Photographic Pet Peeves at Disney

[laniers]

Are there things that end up in your Disney photos that you just hate?

My pet peeve is that dang Tinkerbell cable attached to the castle. I personally try and take it out of any castle photos I get.

 

[zackiedawg]

Garbage cans.

There is practically no spot anywhere in the theme parks for a scenic shot without a garbage can lurking somewhere in there!

 

[wiigirl]

Garbage cans.

There is practically no spot anywhere in the theme parks for a scenic shot without a garbage can lurking somewhere in there!

Yes! They are everywhere....hard to get good shots sometimes without them in the pics.

 

[SkaGoat]

Garbage cans.

There is practically no spot anywhere in the theme parks for a scenic shot without a garbage can lurking somewhere in there!

The garbage cans are very annoying... but I guess they're better than actual trash on the ground in shots.

 

[hakepb]

Terrible lighting (and design that skews lighting) for indoor character meet and greets. Especially Mickey in the MK. Even the Photopass photographs look bad with incorrect white balance.

 

[hakepb]

Are there things that end up in your Disney photos that you just hate?

My pet peeve is that dang Tinkerbell cable attached to the castle. I personally try and take it out of any castle photos I get.

At least we don't still have the cake castle or the bling castle to ruin all family photos

 

[HPS3]

Terrible lighting (and design that skews lighting) for indoor character meet and greets. Especially Mickey in the MK. Even the Photopass photographs look bad with incorrect white balance.

I totally agree with indoor lighting for character greets and meals. I had a nightmare of a time at Chef Mickey's in the Contemporary. We were seated with a yellow wall in front of us that made for a horrifying time with WB. Why can't they take photography into consideration?

 

[SkaGoat]

Terrible lighting (and design that skews lighting) for indoor character meet and greets. Especially Mickey in the MK. Even the Photopass photographs look bad with incorrect white balance.

I never got this, the Meet & Greets should be designed explicitly for photography, that's what they're basic function is! Maybe they don't hire actual lighting designers, and just rely on architects to do the lighting.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

Terrible lighting (and design that skews lighting) for indoor character meet and greets. Especially Mickey in the MK. Even the Photopass photographs look bad with incorrect white balance.

Maybe it's not true across the board....but I've asked Photopass shooters on two separate occasions about their settings and both times they were totally uninformed and just had things set up for them on some basic settings that they really couldn't even articulate (and I didn't want to ask to see their camera).

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Terrible lighting (and design that skews lighting) for indoor character meet and greets. Especially Mickey in the MK. Even the Photopass photographs look bad with incorrect white balance.

Story Time with Belle is especially awful, even for the PhotoPass photos. I'm guessing they have some excuse in there, though, because the low blue lighting probably has something to do with the Lumier animatronic character.

 

[hakepb]

Maybe it's not true across the board....but I've asked Photopass shooters on two separate occasions about their settings and both times they were totally uninformed and just had things set up for them on some basic settings that they really couldn't even articulate (and I didn't want to ask to see their camera).

Someone posted that they are on strict orders to keep their D90's on Auto only, and if you hand them your D90 (if you have the same camera), you have to explicitly tell them to leave your settings because its an ingrained habit to check /switch back to Auto. (I don't think its a highly paid gig, so Disney would rather them concentrate on OK framing.

But yes, it's annoying they can't set a custom white balance like I can on my PnS.

 

[photo_chick]

Maybe it's not true across the board....but I've asked Photopass shooters on two separate occasions about their settings and both times they were totally uninformed and just had things set up for them on some basic settings that they really couldn't even articulate (and I didn't want to ask to see their camera).

A lot of set ups like this want all of the cameras set exactly the same. Chain photo studios tend to do the same thing. It's supposed to promote continuity in the images. I have met a couple of photopass photographers who were actually knowledgable. It's unfortunate that they're not allowed to do their own thing when Disney hands them the camera.

 

[jimim]

I spoke with one for a while in June at the HS monster's meet. He said they can only shoot in program mode and that's it. He said their images go off to a central location where they are checked to make sure nothing gets through that shouldn't and some basic things are applied to each image and that's it. I have my joe demb saucer on my camera and he said he wished he could use his bit they are not allowed to change anything on the camera. He was a great guy to talk with. Real nice.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[jimim]

Someone posted that they are on strict orders to keep their D90's on Auto only, and if you hand them your D90 (if you have the same camera), you have to explicitly tell them to leave your settings because its an ingrained habit to check /switch back to Auto. (I don't think its a highly paid gig, so Disney would rather them concentrate on OK framing.

But yes, it's annoying they can't set a custom white balance like I can on my PnS.

See now I was told they can I ly shoot on program.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[smallblackstars]

I agree about the Meet and Greet places, so dimly lit and most of the photos I have taken there with a point and shoot seem dull.

Also, not the same thing, but I hate people using iPads to take photos or film shows. It's hard enough to get good 'over the crowd' photos without having a huge screen held at arms length above someones head to deal with too!

 

[mom2rtk]

People. Way too many of them. I wish they'd just all leave and let me take all my photos with nobody in the way.

 

[jimim]

People. Way too man of them. I wish they'd just all leave and let me take all my photos with nobody in the way.

I agree. I think once a year they should do a group of days where they only allow so many people and they must be interested in photography only! That would be cool!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[manning]

Maybe it's not true across the board....but I've asked Photopass shooters on two separate occasions about their settings and both times they were totally uninformed and just had things set up for them on some basic settings that they really couldn't even articulate (and I didn't want to ask to see their camera).

that's more common than you think. I used to do wedding for a studio in the days of film. 80% or more of the shots were set at three f stops and the shutter was synced for flash, that is 60th second. there was no time to set the camera for each shot and the film was developed in house which gave more control. We used the same camera and flash units.

if I remember close up was f11 for close up (shoulder up), f5.6 for 3/4 shots and f2 for full length. Maybe it was f16,f8 and f4. It was a long time ago.

when we had time and got artistic we would take readings. I did that with a second camera. Once I did that with the primary camera and forgot to set back to 60th second. Got reamed out by the owner. Luckily it was less than a full roll of film. Thank god it wasn't the must take shots.

 

[Animagic!]

I gotta agree on iPads. A lot of people find the small LCD on a DSLR annoying and distracting already. But a giant, glowing 10 inch screen waving around peoples' heads during a show, and especially at nighttime, is very annoying.

I suppose getting upset at smart phones is futile. Most people have replaced their point and shoot with their cell. All those glowing little screens grow wearisome. However, that's the way of the future. Better get used to it.

Also...
- Flashes on dark rides.
- People jumping in between your camera and your subject as you frame a shot.
- Being too short to snap picks over peoples' heads! LOL

 

[traylorc]

Folks who use flashes on dark rides really annoy me.

These folks don't understand that by using their flash no only do they ruin other's people enjoyment of the ride...but their pictures look terrible. Part of the charm of dark rides is the lighting used to create mood and ambiance. Firing a bright white flash that overpowers the intended lighting, IMHO leads to remarkably average photos.