Taking my own photos...do the characters co-operate?

[canuk8156]

I've been reading with much interest about "Shutters" the on board photography service and I imagine I will give in a buy a few but I will also take several of my own. Do the characters pose or at least allow candid shots from the guests or are they too busy posing for the ship's photographer? Does anyone have any tips for taking great photos on board? What about developing digital pictures on board (from a memory stick in our case) and the cost?
Thanks everyone.

 

[mcgrawfan]

From my experience at the parks the characters will pay attention to your personal camera. If you take your personal picture before or after the camera person they will pose for you I am sure.

 

[tstobb]

YES they will pose and the official photoraphers will even usually take a shot for you with your camera.
Best advice for taking great shots - shoot everything. Have extra memory sticks (or bring a laptop to upload to each day) so you don't have to look back and say "I should have taken a shot of . . "

 

[GenieDana]

The characters cooperate. Tips for taking great photos is a tough question. There are lots of great online sites for digital photography.

Best advice is learn the operation of YOUR digital camera, especially for low-light operation (indoors).

Most DC's work well outdoors in "point and shoot" auto modes. The better DC's work well indoors too, but not knowing what equipment you have????

You may consider learning the manual operation (aperature, shutter, exposure compensation, etc.) if you don't know already (and if your camera supports it). It will make you a better photographer - and it's worth the treasures you'll capture.

Happy cruising!

 

[jwann]

I think doing a funny pose with the characters is fun. The kids and I think about what we are going to do ahead of time and the characters always cooperate! So cute!

 

[sk8ingmom]

You may consider learning the manual operation (aperature, shutter, exposure compensation, etc.) if you don't know already (and if your camera supports it). It will make you a better photographer - and it's worth the treasures you'll capture.

Amen to that! I haven't been on a cruise yet (SOON )but I almost always shoot in manual mode in the parks and get much better results than my friends who point-and-shoot. I ended up with great shots of the Electric Light Parade (one of its last nights at WDW ) & the photo at the bottom of my post would not have been possible in auto mode...it was barely possible in manual! Picture me sitting on the groung in front of the flag pole circle, elbows braced on knees, friends holding my shoulders steady, holding my breath and clicking the shutter! (It was a film camera, so I spend the next 3 days thinking "Ihopeitcameout, Ihopeitcameout!")

As a MAJOR shutterbug, my best advise is to really know what your camera can do, carry it around for a few days and shoot in all different types of situations to see what you come up with. With digital cameras, you can trash the so/so photos right away, with film, you can get the photos developed somewhere cheap (BJs, Sams Club are really inexpensive). To me it's worth the expense to trash a few rolls of cheap film at home in order to get great photos on vacation!

 

[WDWLVR]

Any time we've gotten in line for the posed shots there has always been a castmember there willing to take your camera and shot right after the professional. Sometimes ours our better, sometimes the professionals is. Nice to have two options.

 

[jlp651]

a photography friend of mine said to know how to use this...I'm still learning...I'm bummed I didnt get my 70x300 zoom in time oh well there is always next vacation!!!!
I havent wasted any film yet on this-I am sure I will use both manual and auto modes

 

[mmouse37]

The characters very much get involved and love to ham it up when they see a camera!!! The characters often walk around the ship and we took these photos on a sea day up on Deck 10!!

http://community.webshots.com/photo/76180824/76188272tCknlk

http://community.webshots.com/photo/76180824/76188282hujiRu

And here Captain Hook took my daughters arm and was walking away with her and I made him turn around and return her LOL!!

http://community.webshots.com/photo/74573094/75860642yzHSdX

MJ

 

[kcashner]

The characters are a blast....and yes, they will cooperate. Their chaperone will always take a picture with your camera so that the whole family can be in it. We frequently do one with just DD and character and another with all of us.

And, yes, you never know which shots will be better--your camera or the professional's. We've had it both ways....

The best pic I ever took was DD dressed up in a Snow WHite costume with "the real Snow White." Snow taught DD how to pose and hold out her dress, and the shot of the 2 of them in the same posture is too cute.....