The MousePlanet Mailbag is a regular compilation of some of our reader feedback and writer responses that may be of interest to our readers. We encourage you to drop your questions, opinions, or comments to us in care of our mailbag.
MousePlanet photographer Frank Anzalone answers some photography-related reader mail in this week’s mailbag. Melissa E. writes:
Disneyland can be a photographer’s dream. However, I would like to point out that many people come from all over the world to experience the magic. It is truly unfortunate that we watched so many guests moving out of the way for single photographers (as they had no choice) at the Winter Castle, tri-pods and all. The photographers are single-minded in their efforts to capture their shot. None of these photographers were cast members to my knowledge. I love all the pictures, but perhaps you may be able to have an influence on photo buffs everywhere? Not everyone shares that passion for photography. Must every lovely moment at the Snow White Fountain be recorded as a backdrop? It was disappointing to see people being bullied out of the way. They just wanted to see the Winter Castle, too.
I am sorry you had a bad experience with this. Not to defend anyone, but I have run into rude and pushy people just waiting in line to buy popcorn or waiting for an attraction. I believe that no matter what, you will interact with nice people and not so nice people at the parks. Most of the tripod photographers that are near the castle at night are the Disney photographers taking pictures of guests. I know there are others too, but those are very few.
I have shot thousands of pictures at the parks, and I can only speak for myself. Many times I have seen someone preparing to take a picture and I’ve moved out of the way to make it easy for them (without them asking). In all my experience (short of working the paparazzi line) I have never had a rude moment with someone bullying me (or visa versa) for a picture. If you wait in a line to visit with Mickey Mouse, you also can wait in line to take a picture by Snow White’s wishing well. Some people are just more considerate than others.
When I take pictures, I really try to be as non-disruptive as I can be. I think I am successful when it comes to getting the picture I want and not impacting in another guest’s experience of the park.
Again, I am sorry you had a bad experience… But rather than feeling it’s just “photo buffs and a passion for photography,” consider it could also just simply be “a park guest, friend, family member [non-photo buff] just as passionate to capture a memory of their vacation.”
Rachel writes:
I came across you on the MousePlanet Web site and have been reading the recent Holiday picture contest. I recently purchased a digital camera for the first time (Kodak Z712 IS) and have been using it since October 2007. I am a complete novice with digital and have only been using the smart scene setting (which does everything for you).
My reason for contacting you is that my family and I will be visiting DisneyWorld in November 2008 when I am sure I will take quite a few photos. My camera has quite a few settings that I can change and I wondered whether you could recommend a good book that would give me the basics such as changing settings to suit different situations e.g. fireworks.
Any help or guidance you could provide would be gratefully received.
There are so many books out there on digital photography (and some great magazines too). It really just depends on your overall interests and what catches your eye (like a photo) with any given book. Peruse the local bookstore and see what you can find.
I went to the Kodak Web site and saw a ‘tutorial section’ for your specific camera model. You might want to check that out for the basics on how to use your camera. Also, if you have not seen these, I did a series of photo tips on MousePlanet for shooting at Disney parks (link).
At the bottom of the article, there are links to my other photo tip subjects covering topics from “general Disney vacation pictures” to “low light photos.” Hopefully there are some ideas in there that you could use.
I would like to suggest that since you have so much time between now and your vacation, that you really take your camera out and just try shooting under different conditions. Try night time specifically; you will get a better idea of what works best with the features of your camera if you experiment. The nice thing about digital files is that you can delete the photos that don’t come out right. I remember the cost of film and developing to see my experiments…
Chris writes:
Thanks for the Disney tips on your Web site. I just bought an expensive SLR camera and we are planning on bringing it to WDW next month. Do I have to worry about theft of my camera while I am on any of the rides? Any suggestions?
I wish I could tell you to relax and all people have a respect for each other. However…all I can suggest is to do what I do, and that is to always have that camera in your hand, around your neck, or in the storage area in front of you during some of those Disney thrill rides. Never leave your camera at an attraction entrance, in a stroller or something like that. I have a friend that had a latte taken from a stroller while they were on a ride.
Just take a little care and I am sure you will have no problems.
Glenda writes:
Hello, I have just read over your first issue of tips for Disneyland pictures and I love your ideas. We are heading to Disneyland in a couple of weeks with our kids and I was wondering if you have any special picture ideas, where to take your best shots? Fireworks? Anything that you can think of that would help us create wonderful memories? Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated.
Here are links to my photo tips at the Disney parks addressing your questions:
- General photo tips
- Shooting family & friends at the parks photo tips
- Shooting low light, attractions and fireworks
- Landscapes, places and scenes at Disney parks
- Character photos at Disney parks
Take a look at those articles and if you have any other specific questions, feel free to email me! Thanks for reading MousePlanet!
Ken P. writes:
I just came across your site and thought I’d see if you could give me information about joining the photography staff. We were at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in November and I talked to several Park Photographers about this. My background in a nutshell:
I’ve been in photography for over 45 years and am about ready to retire. I spent 12 years as an industrial photographer and the remaining years in commercial studios. I’m in my 25th year as owner/operator of my own commercial business, Pace Photography, Inc. Believe me, I have shot it all. When my wife decides to “hang it up” in a year or so, I’d like to be involved in photography at Disney in some way or another.
My suggestion to you would be to go to the casting center (the building that looks like argyle socks [décor pattern] at the top, across the street from Downtown Disney) and put in your resume. From there you could search to see what might be available for you. I wish I had more connections at WDW for you, but I think this would be the best place to start.
Good luck! I bet it could be a fun gig in our ‘seasoned years’!
Finally, MouseTales author and MousePlanet columnist David Koenig answers reader William, who writes in with a recent experience at Disneyland. William K. writes:
I went to Disneyland for a Holiday visit on November 29. This was my first Thursday visit. I usually go on Friday for the late hours, but after my experience, never again.
Simply put, the crowds were WONDERFUL. I didn’t need to use a single Fastpass; each and every line was under 10 minutes, save for the Matterhorn and the Submarines, neither of which are Fastpass attractions anyway.
In general, things seemed good maintenance-wise, I absolutely LOVED the new icicle-light overlay on the castle, and “it’s a small world” looked wonderful as usual. In fact, it’s been long enough since I’ve visited at a time other than the holidays that I hardly remember the original small world song or what the non-Nightmare Haunted Mansion theming looks like.
I admit I still find the film elements added to Pirates a bit jarring, and I very greatly miss the Disney Gallery; it was always one of my favorite parts of the visit.
The only bad experience of the day was encountered at the Matterhorn. I was literally at the turnstiles when the ride went down, requiring a “reset.” An announcement was made that the wait time would be “at least 45 minutes” before the ride was back up. Unlike on past visits, I was not offered any type of ride pass to return when the ride was back up; the cast members only offered the options of leaving the line or waiting the “minimum” of 45 minutes until the ride had recycled.
Granted, it’s been a few years, but I recall being offered passes when Indiana Jones broke down in the past; I was surprised they offered no alternative to waiting for almost an additional hour (given the line had already been a 30 minute wait already) in the hope that the attraction came back up in a timely manner.
Should I have complained at City Hall, or perhaps to a senior operator? Or was I simply out of luck as suggested? Luckily the ride did come back up later, and when I returned a few hours later I successfully rode the Matterhorn after another 30 minute wait.
One other hint I don’t see mentioned often enough is rather than fight the crowds on Main Street during the “additional hour” after closing, the same merchandise can be found with much shorter wait times for a cashier at the Disney Store in Downtown Disney. You have to walk right past it to get to the Mickey & Friends tram, anyway.
Finally, I was surprised to see Mickey and Minnie visiting the Space Mountain line exit area late in the day; I had been under the impression that the only way to see either outside of the parade was to visit their Toontown homes.
Keep up the great work; I’ve enjoyed Realityland as much as your past works and of course always love the column,
Thanks for the kind words and for sharing your recent adventures. I’m happy to hear you had an enjoyable trip. Yes, often after a lengthy breakdown, ride operators will hand out “front-of-the-line” passes, though sometimes just to the folks they have to evacuate from vehicles. Perhaps they saw a packed queue and didn’t want to suddenly flood the park with 1,500 line-cutting passes? We can only wonder.
