Trip Report The "we took a trip to Disney World just so we could write a trip report" trip report

photoflight · Apr 25, 2014

Thanks - yup, the D800 is full frame. Years ago I used almost nothing but a 50/f1.4 on my Nikon F. These days I really feel like I need a wider lens. From what I've seen, Sigma 35/f1.4 seems to be just about right. Just need to be able to justify it

BostonJP · Apr 25, 2014

Clearly you have the talent - that should justify the purchase! I'll be staying in AOA and your photos are more inviting than the ones on the Disney site.

photoflight · Apr 25, 2014

Wow thanks, I appreciate that

Have fun at AOA, that's a really neat place.

lbrad · Apr 25, 2014

Loving your TR!!!
Your pictures are awesome ... so colorful & bright :happy:

Can't wait to read/see more!!!

photoflight · Apr 26, 2014

Night at last. Not much to do but soak it all in. Got a while before our next ride.

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FlaggNL · Apr 26, 2014

Wow you are posting more and more

about your pictures.... Did you have to enhance your pictures a lot besides your watermark below right

we have a Nikon D3200 so we hope to take as great pics as yours next October

and what about our time difference.... Here it is 11.30 in the morning

photoflight · Apr 26, 2014

...and I still have more and more as I get time

I shoot "raw" (just write .nef files to the memory cards) and use Lightroom to process. The processing are setups I've come up with that I like. For these I started with what is close to Nikons "vivid" setting for in-camera processing, with a couple of other adjustments. I've found the D800's color/white-balance to be really good but occasionally something needs more tweaking. Pirates, for example.

There are a few near the end (haven't got there yet) that I did some heavy HDR processing on with multiple-exposures. That's something else completely

Oh yes - and the watermark is automatically added by my website.

BostonJP · Apr 26, 2014

Are these night shots on a tripod? I know I already asked about the night shots but I'm still very impressed.

I'm very much still an amateur and have never been able to get crisp dark shots like this, even on the 5D MKii.

(By the way I don't mean to derail your trip report with my dumb photography questions - I'll take it to PM if you prefer)

photoflight · Apr 26, 2014

Nope, no tripod - everything is handheld except the castle picture. I rested the camera on a wood piling along the boardwalk across from Tom Sawyer Island for that one. That 16-35/f4 is a "VR" lens (not sure what Canon's terminology is for that) so it helps I'm sure.

On Pirates of the Caribbean I was slowed down to as much as 1/13th-sec @ f/4 for this:

This was 1/20th @ f/5

It can be done, but I was pushing the ISO up more than I like. It's a trade-off for sure.

Daxiegirl · Apr 27, 2014

You are making me SO VERY excited for our first trip this September. Your stunning photos are helping me to imagine being immersed in the magic of WDW!

ShookieJones · Apr 27, 2014

Still reading along and loving it.

I just realized why I love some TRs and just like some.

You have to have the perfect mix of wurdz n' pikchurz.....and you absolutely nailed that combo.

The fact that your words are humorous and your pictures are beautiful is icing on the cake.

Great job.

photoflight · Apr 27, 2014

Daxiegirl said:
You are making me SO VERY excited for our first trip this September. Your stunning photos are helping me to imagine being immersed in the magic of WDW!

Thanks!

ShookieJones said:
Still reading along and loving it.

I just realized why I love some TRs and just like some.

You have to have the perfect mix of wurdz n' pikchurz.....and you absolutely nailed that combo.

The fact that your words are humorous and your pictures are beautiful is icing on the cake.

Great job.

Hey thanks, glad we're hitting it right.

photoflight · Apr 27, 2014

Day Two continues... the end of our second day

Our third and final Fastpass for MK was for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at 9pm. Really no complaints about the FP+ "experience" on this day. Never had any issues at all with the system and really don't remember seeing anyone else having any problems with it. And, although not related to this trip, the only complaints I overheard were about not being able to park-hop - but of course that's been fixed.

Surprisingly this was the first time we'd been on BTRR since the refurb. Nice touches, everything looked good. We really need to ride this more often

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We're next! Oh boy oh boy oh boy ohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboy!

Hmm... what's the guy in the blue shirt doing? Pretty sure he's watching TV.

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photoflight · Apr 27, 2014

Finished with our thunderous railroad ride and time to make our lazy way back to the bus. Couldn't resist a night shot of the Liberty Belle though. One day I'll bring a tripod and take some better night shots.

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But wait! Here comes the parade! What timing! We're on the wrong-side of the street and can't get through anyway so let's stand and watch. Not the best location for pictures but we got to see most of the parade.

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Tink with her silly slippers again.

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Goofy driving the train. Lyn's favorite is Goofy. Suits her (wacky nunu).

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Cinderella in her pumpkin.

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Elliot, the disappearing dragon.

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For the photographer people: these are all with my Nikkor 50/f1.8

photoflight · Apr 27, 2014

Finally... casually made our way back through the Emporium and did some shopping on the way out. We took our time so the post-parade crush would thin. Must have been a good strategy because there was hardly a line for the bus. Stopped for a couple of drinks from the gift shop and went back to finish off our food from that afternoon.

That pretty much concluded our wicked awesome second day at WDW, but with one more little chore: remember these?

...well, time to continue the saga of the tips. For the next morning we had to decide whether both rooms would tip or to leave the same tip from only the room we tipped at before (and got the towel with the eyes). We did neither, instead opting to leave a larger tip at the original "tipped" room while continuing to not tip at the other. Don't draw any prejudicial conclusions about this though

With all our chores done we were wiped. Time to turn in.

What thrills await our duo on day three? Stay tuned

photoflight · Apr 27, 2014

Day Two Bonus

I've shot maybe a dozen video clips with my camera. Not proud of these clips but I thought I'd post them anyway - if for no other reason than to get the song from the electrical parade in everyone's head

Yes...one day I expect I will learn how to make the camera focus properly in video (I have it set up now, just need more experience to do it right). Shooting video hand-held doesn't help either

Daxiegirl · Apr 27, 2014

I think you need to take a trip in Sept/Oct and take some Boo to You parade pics-love your MSEP photos!

Anxiously awaiting your updates on the tipping experiment

disneypearl · Apr 27, 2014

Enjoying your report! Thank you for posting this. My trip is finally getting closer and this is helping with my excitement. The pictures are incredibly beautiful! I love the tipping experiment too.

photoflight · Apr 28, 2014

Daxiegirl said:
I think you need to take a trip in Sept/Oct and take some Boo to You parade pics-love your MSEP photos!

Anxiously awaiting your updates on the tipping experiment

Already hoping we'll make the halloween party this year. We'll see

disneypearl said:
Enjoying your report! Thank you for posting this. My trip is finally getting closer and this is helping with my excitement. The pictures are incredibly beautiful! I love the tipping experiment too.

Thanks

photoflight · Apr 28, 2014

Day Three...our exciting Epcot adventure begins

Our third and second full day at WDW was at my personal favorite, Epcot. Just a little over a week into this year's Flower and Garden Festival too - yet another perfect reason to go (and another reason it's my favorite park).

In the past I've tried to document/photograph everything at the F&G. There's no doubt we'd miss a lot of things, so instead of trying to see everything we just enjoyed the day like we did at MK.

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Like our MK-day we had Fastpass+ reservations in advance of our visit. Likewise some of our day's plans revolved around those reservations. Still on the fence about the Fastpass+ stuff? Me too, but I don't think our pre-planning had any great positive or negative impact on the enjoyment of our day. We skipped one of the three FP+ reservations we had, one was almost not necessary (but was convenient) and then there's Soarin' .

Also on our third day was a dinner surprise for CDP (my Co-Disney-Phile) Lyn. She knew we had an ADR for this night but didn't know where, or even if it was at a park location. This was a "one day we'll eat at..." place that I kept that a surprise until almost dinner time.

Trip Report The "we took a trip to Disney World just so we could write a trip report" trip report

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