Tripod & Holiday Wishes Advice

[Sbunit]

I plan on taking my Nikon D9000 & 18-55mm 2.8/f lens as well as my tripod to Disney this Decemeber. I've photographed Holiday wishes before with my triod from Main street nearby the Plaza Restaurant (in the middle of the street, not on the curb). I felt that half the time I was photographing I was protecting my tripod and camera from the crowd around me.

Can you guys share some tips on photographing Holiday wishes with a tripod in terms of prefered location, startegy, when and how do you set up etc.

Also for those of you who carry your tripod around the parks all day (i.e. can't or don't want to go back to your car or hotel later to get it and just suck it up and carry it around with the rest of your equipment)...What is your experience of bringing it on the rides? Is that usually a problem at all? Thanks in advance!

 

[Daisy14'sDH]

Its a pain to take on rides but simple enough, hardest one is probably Space Mountain. You can check your tripod at the front gate for $8 I think...

 

[wbeem]

If you can see the fireworks, you will have people crowding around your tripod - even under it. People will show up at the last possible second and take up any available space. Kids will run under it and grab onto the tripod legs like they were handrails. So, you have to pay constant attention to your gear and politely ask people to not touch it. That's worked for me. In fact, sometimes I've found that the people standing near me will actually do that job for me - keeping other folks from running or bumping into my tripod.

I generally don't worry about going on rides when I'm out there with the tripod. Those are occasions when photography is my objective. Last time, I think I made an exception and went on Pirates of the Caribbean with it because there was virtually no wait. However, I wouldn't even try to take it on Space Mountain.

Sometimes I'll leave it in my car while I walk around the park with my camera, then I'll go get it in late afternoon to setup for the fireworks shots.

 

[rmattman]

Recently returned from WDW and photographed Wishes in the Magic Kingdom. I arrived only about 15 minutes prior to the start of the show and set up my tripod on top of the trash can on Main Street near Casey's Corner restaurant. The crowds were pretty heavy but did not really affect my ability to shoot the fireworks. I only had to worry about the slight wobble from the can during the longer shots.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Since I don't get down there but every 1-1 1/2 years, I don't have a set location. I try to get the best spot for what I want to attempt to shoot. I've shot from the hub, Casey's trash can, Dessert Party, etc. I try to shoot the fireworks several times during a week vacation, varying location each time.

As far as carrying the tripod, I have it attached to my Lowepro Fastpack 200 and it goes with me on all the rides. My travel tripod is a Cullmann Magic 2, which folds flat. I insert it into the side pocket and attach the drawstring bungee to the bottom of the tripod. Then I have another strap that secures the upper portion to the backpack. In this way all backpack compartments are available and the tripod is securely fastened to the backpack. (See Photo)


Tripod Backpack by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr

The key to this method is the fold flat tripod. The latest version of the Cullmann is the Magic 4: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/799992-REG/Cullmann_CU_53583_MAGIC_TRIPOD_SYSTEM_w_CB.html

 

[Daisy14'sDH]

Nice travel tripod! Great idea, usually I see the travel Angel come up, but I like how it becomes a monopod as well. How is it as far as sturdiness goes? Ballhead smooth?

 

[zackiedawg]

Don't forget too that many tripods will fit in the rental lockers. I usually bring my tripod to the parks if I'm at a more distant hotel or resort that's harder to get back to, and put it in a locker when I first get to the parks. Then I go retrieve it when nighttime hits and I'm ready to use it. There are two locker sizes - my Slik Sprint Pro EZ tripod fits even in the small ones - just position it diagonally corner-to-corner.

 

[Daisy14'sDH]

The MK lockers are tiny! But they will still check them into there area and give you a reusable tag...

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

The legs are sturdy. They range in diameter from 1" at the widest and 3/4" at the narrowest leg portion. It is a lightweight tripod therefore I hang my bag from it. Its pretty stable with the added weight of the bag. Fully extended it is 56" from the ground to the viewfinder. See photos. (That's the DW's K10D) They have a new ballhead that I would like to get, but I still have the older version. I have not had a problem with it.


IMGP0299 by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr


IMGP0298 by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr


IMGP0300 by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr

 

[Sbunit]

Thanks for all the advice!

So far this is what I've decided as my overall gameplan:

1)My gear will be my Nikon D7000, 17-55mm lens (my all purpose) and i'm renting the 35mm 1.4f (for dark rides)
2)Taking my tripod and will stash it away in the park lockers and get it when needed at night

I've asked this before on a different thread but let me ask again. Based on my equipment, would you use the zoom or the 35mm prime lens to photograph the fireworks (both Holiday wishes and Illuminations). I plan on photographing Holiday wishes from a bit behind the hub at Main street and I'm looking to get the sharpest pictures possible. Also same question for night time landscape photography in general.

Thanks so much in advance(Especially to Giana'spapa...I appreciate the very helpful detailed responses. Definetely an asset here on the boards!)

 

[Daisy14'sDH]

You are shooting the FW froam a small aperture, so a fast lens isnt necessary, Personally I'd go as wide as I can and crop later...

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

You are shooting the FW froam a small aperture, so a fast lens isnt necessary, Personally I'd go as wide as I can and crop later...

Wider is better for the fireworks, especially if you want the perimeter fireworks. I believe the Holiday shows have the perimeter fireworks whereas the normal Wishes does not. If I'm wrong someone please correct me.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Thanks for all the advice!

So far this is what I've decided as my overall gameplan:

1)My gear will be my Nikon D7000, 17-55mm lens (my all purpose) and i'm renting the 35mm 1.4f (for dark rides)
2)Taking my tripod and will stash it away in the park lockers and get it when needed at night

I've asked this before on a different thread but let me ask again. Based on my equipment, would you use the zoom or the 35mm prime lens to photograph the fireworks (both Holiday wishes and Illuminations). I plan on photographing Holiday wishes from a bit behind the hub at Main street and I'm looking to get the sharpest pictures possible. Also same question for night time landscape photography in general.

Thanks so much in advance(Especially to Giana'spapa...I appreciate the very helpful detailed responses. Definetely an asset here on the boards!)

Do you have a remote for your camera for shooting the fireworks? The best way I have found (following the advice gleaned here), is manual focus to infinity and ever so slightly back it up, f8-f11 ( I personally use f11), ISO 100, bulb mode with a shutter speed of 2-5 seconds. Adjust you shutter speed as you go to obtain the desired result. If you listen for the noise of the firing into the air of the fireworks, you can time the opening of the shutter and hold it open until desired image is obtained. I have used this method at WDW and at July 4th fireworks with, IMHO, pretty good results.

 

[krb2g]

Another technique for shooting fireworks is to go into bulb mode and hold a baseball cap over the lens during dead times. You have to be careful not to touch the camera with the hat, but this method allows you to take pictures with more bursts than were in the sky at any given point.

 

[Sbunit]

Yes, I do have a remote actually. And based on everyone's input I guess i'm going to go with the 17-55mm for the fireworks.

In regards to the parade and night time landscape photography, do you guys use your prime lenses or zooms (tripod will be used for landscape, not for parade)? Looking forward to hear what the experts have to say