Picture This!

Hi everyone! My name is Barrie and I am a big Disney World fan. As a child I received a book about Disneyland from an aunt in California. It was a photo book of all the rides and attractions with small descriptions of each. I'm sure you've seen similar books for sale in the parks. I used to spend hours looking at that book and dream about being able to hang out in the Swiss Family Robinson tree house and ride on the monorail. But I lived in Ohio and California was a long way away. There wasn't much chance of me going there.

Disney World opened in Florida when I was in my twenties but by then I was, of course, way too cool for Disney. I was so cool in fact that I decided to move to Oregon to become one with nature. A few years later my mother moved to Florida, only two hours from Orlando. Oh my gosh, I could barely contain my excitement. I guess I wasn't so cool after all! That was about 17 or so years ago and since then I have lost count of how many times I have been a guest of the Mouse.

In the past few years I've become a bit of a photography buff as well. I've always been interested in photography. Now that I think of it, it's probably because of that book! Until recently I couldn't really afford it as a hobby though – it just cost too much to develop roll after roll of my not-so-great photos!

But once digital cameras came onto the scene I was bit by the photography bug. I started out with a cheap little 1.5 megapixel point and shoot camera. A little over a year ago I graduated to a Nikon D50, my first real dslr camera. Disney World is absolutely my favorite place to take pictures and when I am there I am rarely without my camera to my eye. I still consider myself a novice and as I learn more I like to share what I've learned with other Disney World fans. That's why I'm so excited that Deb asked me to join the AllEars® team of bloggers.

I hope you'll enjoy my view of Disney World. Along with sharing some of the Disney World photos I've taken, I plan to offer up some tips for taking great photos on your next trip. I will also share a few resources and fun photo projects I've discovered. We may even play some photo games. I'd love to hear from you if you've got comments or suggestions – just use the feedback form. And as I close this introduction I'd like to offer my gratitude to Deb for the opportunity to connect with you all – thanks again Deb, this is going to be fun!

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/55-200, 8s shutter, f4.6

Although many people will tell you what a great view there is while riding the Astro Orbiter, I think the best view is of the ride itself, especially at night. This retro looking rocket ship ride is located in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom.

I decided to start with this photo because it is one of my favorites. I just love all the bright colors against the night sky. In fact, I love night shots in general and will probably be posting many in the future. If you haven’t spent much time exploring Disney World after dark, I highly encourage it. They do such an incredible job with lighting. It's just beautiful at night. It can be a little challenging to capture it all on the camera just right, but what a great time I have practicing!

Quick Tip: Whether you are using your camera’s manual functions or you’re using an auto setting, the key to getting nice crisp night shots is to stabilize your camera.

A mini tripod works well at Disney World. It can sit on top of a trash can or bench – both of which are everywhere in the parks. A really cool gadget is a Gorilla Pod which is a small, bendy tripod that can be wrapped around fence posts and railings. You can even set your camera on a wall.

If you don’t have any of these things available, do your best to brace your body against something stationery before you click your shutter. The more stable your camera, the sharper your photo will turn out.

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/18-200VR, 1/200s shutter, f4.9

Say hi to Donald Duck, star of the new Mexico attraction “Gran Fiesta”. This was taken outside of the Mexico pavilion at Epcot where Donald was doing a meet and greet with park guests. In between posing with children Donald turned and gave me a quick wave. I was so glad I already had my camera focused on him.

Quick Tip: When taking photos of characters, be sure to get some close-up shots. Try to fill the bulk of your frame with the character’s face. Be careful with your zoom though. It’s easy to lose important detail if you get too close.

This picture of Captain Hook would have been much better if I had gotten his hook in the picture. The photo of Donald works because I got some of his sombrero and colorful tunic in the frame to give context to the shot. When in doubt, take your shot at a slightly longer distance. You can always crop it tighter later.

You may know me as the webmaster of the Disney Planning Strategy Calculator for Disney Reservations. What you don't know about me is I've been an avid photographer since I received my first Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera at the age of 16. I've burned up a lot of rolls of film, took a correspondence photography course and read many books and articles since then. With the technological breakthrough of digital photography, the hobby of photography has taken a huge leap and me with it. A couple of years ago, I purchased my first digital SLR camera, a Nikon D70. I can say I have learned more with this camera then all the film based ones I've used over the last 30 years.

I would like to thank Deb Wills for inviting me to contribute to the Picture This! photography blog here on AllEars. I will be giving you my views, examples, and ideas for taking photographs at Walt Disney World. I have recorded thousands of images at Walt Disney World over the last 24 years. Some great and some not so great. I hope my experiences can help you to improve your photographs at home and on your Disney vacations.

While at times I will be writing about specific pieces of equipment, most of the articles will cover intermediate to advanced photography concepts and techniques relevant to both Point and Shoot (P&S) and digital SLR cameras. As a starter, you can improve your pictures today by taking the time to get more familiar with your digital camera by reading through it's manual. Have your camera with you as you learn about all the different settings, menus and picture review capabilities. I was surprised at all the different things I could do with my camera by just changing a setting or menu option. I think you will too.

For me, digital photography brought back the fun of photography. I will be sharing the fun with you here.

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular.Copyright © Scott Thomas Photography 2007
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/13s shutter, f5.6, 1600 ISO, -0.3 EC

In a previous blog entry, Barrie talked about ways to stabilize your camera when shooting in low light at Walt Disney World. Camera system manufacturers now have another alternative for you. New lenses which compensate for image blur caused by small, involuntary movements (wobbly hands, shooting from a moving vehicle, etc.) called camera shake. Manufacturers have various names for this technology. Canon calls it Image Stabilizer (IS) technology while Nikon's Vibration Reduction (VR) system help give you sharp images with their digital SLR cameras. Other manufacturers and third-party lens makers like Sigma and Tamron have their own versions.

The links I've supplied above will give you the technical details of how these lenses work, I just know that they do. The picture taken during the first scene of the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at the Disney-MGM Studios is an example of a Nikon vibration reduction lens at work. This image was captured using available light at a shutter speed of 1/13 second using the Nikon 18-200mm VR zoom lens fully extended to 200mm. The best part is, I was sitting in the third row of the theater and hand holding my camera. One must still take steps to stabilize the camera by holding arms in close to the body, holding one's breath and slowly pressing the shutter, however, these lenses will produce a higher percentage of great images in low light conditions. So, the next time you are told, "No flash photography". Smile knowing your VR or IS lens will allow you to capture the show.

You do know photography can be an expensive hobby, right? These new lenses are no exception, ranging in price from $250 to over a $1,000 depending on the focal length, zoom range and speed of the lens. Nikon claims and I have been successful getting an extra two stops without the need for a tripod. This means while I would normally not use shutter speeds below 1/60th of a second. Using the VR lens, I get excellent results at 1/15th of a second or lower hand holding my camera. These lenses will never replace a tripod but they do give you more flexibility for those times you can't or won't carry one with you.

Cinderella topiary at Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival. Copyright © Scott Thomas Photography 2007
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/160s, f/11, 200 ISO, -0.3 EC, 18mm Focal Length

In digital photography, exposure is the total amount of light allowed to fall on to an image sensor. It's really quite simple even though there's a lot of science and engineering behind how your camera does it. I leave that to the engineers and enjoy the fruits of their labors.

In the time ahead, I will be going more in-depth into the photographic terms of exposure and how they effect our photographs. These terms are: Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO (or Sensor Sensitivity) and Exposure Compensation.

Aperture is how wide the lens' iris is opened. Like your eye, a lens has an iris. You can tell how wide it is by the f-stop number. Those funny numbers you see on your lens or through your viewfinder often designated with an f/ in front of them. In the photo of a topiary taken during Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival, the aperture setting is f/11. The lower the number, the wider the aperture is and the more light is transmitted through the lens. Reciprocally, the higher the number, the less light comes through. Aperture controls the zone of focus or depth of field in your images and can be used in very creative ways.

Shutter Speed is how long the camera's shutter stays open to expose it's sensor to the subject being photographed. Most of the time it's just a short fraction of a second. The photo above used a shutter speed of 1/160th of a second. The dimmer the light, the longer the shutter speed is to get a well-exposed picture. Low light and night photography can sometimes take seconds or minutes to capture a scene. For fast action like children playing or theme park rides, you'll want to use fast shutter speeds like 1/500th or faster to capture the action. Playing with various shutter speeds is a lot of fun!

ISO is how sensitive your digital camera's sensor is to light. You want to use the lowest ISO you can to get shootable apertures and shutter speeds. The higher or faster, as it is referred to, ISO number, the more sensitive your sensor is to light. With a lot of light available, the topiary image was taken with an ISO of 200. As day turns into night, I will increase my ISO from 200 to as high as 1600. This does increase what's called noise (they look like little specs) into the images. Unlike film, the noise is not nearly as bad as film grain was and there are software products available, which can clean up most of the noise.

Exposure Compensation or Bias is a way for digital photographers to dial in their exposure. Most digital SLR and some advanced Point & Shoot cameras have an exposure compensation button which allows you to do slight adjustments to your cameras image sensor. Usually in one half to one third intervals, this little button can make the difference between an image with too light or too dark areas into a properly exposed gem. In this blog's photo, I made a slight -1/3 (or -0.3) adjustment to keep from over exposing or "blowing out" the light background behind the topiary.

For an excellent book on this subject, I highly recommend Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure which has been updated for digital photography.

The magic is in the details.

A visit to Disney World is like no other experience. From the moment you arrive you are engulfed by the atmosphere. Seems like every step you take provides a new treat for your senses, from the sound of beating drums to the sight of spectacular colors in every direction. There's so much to absorb that your brain focuses on the big picture rather than on the details. And that's the plan - Imagineers don't just create a set for us to look at, they immerse us in the set so that we actually feel something magical. For them it's is all about the detail. It wasn't until I started photographing Disney World that I really began to see the amazing intricacies of their work.

Let's see how well you focus on the details. Each week I'll post a photo of some small bit of Disney World. See if you can figure out where it comes from. The following week I'll let you know the answer. Let's start.

Where in the world is this?

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/18-200VR, 1/60s shutter, f5.6

I’ve had a wicked sweet tooth lately and I couldn’t resist posting this photo. These yummy looking treats are Cloudberry Horns. You can find them at the Kringla Bakery in Norway at Epcot. Those are Berry Tarts in the foreground. So far I’ve been satisfied to just photograph these pastries but I think I’m losing my will power. On my next trip I’m definitely going to have to see if they taste as good as they look.

Quick Tip: Some things just need to be photographed super close. I think food is one of those things. These pastries wouldn’t look nearly as tempting if you couldn’t see the sugar crystals and the lightness of the filling. Here’s a secret: My original photo was a bit bigger and further away from the goodies. I set my camera to the highest resolution possible. Then after taking the photo, I cropped it to get the look of a macro shot.

One of the first comments we received was to include some of the Exif (Exchangeable Image File) format information with the photographs we were using in the Picture This! blog. We decided to standardize this information so it's in the same place and format each time. Using the picture of Disney's Yacht Club Resort Lighthouse, here is the explanation of the Exif data line:

Nikon D70/18-200VR (Camera Make and Model / Lens Used (if applicable))
1/500s (Shutter Speed Used in Seconds)
f/11 (Aperture or f-stop Used)
200 ISO (ISO Setting Used)
-0.3 EC (Exposure Compensation or Bias Used)
26mm Focal Length (If known, this is the Focal Length when a Zoom lens is being used)

All of this information plus much more is attached to a digital image when you press the shutter release to take a picture. Not all of this information is available for every image you will see but we will always try to give you the Camera Make and Model, Shutter Speed and Aperture. In upcoming blog entries, I'll be defining and explaining each of these Exif terms.

Somethng else you may find helpful is, if you click on an image, you'll get a larger image if the author has one available. Try it on the picture above.

Answer to last week’s Where in the World challenge:

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/18-200VR, 1/1250s shutter, f4.6

If you guessed Asia in the Animal Kingdom you’re right! This string of lights crosses the path on the way past the restrooms disguised as a mountain trading post. That’s Expedition Everest in the background.

Quick Tip: Head to Asia in the afternoon to get good photos of Expedition Everest. Later in the day the sun will be at your back, shining brightly on the mountain.

This week’s challenge: Where in the world is this?

Copyright © 2006 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/55-200, 1/400s shutter, f4

Early evening is a great time to enjoy the Boardwalk in the Epcot resort area. I just love the feel of the area at that time of day. Whenever I go to Disney World, I always build in time to hang out there, even if I am staying somewhere else. I think what I like best is that people linger on the boardwalk throughout the late afternoon and well into the evening. Even though it's bustling with activity, it's a very relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. There are kids playing everywhere. Many people are out walking just for the pleasure of it. There’s always someone sitting in a rocker with a good book. Friends have a beer together at Big River Grille and laugh about the fun they had earlier in the day. The Boardwalk just feels good. I like the energy of it.

Quick Tip: The best photographic subject is not always in front of you. While waiting in line to ride the Friendship water taxi to Epcot I turned around and saw this scene. For me, it captured some of that lazy summer evening feeling that I love about the Boardwalk. When you’re walking around the parks and resorts remember to look at what you might be missing in the opposite direction.

As we learned earlier, aperture is the size of the opening in the camera's lens measured in f-stops. I know it sounds weird but the smaller the f-stop number the larger the opening. I want to show you today how you can take advantage of apertures to create outstanding photographs.

Maximum Depth of Field or Hyperfocus. Copyright © Scott Thomas Photography 2007
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/500s, f/11, -1.3 EC, 18mm Focal Length

The first technique is called hyperfocus and getting the maximum depth of field in a photo. This is where everything in the photo is in focus from the closest to the farthest objects out to infinity. Searching on hyperfocus will bring up all kinds of calculators on how to figure out where to focus when using a certain focal length (18, 28, 35, etc. in mm) and f-stop. By setting the aperture to an f-stop of f/11 or f/16 and focusing on a close subject, you'll get the hyperfocus effect. In the photo taken from Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival of the floating flowers, I wanted people to view this photo starting with the floating flower pot at the bottom and continue upwards to the clouds in the sky. This is how imagineeers use forced perspective throughout the parks to makes things look bigger than they actually are.

Selective Focus. Copyright © Scott Thomas Photography 2007
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/250s, f/5.6, -0.3 EC, 200mm Focal Length

What do you do if the background of the subject you want to photograph is busy? If you used a high f-stop, your subject could get lost in that busy background. For this situation you want to use a smaller f-stop or do, what is called, shooting with your lens wide open. This is done by setting the aperture at it's lowest f-stop. For my 18-200mm VR zoom lens at 200mm, it's wide open f-stop is f/5.6, which is what I used to separate and selectively focus on the meerkat at Disney's Animal Kingdom from the foliage in the distance. In this way, you are focused on the meerkat and not what is behind him. This is a great way to take human portraits at Walt Disney World and not get all those other humans in the background.

Quick Tip: I know some of you are thinking how do you set apertures using a digital camera. You do this by setting the camera's shooting mode to Aperture Priority. Refer to your camera's manual on how to do this. Once done, you set your f-stop and the camera calculates the shutter speed. Be careful here. If the aperture chosen is making your shutter speed to long, you may need to either make your aperture bigger or use a tripod.

Copyright © 2006 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/55-200, 1/250s shutter, f5.1

I remember reading about DiVine on some of the Disney forums and I had no idea what people were talking about. People talked about how beautiful she is and how gracefully she moves. When I finally saw her last December I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was mesmerizing.

For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure, DiVine is a stilt figure who hangs out on the path to Asia in the Animal Kingdom. If you don’t know to look for her you may easily miss her because she blends in quite nicely with the vegetation along the path.

Quick Tip: When photographing the entertainers at Disney World, or anyone for that matter, be sure to focus your camera on their eyes. It sounds pretty simple but I can’t tell you how many pictures I have of people with perfectly focused noses and blurry eyes! To make sure that doesn’t happen to you, lock your focus before taking the photograph.

Here’s how: First, focus your camera directly on the person’s eyes. Then press your shutter halfway down. This will lock the focus on their eyes. With your shutter halfway pressed, move your camera to reframe your photo the way you want it. Now wait for the right moment and then press the shutter the rest of the way down to capture your perfect shot. As long as your subject doesn’t move closer or further away before you fully press your shutter, you should get a nicely focused picture.

"I don't know if it's a boy or a girl but it's a photographer," said the doctor to my mom as he was delivering me. Alright, alright maybe he actually said 'redhead' and not 'photographer' but my line is funnier.

At age 6, my parents gave me a Yogi Bear 35mm camera and the love of picture taking was instant. I began posing family, friends and neighbors right away. There's some proof around the house that I got my hands on a Polaroid as well. While growing up I studied album covers taking careful notice of how people were arranged, light and shadows. The funny thing is that I wasn't even all that aware that what I was doing was shall we say, odd, for a kid and later a teenager. I'll speed this up a bit, at 20 I was a full-time staff photographer for several local papers and a graduate of New England School of Photography.

Disney as a company was a part of my life like most kids. My parents took my brother and I to Walt Disney World and Disneyland a couple of times. We went to movies, watched TV shows, and listened to soundtracks. In my late teens and early 20's I started tagging along with my dad on business trips to Orlando and taking vacations with friends.

The real Disney fanatic in me sprung to life in 1998 when I spent the Summer in southern California. If my memory serves me right, I only went to the park once or twice back then and the fact that Disneyland was a mere 15 minutes away was torture. From my friend's driveway I use to watch the fireworks. Just 6 months later I moved to CA. With a So Cal Resident Annual Pass in hand and friends to play with, I hit the parks weekly if not more. It was our hangout where we felt safe and could be our true dorky selves. Sometimes we did nothing more than have dinner and walk around. My favorite thing to do was to sit in Town Square and watch the characters interact with guests.

As for Walt Disney World, I started buying annual passes in 2004. With an abundance of information online here on AllEars.Net, and other sites I absorbed the material like a sponge and joined a few communities. It's amazing how the Internet can bring people with a common interest together from various states, let alone countries.

Inbetwixt all of my photography gigs I've accumulated more than 5 years experience in retail camera sales. Deb asked me to assist those of you who have and those who are looking to purchase point and shoot cameras, including high-end models. I'll guide you through the lingo, what to look for and how to get better results from what you have. Deb, thanks for inviting me to be a part of Picture This!. Feel free to ask me any questions except when the 3 o'clock parade is.

Shutter speed is the time for which the shutter is held open during the taking of a photograph to allow light to reach the image sensor in a digital camera. A fast shutter speed will freeze the subject but needs plenty of light. A slower shutter speed needs less light and a more stationary subject or will cause image blur. However, you can use this to your advantage, as this article will show you.

Expedition Everest explorers emerging from the mountain. © Scott Thomas Photography 2007
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/800s, f/7.1, 400 ISO, -0.3 EC, 135mm Focal Length

In the mid-afternoon Florida sun, it is easy for our cameras to select fast shutter speeds. From the observation area of Animal Kingdom's Expedition Everest ride, I wanted to freeze the ride vehicle and guests as it came out of the mountain by using a shutter speed of 1/800 of a second. By doing this, you can see their expressions and body language as they see the plunge before them. One guest in the lead car is even video taping! To capture fast action, the faster the shutter speed the better to make the images sharp and clear.

The Beatniks entertaining guests in Disney's Animal Kingdom. © Scott Thomas Photography 2007
Nikon Coolpix 995, 1/30s, f/7.5, 200 ISO

When I came upon The Beatniks as I walked towards Dinoland in Disney's Animal Kingdom, I saw an opportunity to show not only their colorful costumes but their energy by using a shutter speed of 1/30th of a second. Photographs record still images, however, with the creative use of slower shutter speeds, a photograph can convey movement. The trick is not getting so much movement the subject is unrecognizable. The other trick is being able to keep your camera still while making the photo. I talked about how using stablizing lens technology can help in a previous entry. You can practice at home and test how slow a shutter speed you can use and still get acceptably sharp images. To get really long exposures slower than 1/15 of a second, you will need to either anchor yourself against something like a wall or pole, use a tripod or place your camera on a flat surface. At Walt Disney World, I've found the tops of garbage cans to be particularly useful.

Quick Tip: To take control of your shutter speed, set your camera to Shutter Priority Mode. In this way, you set the shutter speed and the camera calculates the aperture or f/stop for you. Be careful the aperture will give you the results you are looking for.

Answer to Where in the World challenge #2:

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/18-200VR, 0.002s shutter, f5.3

This bronze sculpture of Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket is one of several character statues in the garden in front of the Cinderella’s castle at the Magic Kingdom.

Quick Tip: Giving a photo a shallow depth of field will really make your subject stand out from the background. I set my aperture to f/5.3 to make the flowers behind this statue look blurry. You can get a similar effect by using the portrait setting on your camera.

This week’s challenge: Where in the world is this?

There are a variety of things to consider when shopping for a digital point and shoot camera. In my experience I have found that people make the choices that are best for them and that's the right thing to do. If you do your research, without making yourself crazy, and ask a few friends what they like/dislike about their cameras you will be a better educated consumer. Let's get you started on the road of knowledge.

Batteries: Positive and Negative (get it? a ha ha hmm)

A digital point and shoot will either run on AA batteries or a lithium-ion battery. Some cameras will allow you to substitute a CRV3 lithium or lithium-ion for 2 AA batteries. AA's are what we're most familiar with. We use them in toys, walkmans, discmans, and those water bottle/fans that Disney sells. Well, I'm assuming they take AA maybe they use AAA batteries. I'm too cheap to buy one. Moving on, lithium-ions are what is in your cell phone. It's that square or rectangular flat battery that keeps your phone powered so you can talk till the cows come home from a rollicking game of bingo.

I've compiled a list of pluses and minuses to both types of power. Oh, and before you make your decision based on these lists, next time I'll go over the 5, count 'em, 5 common types of AAs.

AA

Pluses:
** Easy to find in gift shops, drug stores, and even gas stations should you forget to pack them or they wear out
** Most cameras take 2 and most chargers will power 4 at a time. This gives you a spare set ready for action
** Rechargeables will allow an average of 250-300 shots per charge

Minuses:
** Alkalines can last as little as 20 minutes
** Spend more money on alkaline and lithium

Plus and Minus: Chargers can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 8 hours, depending on the charger and strength of batteries.

Lithium-ion

Pluses
** Available in camera stores and electronic stores
** Average battery will take 400 shots per charge
** Chargers are compact

Minuses

** Average manufacturer's price is $30-60 for a spare. Off-brand lists for about $20-40
** Like your cell phone battery, some last longer than others

Lithium-ions (left and center) come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. They are also designed to work with specific cameras. AA's are always the same size but are either alkaline, lithium, oxyhydroxide, NiCad or NiMH.

Spaceship Earth. Copyright © Scott Thomas Photography 2007
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/10s, f/5.6, 1600 ISO, -1 EC, 135mm Focal Length

Many people have sent in questions about how to get good low-light and night photography pictures at Walt Disney World. The key is to get enough light to your digital camera's sensor to record a well exposed image. You can do this a couple of ways. Use a tripod and increase the shutter speed or increase your camera's sensitivity to light. The higher the ISO setting, the more sensitive the sensor becomes and less light needed to record an image. Instead of using a tripod at ISO 100, you can dial in a higher setting like 400, 800 or 1600 and get a faster shutter speed. Thus, letting you hand hold in low light or in getting fast action shots like themepark rides, children playing or sporting events.

Epcot's Spaceship Earth is a favorite subject of many photographers during the day but, at night, the geodesic sphere takes on a surreal quality. To successfully show this, I increased my ISO setting to 1600. This is the highest my camera, a Nikon D70, can go. There are digital cameras today that go as high as 3200 ISO. I still needed a steady hand, propped elbows on a fence and a vibration reduction lens to shoot at 1/10s. To increase my chances of getting a great photo, I took a series of them with this being the best of the lot.

Shooting at such high ISO settings does bring about an increase in noise. Noise looks like color speckles and is noticed in uniform colors like the black sky in the Spaceship Earth photo. While it is a concern in digital photography, noise is a lot less apparent then with high ISO films. Those would show large grain in the processed prints. There are many software products available to reduce any noise which does creep into our photos.

Obviously, the less noise the better so, the lower the ISO, the finer the images your camera will produce. Check out your camera's manual to see how you can change the ISO and how high and low the settings are.

Quick Tip: Some digital cameras have an Auto ISO Setting. My Nikon D70 does and it allows me to let the camera pick the best ISO for the available light. This comes in handy as the light changes throughout the day into night or going in and out of buildings and rides at Walt Disney World.

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/18-200VR, 0.002s shutter, f5.6

It doesn’t take many hamburgers, funnel cakes and chicken fingers for me to start craving the fresh “California Cuisine” offered at Wolfgang Puck Café at Downtown Disney’s Westside. I’ve never been disappointed with a meal that I’ve had there. On my last trip I had a very tasty broiled halibut that was cooked to perfection. I also like their pizzas and Sushi.

In addition to their regular dining room and outdoor seating, Wolfgang’s has an open kitchen with counter seating and a sushi bar. I often go to Disney World on solo trips to take photos and I find Wolfgang Puck’s a very comfortable place to dine alone. It’s also one of the restaurants on the Dining Plan.

For a more upscale experience, check out The Dining Room at Wolfgang Puck’s (upstairs).

Quick Tip: This photo was taken just as the sun began to rise. The best light for taking photos is at sunrise and sunset. During the middle of the day the sun is often too harsh and can wash out the colors in your photograph. When the sun is low in the sky it gives a soft glow to your photos that is very pleasing. Even if you’re not really a morning person you can still get great morning shots at Disney World. This was taken from the balcony of my room at Saratoga Springs while I was still in my jammies!

I previously went over the differences between AA batteries and lithium-ion batteries. This time around I'll touch upon the 5 common types of AA's; American Airlines, Aristocratic Aardvarks, Alan Alda... Making sure that you're paying attention.

Disposable

Alkaline - Bar none these are the ones we've all used. They're easy to find in your local supermarket and wholesale warehouses among many other locals. While they may be the most common they don't last very long. Alkaline batteries actually lose power sitting around waiting for you to buy them and while sitting idle in electronic devices. My recommendation is to only use them in a pinch. A 4-pack averages $5.00.

Oxy nickel hydroxide - What? I know, I know...most people haven't heard of this species. It's a new cross-breed of throw away batteries. They're not as easy to find as they should be. In comparison to alkalines, oxy nickel hyroxide batteries last twice as long. A 4-pack goes for around $6.00 and are avaliable in electronics stores as well as discount department store chains.

http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/oxyride_ms/flash.asp

http://www.duracell.com/gna/powerpix/faq.htm

Lithium - Energizer is producing these and advertising them everywhere. These powerful little guys last 5-7 times as long as alkalines. In fact they can outlast rechargeables however once they're kaput, they're kaput. Look for them in camera shops, hardware stores, and online. A 4-pack costs $15.00.

Rechargeable

Nickel-cadmium (NiCd) - An alternative to the previously listed batteries are rechargeables. Since they can be used over and over again, you'll save money in the longrun. NiCd's are a great option in this regard. There are a variety of companies making them. Ideally they are for those who use their cameras often because these batteries can develop problems if they are not properly discharged before recharging. A 4-pack of AA's with a charger sells at $20 -30.00.

Nickel-metal hyrdride (NiMH) - As more and more consumers are purchasing their 2nd, 3rd or even 4th digital camera they've learned that NiMH batteries are the way to go. Unlike NiCd's, they can withstand random charging . Available for purchase nearly everywhere you find alkalines, a set of 4 can be bought for $10.00 or with a charger for $15-40.00. Also, there's another breed elbowing it's way into town. These are ready-to-use AA's made by Sanyo and Rayovac among others. Typically they cost $12 for a 4-pack.

Important things to remember:

Never mix battery types in a camera.
Store batteries in a cool dry place. They are perishable; extreme heat or cold can ruin them.
Don't attempt to charge alkaline, lithium or oxy nickel hyroxide batteries.
New NiCd's and NiMH's need to be charged overnight before their first use.
Don't leave your charger plugged in for an excessive amount of time.
Always follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Negative Exposure Compensation of -0.3 EV. © Scott Thomas Photography 2007 Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/125s, f5.6, 200 ISO	Positive Exposure Compensation of +0.3 EV. © Scott Thomas Photography 2007 Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/50s, f5.6, 200 ISO

Exposure Compensation allows you to adjust the exposure measured by the camera's light meter and telling the camera to allow more light in (positive exposure compensation) or less light in (negative exposure compensation). On your digital SLR camera, look for a +/- button to press to adjust exposure compensation. By making it negative, zero or postive in 1/3 (0.3) or 1/2 (0.5) intervals, you "dial" in the exposure for the photograph. As you change the exposure compensation, your camera will change it's shutter speed or aperture. Sometimes, even both, as you alter how the camera's light meter is "seeing" the subject you are pointing at.

In the two photos of the Research Station camp taken on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail in Disney's Animal Kingdom, the one on the left has a -0.3 EV (EV is the standard way of indicating exposure compensation) giving a rich color to the green foliage and detail in the rock face. The shutter speed of 1/125s freezes the waterfall. The photo on the right has a +0.3 EV, see how the contrast is heightened and some of the objects near the front of the tent get "blown out", which means the loss of detail, as the shutter speed decreased to 1/50s. Some of the shadowy areas now have details and the waterfall has a whispy look. The rule of thumb is to expose for the highlights, the brightest part of the scene, which is what I did in the photo on the left.

How do you know which exposure is best? You don't really, you pick the one you like the best. For me, I try not to get any blown out areas in my photos. This is not always possible. I hedge my bets by bracketing the exposures. Bracketing is taking one photo each at a negative compensation, a zero compensation and a postive compensation. Most digital cameras today can be set to auto-bracket and take a series of 3 to 5 photographs in a single shutter release.

Quick Tip: Do you know how much exposure compensation range your camera has? My Nikon D70 can go plus(+) or minus(-) up to 5 stops in 1/3 or 1/2 intervals. Don't be afraid to go as high or low as you need to capture the photograph.

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/55-200, 0.769s shutter, f4.8

No doubt you recognize the subject of this photo. Cinderella’s Castle at the Magic Kingdom has got to be the most photographed subject in all of Disney World. In fact, I think I recently read that it is the most photographed subject in the entire world. I don’t know if that’s true or not but I wouldn’t be surprised.

Believe it or not, until my trip last December I didn’t have a single picture of this famous icon. I happened to be lingering in the park a little past closing and noticed that the castle was changing colors every 20 seconds or so. It looked so beautiful and, except for the lone Photopass photographer, there weren’t any other people around. I think I got a photo of nearly every color change. This stark white version ended up being my favorite.

Quick tip: Be careful when framing your photos, especially in the dark. I could just kick myself for cutting off the top spire of the castle in this photo. This was totally operator error on my part but I’ve also had cameras in the past that consistently produced photos that were cropped more tightly than I thought they were when I framed the shot. Now when I take photos I generally try to frame them so that my subject is just a touch further away from the edge than I really want it to be so that I’m not sorry later. It’s much easier to crop out a little extra sky than to try to manufacture something that isn’t there!

You know all those sweet endearing songs about wanting to get close to someone? They're really just metaphors about using the macro setting. No, really, I mean it. What else could they possibly be talking about? Let us explore this feature and all get a little bit closer. C'mon!

We'll begin with the icon for the macro setting on your camera. The universal sign for macro is a flower. Most cameras have this identifiable symbol on the 4-way controller on the back of the camera. As camera designs change however, readily available controls are moved to fit below increasingly larger LCD's (screen on back) or disappear entirely and are only obtainable via the camera's main menu.

"So come on baby come on over. Let me be the one to show you." When you press the macro icon, you turn on the function that will allow you to take close-up shots of things that are small, such as flowers and coins.

Then there's the ability to get detail on something larger. For instance, normally you'd take a headshot of your child but with the macro function you can photograph his/her cute little freckled nose. Scrapbookers can go wild and take photos of each part of the face and put them together as a collage. Oh, and one small request, no one tell my mom about the option to photograph freckled noses. That'll be our little secret, OK?


I used the Digital Macro mode (manual setting) on a Canon Powershot SD500 to get the entire pin as well as the dangling piece by itself.

Then I used the auto mode and turned on the macro setting and got this. Although it's a clear photo, I couldn't get as close as I could with the Digital Macro setting.

Just to show you why macro is important, without it the pin looks like this. Blech! Who wants to buy a blob?

So my friends, go out and capture the details in everyday life and as you do you'll say to yourself, "Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near? Just like me, they long to be close to you."

Copyright © 2006 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/55-200

With of all the amazing rides and attractions that fill the Disney Parks, it’s easy to miss some of the less spectacular displays. Here’s one that I always find myself stopping for. Just outside of Germany in the World Showcase area of Epcot is a really cute miniature train village. It’s easy to miss this sweet little display if you’re trying to fit in as much as you can. But outside of Disney, this village would be an attraction all on its own. The next time you visit Epcot check it out.

Quick Tip: When taking a photo of something close to ground level, including children, try to get as close to the level of your subject as possible. Your pictures will look better if you are not shooting down at your subject. I always find it better to rest one knee on the ground for added stability. Now, if anyone has tips for gracefully getting back up from this position, I’m all ears!

Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show explosive finale. © Scott Thomas Photography 2007
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/250s, f/8, 200 ISO, 0 EV, 20mm Focal Length

Don't go away! Histograms are not hard to understand. They are a great tool for us digital photographers to know, at a glance, if the picture we just took is well exposed. No more being disappointed when we see the photos on our large computer screens that looked so good on the camera's little LCD. If you are not sure if your camera is able to show a histogram, check its manual.

Simply put, a histogram is a graph that displays how light is distributed in your picture. The left side of the graph represents the shadows (dark areas), while the highlights (light areas) are on the right. Remember bell curves from your old math or statistical classes? Rarely does a histogram from a photo take on the look of a perfect bell curve but the principal is the same. You do not want to see the curve bunch up to either side or get cut off which is referred to as a clipped histogram. A clipped histogram to either the left (dark) or right (light) side is something to be avoided. In the histogram example shown here, while there is a spike on the dark side, it is not clipped and falls off before the edge. The spike can be seen in the dark upper portions of the image.

By taking a photograph and looking at the histogram my camera shows me, I can tell if I have overexposed (histogram pushed to the right side or cut off) portions or all of the image. From there, I can adjust my exposure using the exposure compensation button. I may need to change the ISO setting if the histogram is showing a very underexposed (everything pushed or cut off on the left side of the graph) to increase the sensor's light sensitivity moving the histogram towards the center.

Take this entry's photo from the Disney-MGM Studios Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show. I had to be quick with this shot as the car flu over the ramp faster than I was ready for. Checking the LCD image afterwards, I felt it looked good. Once I saw the well-distributed histogram, I was confident it was good.

As you can tell, the histogram is an excellent way to see if you have the exposure you are looking for quickly and easily.

Further Reading: I highly recommend this article on histograms: Understanding Your Digital Camera's Histogram.

I'm sure that many of you if not all of you have taken photos of your family, friends and/or vampires at night. The lights are low, Cinderella's Castle is basking in the glow of magenta and blue gels. You want to capture the end of a glorious day at the Magic Kingdom. As an excited mom or dad, you tell your offspring to stand there and smile.

Mom: The castle is beautiful. Let me take your picture in front of it.
Teenager: (head tilts back, foot stomps cement) Mommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Mom: Oh come on, do it for me. It'll be quick.
Teenage: You like already took like a GAZILLION photos.
Mom: I'm glad you're keeping track. Count this as a gazillion and one. Now go stand over there and for crying out loud, try to look happy.
Teenager: Ugh! (stands, gives big cheesy grin). Can we go nooowwwww?

In order to recreate this photographically, I had to improvise. I'm not at Walt Disney World right now so my neighborhood will act as Main Street less the delicious scent of baked goods, throbs of people heading to the monorail, shops, Cast Members and a stunning castle. Please use your imagination. Also, I don't have children of my own so I borrowed my neighbor, Ciara. I loaded her down with props and put her to work. She received no payment for modeling however I wouldn't be surprised if she tried to sneak in with my luggage when I leave for Disneyland in October. (waving) Hi Ciara!

The pictures below were all shot with a Nikon Coolpix 5600. I also used a tripod to show you that they are imperative for night photography. This camera only has Auto ISO and will make it's selection based upon available light. I stood roughly 8 feet away from her.

Shot using the Night Portrait setting.
The camera slows down the shutter and uses the flash with red eye reduction. You can see a yellow tint caused by the street lamp next to Ciara and she's slightly out of focus. Since the shutter stays open longer in order to allow available light to hit the sensor there's a chance that the photo will be slightly blurred.

Shot using the Night Landscape (looks like a building with a moon) setting under the Scene Menu. Again, the camera slows down the shutter but does not use a flash. This mode is designed to shoot scenes not people. You can see that she is extremely yellow and blurry.

Shot using Auto Mode (icon is a camera) with the flash on with red eye reduction. Ciara is now sharp and has the proper skin tone. The street behind her is dark.

When you're photographing your loved ones at 11:32 PM and you don't have a tripod with you or a flat surface to place the camera on, use the auto setting with flash. Maybe the castle won't be as bright as you'd like it to be but your kid won't be able to try and tell your parents that you were drinking yourself silly based on blurry photos.

This blog entry is designed to help those whose cameras don't allow for manual control over shutter speed, aperature and/or ISO. It's also for anyone who isn't sure how to use such settings. I will go over advanced night time shooting later. Until then, remember that vampires don't like it when you use a flash.

Cinderella's Castle in the Magic Kingdom. © Scott Thomas Photography 2007
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/250s, f/8, 400 ISO, -0.3 EV, 80mm Focal Length

This proves how popular Cinderella's Castle really is. Just a few entries after Barrie posted about this most photographed object at Walt Disney World and here I am using this photo. I know many try to capture a unique view of the castle. I wish I could say I was trying to here. It just sort of happened and I will tell you about it soon.

Since I wanted my entries to be titled using the Epcot word of "innoventions", I want to share with you a very innovative software product I found. In my travels to many photography websites and forums, I saw other people putting lovely and informative virtual borders around their photographs. My inquires found most used various versions of Adobe Photoshop or Elements to do so. I searched for a less expensive (read: free) alternative. I finally found a product called BorderMaker by programmer Thijs Orbitz from the Netherlands. It fit my needs perfectly.

BorderMaker is very easy to use. The website has some screenshots with very little documentation but it only took me 10 minutes to get the results you see above. Before installing BorderMaker, you have to make sure you have the latest version of the Java Runtime Environment. Don't worry, it's not complicated. Once that is done, you can download and install BorderMaker with ease.

With BorderMaker, you can easily create custom border templates you can save for reuse or to batch process a set of pictures. It can auto-select border and text colors depending on a photograph's color range. Other handy features let you convert a photo to other formats, show Exif data, apply sharpening, add watermarks and even resize the processed image. In the example below, I let BorderMaker choose the border and text color initially. I changed the bottom two lines of text to red. I found the Indy font online and stretched the bottom border to accommodate all the text. The software made this very easy to do.

Another BorderMaker Example. © Scott Thomas Photography 2007

Now, how did I get the image of Cinderella's Castle? About 20 minutes after sunset this past May, I got on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (most old timers still call this the WEDway People Mover) for a leisurely ride around Tommorrowland. As I came upon the first turn past Stitch's Great Escape, I noticed Cinderella's Castle silhouetted against the pre-twilight sky and took a picture. The first one didn't come out to well as my ISO setting was at 200 so the shutter speed was too slow. I got a very blurred image. I quickly bumped up the ISO to 400 and took a couple of practice shots before entering Space Mountain. From those shots I was ready. Upon coming back out above the Tommorowland Terrace Noodle Station, I went to work. Zooming in a bit, I took a series of shots with this one coming out the best. Some photos call for a title, this one was easy: "Castle at Dusk". I think the virtural border gives the added attention this photograph deserves.

This was Challenge #3:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2006 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/55-200, 1/1000s shutter, f4.0

This laundry line comes from the set of the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show at Disney-MGM Studios. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this show. Having seen the Indiana Jones stunt show I wasn’t expecting to be wowed but was I ever wrong. I loved this show! Even though I’m not a big fan of car chase scenes in the movies, it was really fun to learn how those scenes are created. There are some fun surprises in the show. If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, be sure catch it on your next trip. You won’t be sorry.
_______________________________________________________________________

Challenge #4: Where in the world is this?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer by clicking on the comments link below this post.

One of the great things about strolling down Disneyland's Main Street is that all of our senses get to enjoy it. The mouth-watering scent of peanut brittle coming from the candy shop. The sound of hooves clunking along the concrete as a horse pulls a carriage. The taste of Fantasia ice cream (R.I.P.) made of pistachio, cherry, and banana.

Walking past shops you touch the smooth buildings and once inside the Emporium feel the soft squishy stuffed Disney characters. Last but not least, we see what is going on around us. Balloons are dancing with each other, children with eyes wide open and mouths forming nothing more than a slow motion "Wow."

With all of these going on at once you can easily miss out on the simplest of things. I had a portraiture teacher who repeatedly told us to keep it simple. You don't need a lot going on to make a great shot. You can also change the mood of an image simply enough by seeing it in black and white. There's something about it that strips the picture down to it's core. Details become more noticeable. Give it a try the next time you're making your way to Tomorrowland or Adventureland. It just takes a moment to stop and see things in a whole new light.

Copyright © 2003 Barrie Brewer, Nikon E3100

One of the things Disney does best is put on a spectacular fireworks show. This photo, although not one of my best, has always been one of my favorites. It’s a photo of the Illuminations fireworks show at Epcot, taken from the upstairs deck outside of Teppanyaki restaurant. I took this with a point and shoot camera on the automatic/normal setting. I used the deck railing to steady the shot. At the time, I had no idea how to take good photos of fireworks. Basically I just clicked away, hoping something might come out. This was my one lucky shot out of about twenty.

One of the questions asked most often on photography forums is “How can I take great fireworks shots?” This summer I learned that it’s actually not that hard if you follow a few simple guidelines.

1. Pick a good location to shoot from. Choose a spot that is upwind from where the fireworks will be set off so that the smoke blows away from you and out of your photograph. Remember that the fireworks will explode high in the sky, so be sure to look up when choosing your spot. Make sure that your view will not be blocked by trees, buildings or giant torches – although thoughtfully incorporating some things (like the torii gate above or a child on dad’s shoulders) will create a nice composition.

2. Use a tripod. It’s the only way to be sure you will get a sharp picture. Even better, combine the tripod with a remote shutter release.

3. Turn your flash off. The only thing it's going to light is the back of the head of the person in front of you - not exactly the effect you're going for!

4. Use the right settings. If you have a point and shoot with a fireworks setting on your camera, use that. If not, set your camera to landscape. If you can manually set your camera, the following settings are a good place to start: ISO 100, 2-3 second shutter, aperture f8-f16.

5. Take lots of photos. After the first few, take a look to make sure you’re getting what you want. Now enjoy the show!

I used these guidelines to take photos of the fireworks on the 4th of July this year. I was so pleased with the results. Finally, I have fireworks shots that I'm proud of. I can’t wait for my next trip to Disney World to photograph Wishes and Illuminations.

When taking a picture, one of the first elements I think about is whether to use a Landscape (horizontal) or Portrait (vertical) orientation. A lot depends on the subject as people and tall objects like towers or castles look better to me as a portrait. While four legged animals and sweeping vistas look better as a landscape. The second element I consider is what do I want to use the photograph for. Do I want to make a large print and hang it in the living room? Or, as in the case of the crow's nest and sail outside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride in the Magic Kingdom, will I use it as wallpaper on my computer screen.

Pirates of the Caribbean. © Scott Thomas Photography 2007
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/250s, f/11, 200 ISO, -0.3 EV, 38mm Focal Length

I know it's popular to want to share your photography, especialy Walt Disney World photos, with other people as computer wallpaper. Just don't get stuck in taking pictures only for computer screens. When first studying photography and later when doing wedding photography, I read over and over that by turning my camera 90 degrees and shooting my subjects in a vertical orientation, it would make my photos stand out. With that in mind, I often take both a landscape and a portrait version of a photograph.

Pirates of the Caribbean Crow's Nest. © Scott Thomas Photography 2007
Nikon D70/18-70DX, 1/160s, f/6.3, 200 ISO, +0.3 EV, 60mm Focal Length

Don't forget to shoot vertical! You'll be glad you did. So, drink up, me 'earties, yo ho!

This was Challenge #4:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2006 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/55-200, 0.077s shutter, f4.5

Apparently, this wasn’t really a challenge after all! Nearly everyone got the answer correct. Congratulations go to Melissa N. Wheeler for being the first one to tell me that Challenge #4 comes from the teepee chandeliers in the lobby of the Wilderness Lodge. OK, now that I know I’m not dealing with a bunch of novices here, you can bet I’m going to step up these challenges and make them a bit harder!
_______________________________________________________________________

Challenge #5: Where in the world is this?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer by clicking on the comments link below this post.