash on/off, and even if it's there, not everyone would know how to use it.
So yeah, it's unfortunate that some people don't know how to turn off their flash and/or don't care to learn, but that's the way it is. I don't let that impact my pure enjoyment of being there in the park that Walt built.
FWIW, I have seen some really nice photos both with and w/out flash on dark rides. I've even seen where people on this board compliment photos from dark rides that were taken with flash. (You can see the info if you have an EXIF reader software on your computer.) So in a way, it's kind of like beating a dead horse. It'll never change unless Disney strictly forbids any kind of photography; and even then it won't change unless they take away the camera from the offender. And that will never happen. Millions of people go to Disney parks every year, and a lot of them make up their minds to do so because of all the photos and videos they see floating around on the 'net.
No flames, please... I do understand the frustration especially because I am one of them who is always trying to play by the rules and capture low light photos w/ no flash, and I've invested thousands of dollars into photo equipment to be able to do so. (Not just for DL pictures though! That would be nuts.) But what can you do? Such is life. We can't control others, only ourselves...

 

[pixiewings71]

I'm sorry, I have to disagree with the PP. If you have a camera at least learn how to function it with the basics. Flash on and off is a very basic function, most P & S cameras have a button that's very accessible that you can use to turn it on and off. When I get a new camera one of the first things I do is figure out how to use the basic functions.....all else can come later but I need to know how to turn the flash on/off and use the zoom. lol

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

I'm sorry, I have to disagree with the PP. If you have a camera at least learn how to function it with the basics. Flash on and off is a very basic function, most P & S cameras have a button that's very accessible that you can use to turn it on and off. When I get a new camera one of the first things I do is figure out how to use the basic functions.....all else can come later but I need to know how to turn the flash on/off and use the zoom. lol

What is there to disagree about? We're both in agreement that people should learn how to use their cameras. I'm merely pointing out the sad reality that most people don't. That's why they have point and shoot cameras -- so they can literally point and shoot without thinking. (And again, this is like beating a dead horse...)
I just saw 2 trip reports that shows photos taken in dark rides with flash on, and no one said a word to the posters about why they didn't turn off their flash. Everyone loved the pictures. Maybe everyone should learn what photos taken with flash on dark rides look like too so they can peer pressure the posters not to use the flash and to learn how to use their cameras. It's somewhat hypocritical to complain about flash use on dark rides while praising photos taken with them, don't you think?
There are quite a few people who take beautiful non-flash photos so it can be done. I'm just saying the reality is that it's not done because most people are P&S camera users who don't know/care how to use their camera. Just think for a second how many people are on the Internet, some who post here on the Dis, who don't know how to use their computers that they use everyday. Now imagine that same person trying to use their P&S cameras that they don't use everyday. scary...

 

[Gisele]

In agreement, that is a scary thing. Whenever someone is really beginning to get on my last nerve, either I will say something (Reasonably politely) or ignore the person (I normally say something)
I remind myself that I cannot change someone else, only myself (That helps me out when it comes to not becoming too annoyed by someone's annoying behavior)
I normally will say please no flash pictures. So far, only one person gave me a headache over it, with their not so nice reply. It goes with the territory of doing the right thing. The right thing is not always what one wants, however it is just all the same. When I see children running, I tell them no running please. I am more than happy to assist people however I can, even though it is not my job, I wish it was.

 

[pixiewings71]

So yeah, it's unfortunate that some people don't know how to turn off their flash and/or don't care to learn, but that's the way it is. I don't let that impact my pure enjoyment of being there in the park that Walt built.

This was the part I was disagreeing with. Everyone who has a camera needs to learn the basics. The don't care to learn part was what I was referring to. You are right of course that not everyone cares to learns but it would really be to their benefit to do so. Sorry, I was trying to hurry thru my post so I didn't clarify well enough I suppose.

What is there to disagree about? We're both in agreement that people should learn how to use their cameras. I'm merely pointing out the sad reality that most people don't. That's why they have point and shoot cameras -- so they can literally point and shoot without thinking. (And again, this is like beating a dead horse...)
I just saw 2 trip reports that shows photos taken in dark rides with flash on, and no one said a word to the posters about why they didn't turn off their flash. Everyone loved the pictures. Maybe everyone should learn what photos taken with flash on dark rides look like too so they can peer pressure the posters not to use the flash and to learn how to use their cameras. It's somewhat hypocritical to complain about flash use on dark rides while praising photos taken with them, don't you think?
There are quite a few people who take beautiful non-flash photos so it can be done. I'm just saying the reality is that it's not done because most people are P&S camera users who don't know/care how to use their camera. Just think for a second how many people are on the Internet, some who post here on the Dis, who don't know how to use their computers that they use everyday. Now imagine that same person trying to use their P&S cameras that they don't use everyday. scary...

Apparently I'm the queen of misreading posts today......lol

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

This was the part I was disagreeing with. Everyone who has a camera needs to learn the basics. The don't care to learn part was what I was referring to. You are right of course that not everyone cares to learns but it would really be to their benefit to do so. Sorry, I was trying to hurry thru my post so I didn't clarify well enough I suppose.



Apparently I'm the queen of misreading posts today......lol

No worries; it's all good!

 

[pixiewings71]

Thank You