News PhotoPass at some character locations being replaced by automated cameras

MickeyMinnieMom

Well-Known Member
Attendants will still have to be around to coordinate the guests, and I would imagine with this change they will be taking a lot more pictures.
Yeah -- if we were to do a M&G with an automated camera, I'd operate as though it was going to be a worthless shot. I'd definitely ask them to take a photo with our camera, something we never did. The only M&G we bother to do these days are special ones here and there at events (e.g. Scrooge at MVMCP) -- I'd guess those will still have photographers as they aren't "permanent" locations. The other PhotoPass pics we do are shots in front of the castle or tree of life (e.g. with our medals on from a race wknd), and I'd assume those will still be ACTUAL photographers.

Though it doesn't impact us much (or maybe at all) anymore, there are so many pics of the kids when they were younger that we wouldn't have if they had an automated system like this. Stinks for others, IMO.
 

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
A wooden box does not exactly capture a magical moment when it occurs between a guest and character
When you look at the photos most people are "happy with" (selfies), why would WDW spend the money on people and equipment to offer decent, high-pixel photos when a camera on a stick can provide images that meet that same expectation (selfies)?
 

Mark P.

Well-Known Member
This change infuriates me. I seem to recall reading somewhere that PhotoPass CMs consistently rank among the highest in guest satisfaction scores. How is an automated box going to be able to get a child's attention, encourage them to play to the camera or interact with a character, and capture meaningful, candid moments that families will cherish more than bringing a stuffed Mickey Mouse to their local Sears and scheduling a portrait session?
 

KBLovedDisney

Well-Known Member
Smile for Hal.
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tissandtully

Well-Known Member
Wow, this is really bad. It is not going to go over well. A camera in a box is NOT the same as a photographer with two legs who can move around and capture moments spontaneously and get closer when needed. Yes, these are not professionally trained photographers in a sense, but as someone who works with photos every day, there is nothing that can beat a human with a camera. I'm gonna write to GR today, and everyone else should too!
 

Jahona

Well-Known Member
While not all photopass photographers were good, I had to teach one how to use her camera, the few that were good took memorable photos. For portrait photography you need to be able to move the camera around depending on the height of your subject(s) and desired look. From the test shot that's going around, this looks like any other wide angle mobile camera. No depth of field, no dimension to the photo. It's a glorified photo booth now and they have those at EPCOT.
 

LSLS

Well-Known Member
I will say I knew some people who took photos for photopass. They were College Program, but they were also Art/Photo majors in college, and have gone on to have successful photo businesses. Obviously isn't the same for all, but don't want it to be thought they just take a communications major, hand them a camera, and tell them to click it. Now, this was years ago, so who knows how they are really operating at this point.
 

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