Would you hire a non Disney photographer?

[steph-in-ky]

Hi!

 

[sdwrdt]

My first thought was: "No way would I pay a day's worth of admission to Disney just to have my pictures taken by a professional photographer."

But, then again, we're not rich and don't live close enough to Disney to have annual passes, so that might be part of it.

But, I assume with your price that you're not providing your clients' admission to Disney World - they would be responsible for that. But what about your admission? You'd need quite a few shoots to pay for an annual park hopper (& More?)

Who would be responsible for transportation?

We just had my daughter's senior pictures done and it was $48 for 2 hours (with not all of that being actual shooting because of changing clothes, etc) at their studio and grounds.

Would you be charging $100 for so much time, including getting in to the parks, etc?

Also, I'm wondering if Disney would allow it. Wouldn't you be competing against a form of their revenue (getting people to buy the pictures from photopass photographers)?

I can honestly say that I wouldn't consider it unless we had annual passes. When we were thinking of staying in Florida during my duaghter's dance intensive, my senior wanted her senior pictures done at Disney. So it might be feasible.

 

[DipsyDoodles]

Hi! My name is Stephanie and I'm an on location lifestyle photographer. I'm trying to decide if I should make the leap and follow my dream. I've had a love for Disney for most of my life and since my photography business began I've dreamed of taking photos of couples in love and families enjoying the Disney magic.

I don't want to be a photopass photographer. I want the freedom to do engagement sessions or family sessions at the resorts, the parks, dowtown, or wherever my clients want them. My question to you is would you hire a photographer to do a session for you at Disney? I would offer engagement, family, and proposal sessions. I would also offer to spend time with your family in the park if thats what you would prefer.

Just trying to get some input before I move 12 hours away to follow a dream. To get my business off the ground I would most likely charge $100 for the session and include a cd of all your images with print release.

Please no haters, I'm just trying to get peoples opinions on if this would be a viable business. Thank you in advance

Yes, I absolutely would!! Best of luck and good for you following a dream, not many people have the nerve to do it! Let me know when you are there

 

[steph-in-ky]

 

[ancestry]

I do think Disney can and would object to this. Disney has their own professional photographers that you can hire to do a resort photo shoot. This would be direct competition to them. Just as they don't allow people to get married in the parks without booking through Disney, they aren't going to permit you to be a professional photographer in their parks when you aren't working for them. Now if you do it on the down low they may not catch on at first but when they do catch on they will put a stop to it.

I would never up root my life and move away to establish a business like this until I had it in writing from Disney that they would permit me to do such a thing and I highly doubt you will ever get that written permission.

 

[steph-in-ky]

I assume with your price that you're not providing your clients' admission to Disney World - they would be responsible for that. But what about your admission? You'd need quite a few shoots to pay for an annual park hopper (& More?)

Who would be responsible for transportation?

We just had my daughter's senior pictures done and it was $48 for 2 hours (with not all of that being actual shooting because of changing clothes, etc) at their studio and grounds.

Would you be charging $100 for so much time, including getting in to the parks, etc?

Also, I'm wondering if Disney would allow it. Wouldn't you be competing against a form of their revenue (getting people to buy the pictures from photopass photographers)?

Yes the client would have to have their own admission if wanting their session to be inside one of the parks. If I were to move to Orlando I would have my own transportation and my own annual pass so that wouldn't be an issue for the client. $48 is a really good price for portraits, but does that include any prints or a cd? If so thats a great deal I will admit, lol.

I don't see how Disney could object because anyone can bring their camera into the parks and take photos. I doubt they go up to people and ask if they are professional or not. My clients would be people who wanted a more personal one on one photo session in various parts of the parks and resorts.

 

[lizabu]

I also think Disney would have a problem with this so you would have to be kind of low profile. I also think $100 is way to little money for what you're doing. I paid $250 for a wedding photographer for only 6 hours plus I fed her and her assistant and she didn't have to pay anything to be there and that was a huge bargain. Spending a whole day at Disney your time and skill is worth so much more than $100

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I have known some people who had their own "tour guide" business and would escort people in the parks. They had their own APs. Disney told them they could not do this for any compensation and if they were caught doing it they would be banned.

As others have said, you would be in direct competition for business with Disney on Disney property. It is not a good idea.

 

[HeatherLassell]

I paid $250 for a wedding photographer for only 6 hours plus I fed her and her assistant and she didn't have to pay anything to be there and that was a huge bargain.

Wow you ONLY paid $250 for a wedding photographer for 6 hours? Sounds like you scored an amazing deal. That's incredibly cheap.

 

[HeatherLassell]

As others have said, you would be in direct competition for business with Disney on Disney property. It is not a good idea.

Unfortunately I think they are correct about this. Remember Disney is monitored. They would catch on that you're in the parks with your camera and different people all the time and you're taking pictures. Maybe you should become a PhotoPass photographer (i know you said you don't want to) if you want to be able to be paid to shoot in the parks.

 

[MissMet]

I would & I am... and paying a lot more than $100!! So I say go for it!

I hired a couple who are photographers to take our engagement shots. They are giving us 4 hours plus night shots, between two parks, cd, online site & dvd and the cost is $1,000! For $600 I could have gotten 3 hours in one park & just the cd & online site. The cost also included their travel (gas) & their park tickets.

There were others that were much less but their shots were the best I found online.

Here's their pics... http://www.conceptphotographyblog.com/?p=2666

 

[steph-in-ky]

I would & I am... and paying a lot more than $100!! So I say go for it!

I hired a couple who are photographers to take our engagement shots. They are giving us 4 hours plus night shots, between two parks, cd, online site & dvd and the cost is $1,000! For $600 I could have gotten 3 hours in one park & just the cd & online site. The cost also included their travel (gas) & their park tickets.

There were others that were much less but their shots were the best I found online.

Here's their pics... http://www.conceptphotographyblog.com/?p=2666

Thank you so much! That is exactly what I'm talking about. You could never get photos like that from a photopass photographer. Not that some of them aren't capable of doing it, they just don't have the freedom to. They can't work with one couple for hours on end and spend the time with them needed to get great shots like these. I think you made a great choice and I'm sure you will love your photos. Remember to just relax and have fun with it!

 

[lizabu]

Wow you ONLY paid $250 for a wedding photographer for 6 hours? Sounds like you scored an amazing deal. That's incredibly cheap.

I know. The photographer was just starting out and trying to build up her portfolio and offered to do it for so cheap if she could put the photos on her website. We were very lucky.

I would & I am... and paying a lot more than $100!! So I say go for it!

I hired a couple who are photographers to take our engagement shots. They are giving us 4 hours plus night shots, between two parks, cd, online site & dvd and the cost is $1,000! For $600 I could have gotten 3 hours in one park & just the cd & online site. The cost also included their travel (gas) & their park tickets.

There were others that were much less but their shots were the best I found online.

Here's their pics... http://www.conceptphotographyblog.com/?p=2666

What beautiful photos!

 

[MICKEY88]

I don't see how Disney could object because anyone can bring their camera into the parks and take photos. I doubt they go up to people and ask if they are professional or not. My clients would be people who wanted a more personal one on one photo session in various parts of the parks and resorts.

they can and will object, they have been known to escort people from the parks or downtown disney when suspected of doing commercial/professional photography.

there is a big difference between allowing people to photograph their own personal memories, and allowing someone to profit from the disney image etc.

there are a handful of photographers that do this, but I'm willing to bet that they had to get permission from Disney first.. as others have stated, contact disney for the answer.

 

[uscgrl93]

I know a girl out in California that hires her own photographer to follow her family around Disneyland and take pictures. She always wants the whole family in all the pictures and doesn't want to be the one taking them and having to mess with a camera. Kind of like her own personal paparazzi! lol!

 

[Wiloughby1]

First- wow! You are super cheap! I pay $150 with no photos, then pay per print for my the 2 photogs I use for my kids (one does well with my son, with a more industrial look, the other does better with my daughter in bright colors, so I alternate for birthday sessions)

Second- I would LOVE this option. We took one of our photogs to the B&O Railroad Museum and the other to a pumpkin farm. It was great to just live and have them take all the pictures. At Disney? Imagine the possibilities.

Third: this is NOT is direct competition with a currently offered service. You can't get a photopass photog to follow you around on your schedule. They won't even stay to take an extra shot if they are moving on to another location.

There are plenty of service providers doing commercial services within the park. Nannies, nursing aids, and people on trips who then sell their images on their personal DSLRs. Will Disney notice if you are specifically soliciting to take pictures there? PROBABLY. If you are full service to families in their homes, parks and other locations- not as likely. I wouldn't wear a uniform or advertise in the parks. I don't know the legalities of it all, but you're not grabbing people off Main Street and lining them up with the castle.

-Just saying...

 

[krb2g]

My understanding of Disney's policies is that they permit outside professional photography at the resorts and Downtown Disney but not in the parks themselves (in the parks you can have photopass photographers or Disney has a professional photography service that you can hire as well). Now, some photographers seem to be willing to ignore Disney's rules and book sessions in the park, but I know that I would not be willing to hire a non-Disney photographer in Disney parks because I respect their rules. I also probably wouldn't hire a photographer to take pictures at Disney anyway because I have been happy with the results we've gotten through Photopass (which is also $100 for the CD and print release, if you take advantage of the pre-visit, pre-purchase offer) and my own efforts (I've got a bit of a photography bug). If I really wanted the opportunity to do photography in Disney and didn't want to be limited by the photopass system, I would apply for a job with their professional photography branch.

 

[ariel5884]

I think that it's a great idea. I have heard so many people say that there are not enough photopass people in the parks. Second off I would not have to wait on line and then have a line of people staring at me while I got my pic taken. Third off the photopass people are only at assigned spots. There are so many other places that would make great pics. Not sure how they would catch you, how do they know that you are not taking pics of family or friends.
If you ask me Disney would be smart to start up this kind of service to guests wanting more than the normal photopass experience. I can't tell you how many times I wish someone was with us to take pics so that we could both be in the pic. I wouldn't mind hiring you for the halloween party at disney that we are going to on oct 27. I like to take pics with people dresssed up in awesome costumes. My whole family is going, which will probably never happen again, it is usually only the 2 of us.

 

[Brit_Jude]

Check out the Disboards Weddings and Honeymoons forum for more information.

We had a Disney wedding and only Disney photographers can be used in the parks for weddings, portraits etc but outside photographers can be used in the resorts. We had an outside photographer for our wedding at the Wedding Pavillion and reception at the Grand Floridian, but had to use Disney Photography for the dessert party in Epcot.

There are quite a few non-Disney photographers who are already established and provide family portraits, engagement sessions and wedding photography etc. at Disney locations. Check out Randy Chapman, Misty Miotto, David and Vicky Arndt and Root Photography to name a few.

 

[Alesia]

Third: this is NOT is direct competition with a currently offered service. You can't get a photopass photog to follow you around on your schedule. They won't even stay to take an extra shot if they are moving on to another location.

Yes, they do offer this service. It isn't cheap, but it's available, although not through photopass.