VENT: photopass photographers

[WillCAD]

I have not been overly thrilled with any of my PhotoPass pics, either.

I can certainly understand that they PhotoPass photographers are not all pros, but I think they need a better training course on the basics like the Rule of Thirds and the simple rule of thumb that you should not cut off people's heads.

My biggest beef with them is that there are now always 2 PhotoPass photographers set up in front of the Partners statue with tripods, which makes it impossible for me to get my own pic of the statue with the castle in the background. And when I went in to get my pic taken by the PhotoPass guys, it took 15 minutes because entire families were walking right up and cutting me off, and the PhotoPass guys were not paying any attention to who was waiting politely to get thier pics taken.

The PhotoPass photographers at Parters, at least, need handlers to manage the lines of people.

I am very impressed overall with the PhotoPass system. In general it's a great idea, and I like that I can now get a few pics of myself when I'm on a solo trip, even if they aren't all great shots.

 

[mrp4352]

I like the Photopass system (although I do give the photographer my camera too). I generally have more money 2 weeks after I get home (and the price is about the same as you would pay in the park), so having the freedom to purchase later is great for me.

If you're concerned about the quality of your pics, just stop by the photo shop in whichever park you're at and look at them while you're still there. That way, if you don't have a good Spaceship Earth shot and you really want one, you can go back down and try again before your trip is over.

I'm not sure that there's much difference between the quality of the pictures pre- and post-photopass. Does anyone know if they changed photographers with the implementation of the new system?

 

[amwhitaker]

Can anyone post any of these pictures? I'd like to see some of them.

 

[MainStreetFan]

I agree, some of the pics aren't that good, but if you find a good photographer, stick with them. We always look for Chad or Matthew. They both seem to do a pretty good job. I don't usually purchase these photos, but I do e-mail them to family and friends to share our "Magic". That doesn't cost a thing and they are good enough for that.

 

[henrylovespooh]

We had a couple that weren't good, but the one the Photopass person took of DD with Cinderella was absolutely perfect.

I never take a picture until the Photopass CM takes theirs. Too confusing for the character and my kids. I am a quick shot so it doesn't take up much time.

We had a wonderful surprise from our last Photopass. My daughter had her picture taken with Minnie and Goofy together at MGM, and the CM zoomed in on her touching Goofy's nose. It was just her and Goofy - and looked completely different than the shot with all three of them. I thought it was a very nice thing to do.

I tried to get a picture of her with Tink in her hands, but she had just turned 2 and didn't get what she was supposed to do. I hope to try it again in two weeks.

For this trip, I am also having our family picture in front of the castle taken on at least three days so hopefully one will come out. In one DH's eyes are closed and in another I'm holding my daughter and the way she is pulling on my shirt it looks like I have an enlarged left ****. By the way, I looked at both pictures on the camera after the CM took them and I thought they looked fine. It's very hard to tell on such a little screen.

I shoot lots of pictures and use Photopass as an insurance policy in case my pics don't come out.

 

[Missy1961]

I was on a solo trip last week and PhotoPass was the best way for me to get pictures of me. I must say I'm pretty pleased with them.

 

[jtdl]

I was quite pleased with my photopass pics. There were not many "standing with the character, posing" pics with my 4 year old son. The ones of my older daughter or all of us were like that. But with DS they were of him getting handshakes, hugs, autographs. I added a few to my sig to show.

There is another really cute one in the gallery, but for some reason I can't get it to post in my sig.

 

[aterriq]

Used the WDW photgrapher back in Dec 93 in front of MK. Those pictures were lost. Went after Labor Day and used the photopass a lot. Of course when we checked the pixs on line, no MK photos. Told my DW for us to use our camera for pixs in front of Mk but she thought we would be good with the photopass.

Guess this is our reason for our next trip.

 

[jtdl]

Used the WDW photgrapher back in Dec 93 in front of MK. Those pictures were lost. Went after Labor Day and used the photopass a lot. Of course when we checked the pixs on line, no MK photos. Told my DW for us to use our camera for pixs in front of Mk but she thought we would be good with the photopass.

Guess this is our reason for our next trip.

When I checked our Photopass online the ones of the kids with Donald and Daisy were not there. But there were pics of other children with Donald and Daisy! I emailed them and gave them a description of what my kids were wearing in the pictures and they eventually found them.

 

[mickeymel]

We were very disappointed in our pic's as well. However, a CM that did one of the photos did also take a picture with our camera and that shot came out great. SHe said if you want your whole group in the picture to ask any CM taking photo passes and they are more than happy to take a picture with your camera.

 

[WillCAD]

Can anyone post any of these pictures? I'd like to see some of them.

This is a batch from my trip in May. As I said, mine aren't terrible, but I'm not overly thrilled with them, either.

 

[Miss Kelly]

I thought this picture turned out very well.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

I think the pictures are great if they charge no more than $2 per pic. he amount of $$ they' are charging for these things are just ridiculous. Disney should use trained photographers if they want to charge that much. You know, somebody who knows how to frame the shots properly. After all, they are already using dSLR, there is no excuse for bad framing.

 

[aterriq]

When I checked our Photopass online the ones of the kids with Donald and Daisy were not there. But there were pics of other children with Donald and Daisy! I emailed them and gave them a description of what my kids were wearing in the pictures and they eventually found them.

Thanks, just sent the email and hope they find the pictures.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I'm not flaming, just a question. Why would it be the photographer's fault that your daughter isn't looking directly at the camera? Or that your eyes are closed? That stuff happens.

It was my son not my daughter, and I don't even remember the Photopass guy being at that shoot. There were alot of characters at the entrance to the MK and he must have been going back and forth between the characters. Why would he take 5 shots, if he knew my DS wasn't even looking at him? I got good shots of my DS and goofy with Max, but the "professional" one would have been nice to buy too.

As with the eyes being closed, yes it is the photographers fault. When he took our pic, he insisted we were out of the sun so we could take our sunglasses off. When I did, I told him it was bright and I could still feel myself squinting, so even though I couldn't see them, I'm sure the kids were. He insisted, no one was. I look at the pics, yes, we are, and thats the ones where the castle is half cut off.

And I agree, that if Disney is going to advertise this service and charge high prices for these pics at least they can be half descent. Same thing happened when we were there in Jan. But pics, we got done back in 2002, were awesome. Like I said, a couple were good, my kids with goofy and DD with Cinderella. We tried to look at the pics before leaving the park, it seemed everytime we went the lines were long and to wait with a 7 year old and a 2 year old in tow is not that easy.

To have a photgrapher who is standing on Main Street in front of the castle take your pic with half of the castle cut off is ridiculous. Its not just one that he took it was all but 1 and in that one we are all squinting to the point our eyes are closed, and in the others our eyes are squinting AND the castle is cut off.

 

[Piecey]

My PhotoPass pictures from March were TERRIBLE.
I too had pictures with the castle cut in half, some were blurry- others weren't centered and had my mother's arm cut off. Just stuff like that.. the photographers could pay more attention to things like that.