PRINCESS Palooza 2011! 9/9 Update: Departure Day

[rndmr2]

Great last couple of updates! You really do get some great pics, I love the ones on BTMRR and Splash!

 

[mom2rtk]

I want to hear the story behind your new siggy pic!!


Okay, I know. Wait for it...

LOL! I'm tempted to just tell the story..... because if I wait too long and give it too much build-up, you'll all be disappointed! Let's just say it's nothing like the story of my previous signature picture..........

But still, it's fun to keep everyone guessing..... and it WAS early in the trip........ so it won't be too long......

Oh my goodness, on a ride like Big Thunder, I think I would have gotten sick being turned around. RESPECT!

The faces they're both making are hilarious. So awesome.

I actually turn around on rides all the time looking for a different perspective to shoot..... but only if someone from my group is behind me or if I'm in the back seat. I took some shots at DL a while back facing backwards in the back seat. I guess I'm just weird that way......

I read through your TR last year when I was just starting to plan mine.

So glad to find this report now. Having a DS, I'm hoping to live vicariously through your Princesspalooza.

Glad you found us again! Feel free to join in the princess fun!

Great last couple of updates! You really do get some great pics, I love the ones on BTMRR and Splash!

Thank you!

 

[marDgreen88]

I actually turn around on rides all the time looking for a different perspective to shoot..... but only if someone from my group is behind me or if I'm in the back seat. I took some shots at DL a while back facing backwards in the back seat. I guess I'm just weird that way......

Not weird, it's awesome! It would make me sick! Of course, lots of stuff makes me sick... but if I could do that without getting sick, I definitely would!

 

[mom2rtk]

Not weird, it's awesome! It would make me sick! Of course, lots of stuff makes me sick... but if I could do that without getting sick, I definitely would!

I really fortunate not to suffer from any sort of motion sickness. All I need is the neck strength to withstand the g-forces turning around!

More on ride shots coming up..... only at a slower speed this time!

 

[mom2rtk]

12/9 Continued: Haunting the Mansion


After lunch we headed for the Haunted Mansion. The line was growing , but it was still a pretty short wait at around 10 minutes. It seemed like a great time to check out the new queue I had heard so much about.


IMG_3718 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


IMG_3720 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


IMG_3721 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


IMG_3722 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


IMG_3723 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


IMG_3729 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

Time to play with my depth of field a little. As you might guess, Drew and Katie were already well ahead of me and wanting to know what was holding me up.......


IMG_3731 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


IMG_3732 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


IMG_3733 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

In the stretching room, I wanted to take pictures of all the pictures on the wall. I managed to get one done when Katie dropped the back off one of her pins. Yikes! It was one of our locking backs, so I really wanted to find it. I ended up using my phone for a tiny light source and luckily found it as everyone was walking out around us.


IMG_3740 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

In the ride itself, I have always been able to get the same 2 or 3 shots. They tend to be the ones with more illumination of course.... Madame Leota, the bride, the talkind heads. While not spectacular, I managed to add a few this time, so I did feel like I was breaking some new ground:


IMG_3754 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


IMG_3764 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


IMG_3766 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


IMG_3777 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


IMG_3780 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


IMG_3783 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

Can you believe we would be there for over another week, including MANY days in the Magic Kingdom......... and I never made it back through the Haunted Mansion?

 

[NLD]

Ummmmmmm..... You got the piano! (Organ?)

1/8 shutter speed? Hand-held?

Complete, total awe.

 

[mom2rtk]

Ummmmmmm..... You got the piano! (Organ?)

1/8 shutter speed? Hand-held?

Complete, total awe.

LOL! I suppose you won't believe me if I say I brought my tripod on the ride????

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you..... It IS the Haunted Mansion, so I'm sure you'd fit right in......

OK, fine........... make me spill my super secret on-ride photography trick..........

The ride actually stopped there for a little bit! And don't think for a moment I wasn't thrilled to BITS!

I had the camera on burst with an ISO of 6400 and set for aperture priority at 1.4. The camera chose 1/8. I would never have been brave enough to go that low on my own. It helped a lot that I had it on burst. I deleted....... shall we say..... a few that didn't turn out as well.

 

[jenseib]

awesome shots. I know what you mena, practically impossible to get shots on that ride...and then if I'm not in manul focus, my came4ra can't find a focus spot..and for me manual focus is too hard for me to think that fast.

 

[mom2rtk]

awesome shots. I know what you mena, practically impossible to get shots on that ride...and then if I'm not in manul focus, my came4ra can't find a focus spot..and for me manual focus is too hard for me to think that fast.

Yep. It's Haunted Mansion and Peter Pan that have me wanting to use manual focus more than anything. Yet, since I never practice, I never want to try it on the ride. And yes, the camera does struggle to find it's focus spot. I always try to find a tiny bit of light to focus on, then recompose. Since I'm at 1.4 for most of these shots, I'm still amazed that the depth of field didn't mess me up more.

 

[PlutosRHM55]

Oh wow... I'm behind already... GEEZ! Alright, well only time to catch up is now

That's so strange how the line to get into the Main Street Bakery was so long. From your pictures it looks like the crowd levels were fairly low. Oh well... you'll always have to wait in Disney... though I'm not sure they should've left you with a runny egg because of it.

Love all your pictures of all the Christmas decorations on Main Street and the Streetmosphere performers, they are so entertaining. But that's annoying you had to take two trips to get FPs, but at least it was still safely secure in Katie's lanyard.

to your picture in front of the class, always a must and great shot! I'm sorry though you didn't get to get some last good shots on Dumbo with the Castle in the background. DARN YOU SCRIMS! The day there are NO scrims left up in Disney I will be one happy person. But at least they show they are actually working and you still got some great pictures on Dumbo

I totally agree with your husband. A Disney trip isn't complete without Small World. No matter how terrifyingly annoying that song can possibly get (hasn't happened yet for me anyways) you have to ride the Happiest Cruise that ever sailed

Can't wait to read more!

 

[PlutosRHM55]

Slowly but surely catching up...

What a great chapter title btw! Queen Stacey and her amazing one liners, though I interpreted as you were going on Splash and the Tea Cups, but I guess BTMRR suffices And yeah you guys definitely needed to go on Splash after two years of SM deprivation. Such a fun ride and your ride picture is great as well as the other pretty on-ride pictures Same with those on Big Thunder, seemed like those were fun pictures to take haha

Mmmmm... CHH... always sounds really good, too bad I've never actually stopped by there :/ I mean they have checkers there AND MICKEY STRAWS! Yeah, it's going on my list of "to-dos" in Disney

Can't wait to read more!

 

[Caretames1]

Nice HM ride shots! I think you did awesome! I wish we could have seen the new queue, but alas we didn't make it though in Sept.

Love all the bust photos, the 2 kids look naughty!

 

[PlutosRHM55]

All caught up now! (Wow that was quick)

BIG to Haunted Mansion, a classic favorite And I was so excited to see the pictures you got. I love all the edits you made and such, especially in the new queue which looks awesome on its own I've been taking a class in Digital Photography so I like seeing how more experienced photographers use those techniques. I love the shots where you switched around the depth of field a few times, so cool especially with the lines involved And the pictures in the mansion were also pretty good, I love the one of the self-playing organ, some really cool lighting there

Can't wait to read more!

 

[francis6306]

Those are some beautiful shots! Seriously! I have never seen such great pictures out of HM! You could sell those as prints! (As long as it wasn't a no-no per Disney policy… which it probably is knowing them.)

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

I have nothing to say but...

You rocked those ride photos!

I am very proud to say that I learned the trick you were talking about on this past trip where you focus on the light and then recompose the shot! I was so tickled to have figured that out. I had a morning light situation and the very tops of the building were lit while the majority was almost completely dark. I focused on the lighted part and then moved the frame to cover the whole building and it worked like magic!!!! Small victories, but I'll take them!

I'm learning a lot though from your descriptions of how you do it all. Thanks so much!

 

[fairestoneofall]

your HM photos are fantastic!

 

[KCmike]

Nice report Janet. Loving the photos and your commentary on taking the shots.

 

[mom2rtk]

Oh wow... I'm behind already... GEEZ! Alright, well only time to catch up is now

That's so strange how the line to get into the Main Street Bakery was so long. From your pictures it looks like the crowd levels were fairly low. Oh well... you'll always have to wait in Disney... though I'm not sure they should've left you with a runny egg because of it.

Love all your pictures of all the Christmas decorations on Main Street and the Streetmosphere performers, they are so entertaining. But that's annoying you had to take two trips to get FPs, but at least it was still safely secure in Katie's lanyard.

to your picture in front of the class, always a must and great shot! I'm sorry though you didn't get to get some last good shots on Dumbo with the Castle in the background. DARN YOU SCRIMS! The day there are NO scrims left up in Disney I will be one happy person. But at least they show they are actually working and you still got some great pictures on Dumbo

I totally agree with your husband. A Disney trip isn't complete without Small World. No matter how terrifyingly annoying that song can possibly get (hasn't happened yet for me anyways) you have to ride the Happiest Cruise that ever sailed

Can't wait to read more!

Slowly but surely catching up...

What a great chapter title btw! Queen Stacey and her amazing one liners, though I interpreted as you were going on Splash and the Tea Cups, but I guess BTMRR suffices And yeah you guys definitely needed to go on Splash after two years of SM deprivation. Such a fun ride and your ride picture is great as well as the other pretty on-ride pictures Same with those on Big Thunder, seemed like those were fun pictures to take haha

Mmmmm... CHH... always sounds really good, too bad I've never actually stopped by there :/ I mean they have checkers there AND MICKEY STRAWS! Yeah, it's going on my list of "to-dos" in Disney

Can't wait to read more!

All caught up now! (Wow that was quick)

BIG to Haunted Mansion, a classic favorite And I was so excited to see the pictures you got. I love all the edits you made and such, especially in the new queue which looks awesome on its own I've been taking a class in Digital Photography so I like seeing how more experienced photographers use those techniques. I love the shots where you switched around the depth of field a few times, so cool especially with the lines involved And the pictures in the mansion were also pretty good, I love the one of the self-playing organ, some really cool lighting there

Can't wait to read more!

Thanks for all the kind words. It really was a great day to kick off our trip. We typically have not started off our first day in the Magic Kingdom, but based on crowd leves we just had to this time. And we certainly weren't disappointed. The low crowd level that day made it an awesomeday.

Where are you taking your digital photography class?

YEAH for being caught up! Today must be a day for tying up loose ends. I just finished up my entire trip journal. 28 1/2 single spaced typed pages. As my kids know, I seldom have little to say..... I also just finished the last of the photopass edits. I thought I was done earlier and just waiting for my friend to be done, but then realized today I had some from the resort photographers to do. I'm glad I didn't forget. There are some fun ones in there!
I can't believe It's taken me THIS long and I'm not even through the first day yet. I hope you guys are toopers. It takes a while to work my way throughk, then edit......all.....those.....photos......

Nice HM ride shots! I think you did awesome! I wish we could have seen the new queue, but alas we didn't make it though in Sept.

Love all the bust photos, the 2 kids look naughty!

LOL! Are you saying they look a little like my kids?

Those are some beautiful shots! Seriously! I have never seen such great pictures out of HM! You could sell those as prints! (As long as it wasn't a no-no per Disney policy… which it probably is knowing them.)

Thanks for the kind words. I like my HM shots, but I have seen much better posted in the photography forum. I subscribe to many of the threads over there just hoping to absorb some of their skill along the way. And it's great to give me new ideas to try on future trips.

I have nothing to say but...

You rocked those ride photos!

I am very proud to say that I learned the trick you were talking about on this past trip where you focus on the light and then recompose the shot! I was so tickled to have figured that out. I had a morning light situation and the very tops of the building were lit while the majority was almost completely dark. I focused on the lighted part and then moved the frame to cover the whole building and it worked like magic!!!! Small victories, but I'll take them!

I'm learning a lot though from your descriptions of how you do it all. Thanks so much!

Thanks Rinky!

Keep finding those small victories. Isn't it wonderful when you get one of thos "lightbulb" moments? I've had a number of them in the past few years. I just wish I had more chances to practice outside Disney. I just can't seem to escape daily life enough unless I'm at Disney. And my house is far too messy to take pictures in!

I'm glad you're enjoying the photography talk. I hope I'm not scaring too many people off..........

 

[mom2rtk]

your HM photos are fantastic!

Thank you! I felt like I won the lottery when the HM ride car stopped! OK, sad, but pretty close to true. Many times when I've seen one of those outstanding shots from HM over on the photography board, they say the car stopped. I had never had that happen. This time was my turn!

Nice report Janet. Loving the photos and your commentary on taking the shots.

Thanks Mike! You been putting that 60D through the paces?

 

[KCmike]

Haven't been out since the last day off. Need to get back out. I guess I'm really getting old as the colder weather has me really hating winter and its only been in the 20's. Oh my. Dreaming of the summer vacation