Picture This!

Copyright © 2009 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D300, 18-200VR lens, 1/50 sec, f/29, ISO 400

Daisy out on a hike with Hewey, Louie and Dewey.

Camp Minnie-Mickey is situated in New York State's Adirondack Mountains and Disney Imagineers have done a good job depicting the woodsie feel from that location. I spent many days hiking, camping and photographing around the Adirondacks while growing up in nearby Syracuse. However, there's one thing you will not find in New York's Adirondacks that you will find in Disney's: Character Greeting Trails! Nor will you find Ranger Donald Duck high up in a fire tower on Whiteface Mountain but he is my Disney Pic of the Week for Camp Minnie-Mickey.

Ranger Donald Duck posing with guests at Camp Minnie-Mickey.
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/60s, f/5.3, 280 ISO, +0.3 EV, 90mm Focal Length, Flash Used

Barrie will be here later this week with a photo from Camp Minnie-Mickey. Lisa is experiencing computer trouble and will not be able to post this week.

Mistakes. We all make them. Most of the time when we make a mistake, it doesn't work out to good. Sometimes you get a pleasant surprise. Such as the case in the photo below of Expedition EVEREST taken from the bridge between Africa and Discovery Island. I had just finished walking the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail and had my camera in Aperture Priority mode and set to it's largest f-stop of f/2.8. That is best for taking animal portraits with and not landscapes. Well, I forgot and took this photo. I didn't realize what I had done until later when I was on the other side of the park. What do you think? Ideally, I would have used f/11 to f/16.

Expedition Everest Telephoto Landscape.
Nikon D70/70-200VR, 1/3200s, f/2.8, ISO 200, EV -0.3, 70mm Focal Length

Using a telephoto lens, even a short one, compresses the image captured by the camera's sensor. The compression worked here to keep the depth of field small enough to keep the image in focus almost from front to back. Remember, with my camera crop of 1.5x, this is the equivalent to a 105mm telephoto lens (70mm x 1.5). There is softness in the extreme areas and I wouldn't want to print this any bigger than an 8" x 12".

Copyright © 2006 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR lens, 1/400s shutter, f5, ISO 400

Here’s Dinoland’s version of Whack a Mole. Can you pronounce “Packycephalosaur”? Don’t look at me, I’m still working on “Worcester"!

This was Challenge #101:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2009 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D300, 18-200VR, 1/30s shutter, f/3.5, ISO 1600

This is Pizzafari in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Once again, I’m going to refer you to Jack’s blog. He shared some interesting details about Pizzafari that you might not have noticed.

Karrie Duffey was the first to send in the correct answer for the challenge! Congratulations to Karrie and all the other readers who got the answer right: Lee Anastasi, Sharon Lee, Ken Maikowski, Krista Penno, Wade A. Williams, Alissa Ammons, Tiffany Wakefield, J-brizzle, Henrietta Porter, Amanda Perkins, Jeffrey Dunne, Baines Family, Ken Fischler, Dolores Riccio, Madison Meyer, K. Beasley, Tom Tom Auckland, Angela Johnson, Brian Yesutis, Matthew And Danielle Murgia, Jodi Cook, Theresa Rucando, James Berry, Kathy Berry and Lauren Thomas. Each of you will be entered in the September winners’ drawing.
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Challenge #102: Where in the world is this?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer, before the end of the day on Thursday, September 24, by clicking on the blue box below. Please do not post answers using the Feedback Form link at the bottom of this post. Remember to be specific with your answer - just naming a park will not get you into the drawing.

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Everyone who sends in a correct answer to a Where in the World Challenge this month will be entered in a drawing at the end of the month for some special AllEars® goodies and a cool Disney book!

This shot of Expedition Everest in Disney’s Animal Kingdom was taken from the seating area of Flame Tree BBQ. It was a postcard perfect day!

You will need to have Adobe Reader on your computer to download the calendar(s). Just click on the photo to download the calendar you want.

This one prints out at 8.5" x 11". It's handy if you need a calendar that you can write on.

This one prints out at 4.75" x 4.75", the perfect size for a CD Jewel Case frame.

Once again, we are showcasing Disney Cast Members on Pic of the Week. It’s the Cast Members who make all the magic happen and therefore we felt it was only fitting that we should show them some love again. We only wish we had room to include all their photos!

Copyright © 2008 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D300, 18-200VR lens, .0099s shutter, f5, ISO 640

Last September, my friend Linda and I had a great time on the Kilimanjaro Safari in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It was near the end of the day and not many people were in the queue so we were able to walk on three times in a row. This is Michael, the driver of the second truck we rode giving us a thumbs up for beating him to the station. I took this photo from the back of the third truck that we rode – that’s just how empty the queue was!

White Stork portrait on Discovery Island.
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/80s, f/5.6, 200 ISO, +0.3 EV, 200mm Focal Length

Discovery Island Trails are one of those Over-Looked Attractions you hear about. With a 200mm lens, you can get beautiful portraits of the animals and birds along them. This White Stork was a willing model and is my Disney Pic of the Week on Discovery Island.

If you don't know the animal or bird along any of the trails in Disney's Animal Kingdom, look around for a sign (like the one below) which will identify the animal and give you information on where it lives. It's also a good idea to take a photo of the signs so you'll be able to add captions of your Animal Kingdom photos at a later time.

White Stork informational sign.
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/200s, f/7.1, 200 ISO, +0.3 EV, 34mm Focal Length

Discovery Island is the central hub of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and our theme for Pic of the Week this week. Here you’ll find the Tree of Life, It’s Tough to Be a Bug and the Discovery Island Trails. When you get hungry, check out Pizzafari or Flame Tree BBQ and then wander through the numerous shops to find a perfect souvenir.

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR lens, 4.2s shutter, f9

My favorite thing to do on Discovery Island is to wander around admiring the amazing artwork. You’ll find it everywhere from inside the shops to the tops of the buildings, on the sides of carts and even tucked into the vegetation. There are beautiful carvings, colorful paintings and murals and gorgeous sculptures. One place I always take time to explore is the seating area behind Flame Tree BBQ. No need to worry about the ants getting your food when you eat in this pavilion – there are plenty of anteaters to keep them in check!

One of the first things you learn in any basic book or course on photography is to keep the Sun at your back when taking an outdoor photo. Yet, there at times when having the Sun in your photo creates interesting light patterns, flare and, when stopping down the lens, star effect. Remember NOT to look directly at the Sun as that will cause damage to your eyes. Very carefully put the sun in a corner, lower or upper half of the frame. Use a small aperture in the f/16, f/22 or f/32 range to cut down the amount of light entering the camera when the shutter is pressed.

This is what I did when heading towards the summit of Expedition EVEREST in Disney's Animal Kingdom. The Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 ultra wide angle lens has a 9-bladed diaphragm and creates lovely stars of bright light sources at f/22 and you can't get much brighter than the Sun.

Sun near the summit of Everest.
Nikon D70/Tokina 11-16, 1/400s, f/22, ISO 200, +0.3 EV, 11mm Focal length

I found this link to 25 Excellent Sun Flare Photography Examples showing some outstanding photos featuring the Sun. Here's more tips for achieving artistic lens flare. Have fun and be careful!

Jorodi Masks and Beads.
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/80s, f/4.5, 200 ISO, +0.3 EV, 24mm Focal Length

Waiting to enter the Tusker House restaurant for lunch, I spyed these JORODI Masks and Beads adding to the atmosphere of the restaurant and making an excellent Disney Pic of the Week in Africa.

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR lens, 1/250s shutter, f8

Usually when I take the Kilimanjaro Safari in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, I am lucky if I get a small glimpse of one of the lions. You can imagine how great it was to turn the corner and see this beauty lounging on the rock. She’s my Pic of the Week for Africa.

I just love the Tree of Life at Disney's Animal Kingdom. What an amazing collection of sculptures. I think it’s especially spectacular at night. I hope you enjoy this month’s calendar as much as I do.

You will need to have Adobe Reader on your computer to download the calendar(s). Just click on the photo to download the calendar you want.

This one prints out at 8.5" x 11". It's handy if you need a calendar that you can write on.

This one prints out at 4.75" x 4.75", the perfect size for a CD Jewel Case frame.

White Rhinoceros fills the frame.
Nikon D70/70-200VR, 1/5000s, f/4, 400 ISO, -0.3 EV, 200mm focal length

One of the first things I remember when having my photos critiqued during a beginner's course in photography was to get in close and FILL THE FRAME! To this day, when someone asks me how to improve their photos, that is the first thing I tell them. It wasn't hard to get my Disney Pic of the Week Fill the Frame photo with this White Rhinoceros on the Kilimanjaro Safari in Disney's Animal Kingdom. White Rhinoceros can weigh in between 1 and 4 tons with horns as long as 59 inches in the wild. Remember that when looking through your viewfinder on your next safari.

Copyright © 2009 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D300, 18-200VR lens, 1/15s shutter, f22

Here’s my photo for the Tree of Life Pic of the Week. I took this on my last trip to Disney World in April (oh so long ago, she whimpers…). This size photo really does not do the tree justice. It appears much smaller here than it actually is. If you want to see more of the detail, like the carvings or a tiny bit of the waterfall, just click on the photo for a larger version. If you’re a fan of the Tree of Life, be sure to come back for a night time view on the September calendar. It’ll be posted on July 6.

There are over 320 animals carved into the Tree of Life in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Not all of them can be found on the massive trunk and limbs of the tree itself. Many can be found along the trails which serpentine around the tree’s roots like this beautiful giraffe carving and makes a suitable start to this week's Disney Pic of the Week theme on The Tree of Life.

Giraffe carving amongst the Tree of Life's roots.
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/25s, f/11, 250 ISO, EV +0.3, 62mm Focal Length

Barrie and Lisa will be investigating other wonders of the Tree of Life on Thursday and Saturday.

Walt Disney World hosts millions of visitors each year. There are always people about even during a slow period. Yet, you can take photographs without people in them. One way is to get low and shoot at an angle to eliminate people around you or find a way to elevate yourself over people's heads. Another way is to find scenes where people can not get to like the photo of the ceremonial canoe I found in Disney's Animal Kingdom near the Yeti Shrine.

Ceremonial Canoe near the Yeti Shrine.
Nikon D70/18-200VR 1/400s, f/16, 200 ISO, +0.3 EV, 150mm Focal length

I am a lightweight when it comes to getting truly empty photos of a Walt Disney World park. Let me introduce you to a true heavyweight, Tom Bricker (aka WDWFigment) has perfected empty Disney park photography. What he does is stay late at one of the parks...say, the Magic Kingdom until all the guests have left. He has seen the second Kiss Goodnight more times than I've been to Orlando (did you know there was a second one? Have you ever seen the first one?). Long after most guests are sleeping back at their resorts, Tom is getting photos only a paid Disney photographer normally gets a chance to shoot. Here are a couple of his favorites from the Magic Kingdom.

An empty Main Street USA during the Christmas holiday season by Tom Bricker.
Nikon D40, 5s, f/20, 200 ISO, +0.6 EV, 26mm Focal length

Tom talked about this photo, "Although the rain dampened the mood on portions of the (Mickey's Very Merry) Christmas Party, it sure did make for some pretty after hours shots (my first with "rain reflections"!)."

In this very unique photograph of the castle below, Tom explains why it is often overlooked. "Most people stop in awe when they first see the Castle on the other side of Main Street, USA. By the time they walk through the Castle to Fantasyland, a little of the amazement has worn off, and they are scurrying off to get in line at their favorite attractions. However, the back of the Castle shouldn't be overlooked. With its nuances and beautiful architecture, it is unique and awe-inspiring in its own right."

Cinderella Castle from Fantasyland by Tom Bricker.
Nikon D40, 1.3s, f/3.8, 200 ISO, +0.6 EV, 22mm Focal length

Tom uses a tripod to obtain these fantastic photos. He freely admits breakfast is something he seldom eats when visiting Walt Disney World. So, are you up to the challenge of photographing an empty Disney park?

I would like to thank, Tom, for letting me share some of his wonderful Walt Disney World photography!

I do and I'm sure many of you do it. Using our cameras while on a Disney ride or attraction. In the past I've shared one on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Test Track. Please, if you attempt ride photography do not endanger yourself or anyone riding with you. I make sure I am securely in my ride vehicle and my camera is not going to leave my hands. I wrap my strap about my arms and neck to make sure.

It is a challenge. Rides are fast and bumpy or slow and dark or a combination of the two. People who enjoy Disney themepark photography try to outdo each other on flickr and many Disney boards as to who can get the best ride shots. Many openly admit that it takes some luck to get a good ride photo. Just as the one I took on Expedition EVEREST. This is a fast ride which is half done inside a dark mountain with a Yeti chasing you. I thought it would be fun to see what a wide angle lens could do on this ride. The result you see below.

A Yeti mural found in one of the caves of Expedition EVEREST.
Nikon D70/Tokina 11-16, 1/15s, f/9, ISO 400, EV -0.3, 11mm focal length

If you look at the shutter speed, you can see why I was lucky. There is a lot of motion blur in this photo but the mural of the Yeti is fairly steady even with the large contrast of the bright light coming from the cave opening. By the way, anyone know where on Expediton EVEREST this was taken? Leave a comment.

This was Challenge #86:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2009 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D300, 18-200VR, 1/125s shutter, f/11

For this week’s answer, if you knew this photo was from Africa in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park then you are winners – nice going! These two chairs are actually sitting on the roof of the Dawa Bar in Africa. Some folks knew that, some said they were on the roof of Tusker House and some knew it was Africa, but didn’t give me anymore detail than that. All of those answers made it into the drawing. For all of you who thought they were above Restaurantasaurus in Dinoland… sorry, better luck next time. Great guess, but not quite close enough. And although the chairs are indeed in Animal Kingdom, I am definitely always looking for a bit more detail than just the name of the park. Make sure you give me some idea of where in the park a photo was taken if you want a chance at the fabulous prize package.

Tiago De Oliveira was the first to send in the correct answer for the challenge! Congratulations to Tiago and all the readers who got the answer right: Kye Layton, Ken Jackson, Ann Fowler, Dawn Burns, Matt Cofone, Shannon Milair, Danusia Rogacki, Dawn, Krystal Thomas, April Ramey, Amy Rupp, David Coates, Melody Salemi, Jeremy Coto, Lee Anastasi, Denise Owen, Joy Johnston, Cameron Love, Michelle Thompson, Susan Thompson, Michael Joel Gainey, Kelley H, Scott Otis, Craig Canady, Karen Hotchkiss, Mary Mchenry, Michelle Roth-smoot, Lynn Barber, Bryan Fencl, Kathy Berry, James Berry, Kris Nixon, Tim Rachuba, Paul Moody, Mark Wagner, Brenda Baines, Marie Phillips, Aruna, Patrick Riley, Krista Penno, Ben Dameron, Becky Bean, Richard Nussbaum, Katie, Wendy Snelgrove, Heidi Summers, Bonnie Smith, Jennifer Schwing, Amy Smith, Sharon Dale and Brian Miller. Each of you were entered in the May winners’ drawing.

In case some of you have been wondering how the monthly prize winner is chosen - it is totally random. I assign each winning entry a number based on the order in which the winning entries are submitted. The person who is the first to send in the correct answer each week gets their name entered into the drawing twice that week. At the end of the fourth week I enter the total number of entries into a random number generator and let the computer choose the winner for the month. This month’s big winner is Melody Salemi! Congratulations Melody, you are the lucky recipient of a fabulous Disney book and some really cool AllEars schwag!

Good luck to everyone as we begin another month! Here we go…

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Challenge #87: Where in the world is this?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer, before the end of the day on Thursday, May 28, by clicking on the blue box below. Please do not post answers using the Comment link at the bottom of this post.

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Everyone who sends in a correct answer to a Where in the World Challenge this month will be entered in a drawing at the end of the month for some special AllEars® goodies and a cool Disney book!

This was Challenge #83:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2009 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D300, 18-200VR, 1/250s shutter, f/.6

Have you ever looked closely at the tops of the ticket booths at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? There are some beautiful carvings just above the gorgeous bougainvillea. Each of the three booths has a different menagerie of animals carved on it. Next time you’re rushing in to get to the safari or Everest, take a minute to enjoy some beautiful artwork on your way.

Louise Barton was the first to send in the correct answer for the challenge! Congratulations to Louise and all the readers who got the answer right: Caroline Dupre, John Dupre, Kye Layton, Jeremy Coto, Katarina Whitmarsh, Trish Babler, Kte Gillespie, Elizabeth Scarborough, Jamie Poynton, Bruce Hinterleitner, Aj Perras, Melissa Dye, Carinne Kight, Kelly Zanauskas, Christina Cella, Kate Lavoie, Liz Moreau, Double Family and Neil Taylor. Each of you will be entered in the May winners’ drawing.

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Challenge #84: Where in the world is this?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer, before the end of the day on Thursday, May 7, by clicking on the blue box below. Please do not post answers using the Comment link at the bottom of this post.

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Everyone who sends in a correct answer to a Where in the World Challenge this month will be entered in a drawing at the end of the month for some special AllEars® goodies and a cool Disney book!

A baby American Alligator is warmed by light in the Conservation Station of Rafiki's Planet Watch.
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/25s, f/5.6, ISO 200, 150mm Focal Length

For my Disney Pic of the Week for Reptiles and Amphibians I choose this baby American Alligator, a reptile, which was enjoying a warm greenish light in the Conservation Station of Rafiki's Planet Watch in Disney's Animal Kingdom. There's a little Picture This! history with this photo. When Barrie, Lisa and I were talking about how to post more photos of Disney themeparks as the survey Deb did for us indicated, I used this photo as an example of what was to become our Disney Pic of the Week feature.

A reptile is a cold-blooded vertebrate (an animal with a backbone) that lays eggs and has scales or plates on its skin. An amphibian is an animal that can live in both air and water. Amphibians can breathe air with their lungs and can absorb oxygen through their skin. It’s been a long time since I took biology. I actually had to google these to remind myself what the difference was! Guess what our Pic of the Week topic is this week – reptiles and amphibians!

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR lens, 1/320s shutter, f5.6, ISO 800

This Komodo Dragon can be found on the Maharajah Jungle Trek in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Komodo Dragons are the largest living species of lizard and can live as long as fifty years. They can be as much as 9 feet long and weigh 150 pounds. Their tail is as long as their body and they have about 60 serrated teeth that can measure up to an inch in length. I wouldn't want to happen upon this guy outside of Disney World, especially if he was hungry!

Last year I went in-depth and explained the three different metering modes found on our digital SLR and advanced point and shoot cameras. These are Matrix, Center-weighted and Spot. At the time, I used some un-Disney like photos to show the difference between each mode. I thought a side by side comparison would be helpful as a review.

The three photos below were taken from Sea Breeze Point near Disney's Boardwalk Resort shows the three different metering modes in action.

Metering mode collage from Sea Breeze Point near Disney's Boardwalk Resort.

As I have mention in previous posts, Matrix metering in today's digital cameras is very good except in the most challenging of lighting situations like stage lights, backlighting and very low light conditions (dark rides). When faced with one of the challenging conditions, I will use Spot metering over the other two like in the photo from the Festival of the Lion King.

Festival of the Lion King performer in Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Nikon D70/70-200VR, 1/125s, f/2.8, ISO 800, EV 0, 200mm Focal length

This was Challenge #77:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2008 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D300, 18-200VR, 1/13s shutter, f/3.5

This was a hard one. Many people guessed Morocco. If I hadn’t taken the photo I think that would have been my guess too. These bird cages are actually located in the queue for Kali River Rapids in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

John Dupre was the first to send in the correct answer for the challenge! Congratulations to John and all the readers who got the answer right: Scott Cullen, Belicia Dawson, Sharon Dale, James Berry, Kathy Berry, Jeffrey Dunne, Scott Otis, Dave Cole, Jacque Schmidt, Melissa Dye and Thomas Hermes. Each of you will be entered in the March winners’ drawing.

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Challenge #78: Where in the world is this?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer, before the end of the day on Thursday, March 26, by clicking on the button below. Please do not post answers using the Comment link at the bottom of this post.

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Everyone who sends in a correct answer to a Where in the World Challenge this month will be entered in a drawing at the end of the month for some special AllEars® goodies and a cool Disney book!

This was Challenge #69:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 55-200mm, 1/320s shutter, f4.8

Although it looks similar, this is not one of the Tree of Life carvings, which is what most people guessed. This is one of the beautiful carved wooden totem poles that can be found on Discovery Island in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. What I wouldn’t give to have one of these in my garden at home.

Denise Owen was the first of only 4 people to send in the correct answer for the challenge! Congratulations to Denise and all the readers who got the answer right: Sharon Dale, Anjanette Tournillon and Paula Munson. Each of you were entered in the January winners’ drawing.

And speaking of that monthly drawing… this month’s big winner is Rebecca Bean! Congratulations Rebecca, you are the lucky recipient of a fabulous Disney book and some really cool AllEars schwag!
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Challenge #70: Where in the world is this?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer, before the end of the day on Thursday, January 29, by clicking HERE!
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Everyone who sends in a correct answer to a Where in the World Challenge this month will be entered in a drawing at the end of the month for some special AllEars® goodies and a cool Disney book!

When Lisa suggested that we do a post of our top ten favorite things to photograph in Walt Disney World, I panicked. I knew I would have a terrible time trying to come up with my ten and I wasn’t wrong. The truth is I love to photograph everything in Disney World. I can’t imagine ever running out of interesting subjects there. And I have thousands of photos to prove it! Now, they aren’t all good mind you, but still, it takes awhile to go through them all. So, I apologize for being late with my entry and without further ado, and in no particular order, here are my top ten favorite things to photograph in Walt Disney World.

Animals

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/250s shutter, f8
This lioness photo was taken on the Kilimanjaro Safari in Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Entertainers

Copyright © 2006 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/55-200
This is Sergio. He can be found performing in Italy at the World Showcase in Epcot.

Props

Copyright © 2008 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D300, 18-200VR, 1/13s shutter, f5, ISO 640
This bike is one of the props that decorates Asia in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Architecture

Copyright © 2008 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/800s shutter, f5.6
Discovery Island in Disney’s Animal Kingdom has some of the most colorful and creative architecture on property.

Flowers

Copyright © 2006 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200, 1/1000s shutter, f4.8
I snapped a photo of this orchid on my way out of the Mexico Pavilion at Epcot.

World Showcase Pavilions

Copyright © 2003 Barrie Brewer, Nikon E3100, 18-200, 1/32s shutter, f5.6
This picture is from the Canada Pavilion. It’s one of the earliest photos I have of Disney World, when I first got interested in photography.

Parades

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/500s shutter, f16
The parades are perfect for getting great shots of the characters. I took this one of Buzz Lightyear during the Stars and Motorcars parade at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Fireworks

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1s shutter, f8
This is a picture of Wishes, the fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom.

Resorts

Copyright © 2006 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/250s shutter, f5.6
One of my most favorite spots to take pictures is in the Epcot Resort area, around Crescent Lake. This is the Yacht Club Resort at sunrise.

Night Photos

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 4.1s shutter, f8, ISO 800
I love taking photos at night, especially at Disney World. This, of course, is the Sorcerer’s Hat at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

In 1998, a wannabe wildlife photographer’s dream came true when Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened. I've always wanted to bring a super zoom telephoto lens to this park and I did just that during Mousefest 2008. There were three specific locations at Animal Kingdom I wanted to try my super zoom lens, Nikon's 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED Autofocus VR Zoom Nikkor Lens, on. They were the Kilimanjaro Safari, Pangani Forest Exploration Trail and Maharajah Jungle Trek.

Kilimanjaro Safari is a ride on large vehicles, called jeeps, which are designed to give a very bumpy ride. In the past, I’ve used 200mm zoom lenses with much success. The Nikon 80-400VR is much heavier at 3 pounds than those shorter lenses. I was a little worried about being able to steady it even with Nikon’s Vibration Reduction (VR) technology. This proved to be a problem and, when the ride vehicle was in motion, I found it nearly impossible to get any non-blurred photos at 400mm.

I was more successful using lesser focal lengths like with this lumbering White Rhino taken at the shortest focal length of the lens at 80mm.

A White Rhino lumbers past a safari jeep on the Kilimanjaro Safari.
Nikon D70/80-400VR, 1/400s, f/4.5, 560 ISO, -0.3 EV, 80mm Focal Length

The lens did allow me to get a photo I’ve never been able to get on all my previous safari trips. The Cheetahs are very far from the road the safari jeeps use and, being cats, are either not in view or lying down sleeping. On this day, they were in full view and posing! Using the lens at its full 400mm focal length (which is 600mm on my Nikon D70 1.5x cropped body), I was able to get the following photo which has been further cropped from the original.

Pair of Cheetahs seen on the Kilimanjaro Safari adventure.
Nikon D70/80-400VR, 1/400s, f/5.6, 1600 ISO, -0.3 EV, 400mm Focal Length

The Pangani Forest Exploration Trail is a walking trail featuring African wildlife from Naked Mole Rats to the mighty Silverback Gorillas. One of the highlights for me on the trail is the colony of Meerkats. Like North America’s Prairie Dogs, Meerkats have a sentinel member keeping watch of the surroundings when other members are out of their protective burrows. This Meerkat portrait shows the nice bokeh (out of focus background) of the Nikon 80-400VR lens shooting wide open at f/5.6 and 400mm focal length.

Meerkat sentinel on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail.
Nikon D70/80-400VR, 1/400s, f/5.6, 200 ISO, +0.3 EV, 400mm Focal Length

The trail features a family troop of gorillas in a large compound with great viewing locations for people to see and photograph these magnificent animals. Here is a picture of the leader who reminds me of the gorilla, Kerchak, in Disney’s Tarzan animated movie. Normally, I would discard a photo like this but his eyes make this one a keeper.

Male Gorilla on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail.
Nikon D70/80-400VR, 1/400s, f/5.6, 1000 ISO, +0.3 EV, 400mm Focal Length

Another walking trail, the Maharajah Jungle Trek features wildlife from the continent of Asia. I was fortunate to catch the Komodo Dragon alert and the Nikon 80-400VR gave me the reach to capture this portrait of a species you wouldn’t want to be this close to in the wild.

Portrait of the Komodo Dragon on the Maharajah Jungle Trek.
Nikon D70/80-400VR, 1/400s, f/5.6, 1000 ISO, -0.3 EV, 400mm Focal Length

The Asian Tigers are in a compound themed as ruins of a jungle palace. The residents act as royalty often lounging and sleeping as big cats often do. I try to be there in the late afternoon when they are more likely to be active as they are feed about a half hour before park closing. I have gotten many sleeping and resting tiger photos in the past so I was thrilled to get a few on this trip as they moved about their lair.

Asian Tiger on the prowl as seen from the Maharajah Jungle Trek.
Nikon D70/80-400VR, 1/640s, f/5.3, 200 ISO, -0.3 EV, 200mm Focal Length

After the Maharajah Jungle Trek, I was ready to put the large 80-400VR lens back into my camera bag. I got some great photos I would not have been able to get with shorter lenses. Though it is not something I think I'd take to Animal Kingdom again in the near future unless I have a need to get some really close up photos of animals I can't find elsewhere.

For more on Animal Kingdom photography, check out my previous articles on Kilimanjaro Safari Photo Tips and Maharajah Jungle Trek Photo Tips.

This week Lisa, Scott and I will be sharing a few of our favorite photos from the wonderful stage shows produced by Disney.

Copyright © 2008 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D300, 50.0mm f/1.4 lens, 1/100s shutter, f5, ISO 3200

I saw Finding Nemo – the Musical for the first time in September and fell in love with the show right away. I love the beautiful sets, the colorful costumes and the creative puppetry. You really get the sense that the action is taking place underwater. This show takes place in Disney's Animal Kingdom.

It can be a challenging show to photograph. The actors are moving all the time, sometimes in and out of light streams. While much of the set is dark, the main characters are brightly lit. I found that I had the most success using a very high ISO and setting my meter to spot metering.

February's calendar features a meercat from the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail in Africa at Disney's Animal Kingdom. These little guys (and gals) are so cute!

You will need to have Adobe Reader on your computer to download the calendar(s). Just click on the photo to download the calendar you want.

This one prints out at 8.5" x 11". It's handy if you need a calendar that you can write on.

This one prints out at 4.75" x 4.75", the perfect size for a CD Jewel Case frame.

Disney Imagineers use plants from all over the world to create landscaping for places not thought of or finding "look-alike" replacements which will grow in central Florida. Landscaping at Walt Disney World is our theme for this week's Disney Pic of the Week.

Landscaping of the 110-acre African savannah at Disney's Animal Kingdom is a blend of African and domestic plants.
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/400s, f/10, 400 ISO, -0.6 EV, 18mm Focal Length

The African savanah of Disney's Animal Kingdom is a mix of African and plant species both domestic and from other parts of the world to create an ecosystem for African animals. Additionally, Animal Kingdom Horticulture and outside vendors produce thousands of pounds of cut browse weekly. This browse is positioned throughout the animal habitats such as the savannas for the animals to feed on which in turn reduces the impact on the planted landscape. Insuring the savannas stay stable and still properly feed the grazing animals.

Barrie and Lisa will be showing their favorite landscaping photos on Thursday and Saturday.

This was Challenge #59:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2008 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 2.5s shutter, f3.5, ISO 800

You’ll find this sign on the tour operator’s desk in the queue for Kali River Rapids in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It’s near the end of the queue, just before you reach the boarding area.

I haven’t spent a lot of time in this queue because I don’t fancy getting wet, but on my last trip I decided to go through the line just to take pictures. I lucked out because I happened to hit the ride at the end of the day when there wasn’t any line. I was able to wander around taking photos to my heart’s content - something to keep in mind for future Where in the World challenges – hint, hint!

Michael Pyle was the first to send in the correct answer this week! Congratulations to Michael and all the readers who got the answer right: Belicia Dawson, Scott Cullen, Marie Wolfe, Lauri Phillips, Leslie Dameron, Dave Wang, Lee Anastasi, Maryann Eckenrode , Matt Cofone, Angela Brown, Dave Cole, Debra Moscara, Angela Youngblood, Jeffrey Dunne, Amy Wenzel, Emily Rennie, Tammy Persons, Carla Leger, Marcie Soderlund, Karen Schlumpf, Cheri Palmisano, Bethany Mattiuz-king, Kelli Olthoff, Christina Rotella and Michael Gaineya. Each of you will be entered in the November winners’ drawing.
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Challenge #60: Where in the world is this?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer, before the end of the day on Thursday, November 6, by clicking HERE!
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Everyone who sends in a correct answer to a Where in the World Challenge this month will be entered in a drawing at the end of the month for some special AllEars® goodies and a cool Disney book!

Copyright © 2008 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/400s shutter, f5

Here’s my Pic of the Week for street performers. I always love watching the drummers from Tam Tams of Congo, a percussion and dance group who perform in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. You’ll find them next to the Dawa Bar in Africa several times throughout the day.

This was Challenge #56:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2008 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/500s shutter, f1.6, ISO 1250

This one turned out to be trickier than I thought. So many people guessed It's a Small World or the Enchanted Tiki Room, Under New Management in the Magic Kingdom. I took this photo during Finding Nemo, the Musical in Disney's Animal Kingdom. I finally had a chance to see it when I was in Walt Disney World a couple of weeks ago. What a great show - I just loved it!

Sharon Dale was the first to send in the correct answer this week! Congratulations to Sharon and all the readers who got the answer right: Eli And Amy Young, Brandy White, Alicia Henderson and Bonnie Smith. Each of you have been entered in the October winners’ drawing.

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Challenge #57: Where in the world is this?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer, before the end of the day on Thursday, October 16, by clicking HERE!
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Everyone who sends in a correct answer to a Where in the World Challenge this month will be entered in a drawing at the end of the month for some special AllEars® goodies and a cool Disney book!

This week's theme for our Disney Pic of the Week is Birds. Naturally, I went through my Animal Kingdom shots looking for birds. As you know, most birds fly. The subject of my photo, an Ostrich, does not. He is, however, the second fastest animal on Earth, and the fastest 2 legged animal, and can run 45 miles per hour (70 km. per hour). Ostriches can maintain that speed for at least 30 minutes.

The Ostrich is the largest bird in the world.
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/200s, f/7.1, 800 ISO, 0 EV, 65mm Focal Length

Barrie and Lisa will share their Disney bird photography this coming Thursday and Saturday.

This was Challenge #53:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/800s shutter, f4.5

This supply boat is docked on Discovery River in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. As you go over the bridge from Discovery Island to Asia, you will see this boat over the right side of the bridge. It is docked behind Drinkwalla, a snack stand that sells cokes and chips.

Sharon Pierce was the first to send in the correct answer this week! Congratulations to Sharon and all the readers who got the answer right: Sharon Dale, Shannon Milair, Alex Karr, Kelly Jean Clarkson, Lindamac, Psychic Powers Lisa, Olivia Lobaugh, Alicia Henderson, Dave Cole and Elizabeth. Each of you were entered in the September winners’ drawing.

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Challenge #54: Where in the world is this?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer, before the end of the day on Thursday, September 25, by clicking HERE!
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Everyone who sends in a correct answer to a Where in the World Challenge this month will be entered in a drawing at the end of the month for some special AllEars® goodies and a cool Disney book!

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/500s shutter, f11

My Pic of the Week is a photo from my favorite Disney mountain, Expedition Everest, in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. We had nearly reached the summit when I took this picture of the damaged track up ahead. Obviously, there was no getting past that point! Hopefully, it’ll be fixed and we’ll make it past the Yeti when I return to Anandapur for another go at reaching the top.

Komodo Dragon on the Maharajah Jungle Trek

The Maharajah Jungle Trek is a walking trail featuring the beautiful and powerful Asian Tigers. Unlike the Kilimanjaro Safari (see link below), you can take your time viewing the animals. At least until those with you bug you to move on. You will need a camera that can take good photos at ISO speeds ranging from 100 or 200 to 800 or 1600 as the light varies greatly along the trail. To be able to fill the frame, a lens of 200mm in length is a must. With the crop factor on dSLR cameras this often gets you a 35mm equivalent of 300mm. A Point & Shoot camera with a zoom factor 10x or more will give you excellent range to get viewfinder filling shots.

When shooting at these magnification, your camera will be using large apertures which means the depth of field or zone of focus will be small. You need to be careful what you are focusing on. Like people, the eyes must be in sharp focus. Viewers will overlook softness in other features of the animal as long as the eyes are in focus.

Luck has a lot to do when photographing an animal doing something when you are there. The photo of the Komodo Dragon above was taken on my seventh trip to Animal Kingdom. All the other times, he would be lying there with his body flopped on the ground. In this case, a bird had landed in his enclosure and he was hunting it. You can increase your chances of seeing activity by walking the trail early or late in the day. As mentioned on the AllEars.net page on the Maharajah Jungle Trek, the tigers get very active around 4pm in the afternoon.

Related Links:

Kilimanjaro Safari Photo Tips

This was Challenge #48:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/1000s shutter, f4

This is Warden Post No. 4, another example of how much detail Disney includes in its attractions. When you exit Kilimanjaro Safari at Disney’s Animal Kingdom you pass by this post. Only a few people got this one right. I bet a lot of people miss this because they're in a rush when they get off the Safari to get to the next attraction.

Paula Potts was the first to send in the correct answer this week! Congratulations to Paula and all the readers who got the answer right: Amy Miller, Zack Dameron, Anne Hainsworth, Melina Hillis, Regina Reed, Jessica Reed and Kim Riley. Each of you were entered in the July winners’ drawing.

It’s monthly drawing time again! This month’s winner is Andrea Mayo! Congratulations Andrea, you are the lucky recipient of a Passporter’s Walt Disney World guide and some really cool AllEars schwag!

For this week's challenge, everyone will have two weeks to get your guesses in. I won't be posting a new challenge until August 17 because I am on vacation. See you then!
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Challenge #49: Where in the world is this?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer, before the end of the day on Thursday, August 14, by clicking HERE!
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Everyone who sends in a correct answer to a Where in the World Challenge this month will be entered in a drawing at the end of the month for some special AllEars® goodies and a copy of PassPorter's Walt Disney World by Jennifer Marx, Dave Marx, Allison Cerel Marx!

The Alpha Male Gorilla as seen from the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail.
Nikon D70/80-200D, 1/60s, f/5.6, 400 ISO, +0.3 EV, 200mm Focal Length

After disembarking from your Kilimanjaro Safari, I recommend taking the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail back to the African village of Harambe in Disney's Animal Kingdom. From the trail, you may come face to face with some of Animal Kingdom's great apes, the Sliverback Gorillas, in the glass viewing area. After checking out the excellent educational displays, I encourage you to continue on to the suspension bridge. This is where you'll often find the Alpha Male Gorilla, the leader of the family. For this photo, he was just appearing on to his favorite "pride" rock for the morning. He makes a wonderful example for my Disney Pic of the Week theme on Mammals.

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/1000s shutter, f5.6

I chose this chimpanzee from Disney’s Animal Kingdom as my Pic of the Week for mammal week. This was as close a shot as I could get with my 18-200mm telephoto lens. What I wouldn’t do for a 400mm lens at Animal Kingdom!

This was Challenge #46:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2006 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/500s shutter, f5.6

She’s playing Fossil Fueler, one of the wacky carnival games in Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama! Located in Dinoland USA in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Dino-Rama is a fun and colorful tribute to the carnivals we all grew up loving.

Evelyn Cowdell was the first to send in the correct answer this week! Congratulations to Evelyn and all the readers who got the answer right: Angie Young, Patty Carty, Ed Aleszczyk, Garland Cox, Jennifer Tremley, John Dupre, Erica Andrews, Alyssa Nutter, Nicole Cyr, Stephanie Visco, Jen Cox, Karen Hotchkiss, Sharon Pierce, Amie Mumpower, Chloe, Diane Furtado, Damon Carter, Kerianne Magee, Karen Nelson, Dave Cole, Diane Ramos, Matt Martel, Dan Hwkins, Jon Sander, Cheryl Costello, Gretchen Payne, Cecilia Hale, Monica Hatch, Stacy Patterson, Erin Hammer, Ken Fischler, Krista Knowles, Eileen Krause, Kimberly Watson, Victor Gonzalez, Candice Cheven, Wendy Snelgrove, Evan Dworkin, Clay Anthony, Dan Potts, Kathleen Catalano, Melissa Destito, Noreen Rachuba, Paul Murray, Georgine Kamradt, Kerry, Greg Stevens, Hans Reller, Shandy Brickler, Rickey Yarbrough, Melissa Rebelo, Ron Lewis, Paul Hicks, John Pasqueralli, Paul King, Kelly Montgomery, Carrie Dienna, Mike Gillardi, P. Carrick, Jennifer Saylor, Crista Kostrzewski, Frank Miller, Jennifer Woods, Chris Courson, Mike Haeberle, Tara Mccauley, Lisa Mcbride, Gary Huusko, Howard Schreiber, Mary Wangerin, Kenneth Cox, Jessica Persinger, Heather M, Jason Scott, Katie Wetzel, Missy Carroll, Karen Durisch, Chuck Sands, Michael, Jay Lewandowski, Austin O'blenis, Tim Davis, Sara Wood, Liz Barranco, Marita Sarad, Heather Kelly, Jennifer Kelly, Janet Druce, Sharon Runciman, Dawn Erickson, Jennifer Lindhurst, Brian Miller, Renee Zarycki, Allen Cohen, Leslee Rigoli, Dawn-Marie Badame, Jennifer Romano, Dave Peters, Gerry Spooner, Bruce Hinterleitner, Rachel E, Jessica Reed, Pam Bowyer, Brent Nyberg, Angie Grimes, Andrew Browne, Nicole Laskin, Jaime Breheny, J. Thomas, Ashley Mucha, Joseph Ragona, Vickie Mcgee, Shannon Watts, Cedric Ching, Kenny Cruz, Emily Nussbaum, Eddie Cusson, Samantha Sim, Jennifer Smith, Christopher Handa, Heather Fresa, Lori Theilken, Mhairi Stirling, Scott Sabourin, Katy Pettis, Janet Deane, Katherine Smith, Cathie Hemesath, Mary Falcone, Wendy, Karen Dresser-Smith, Robert Layman, Robert, Melissa Allore, Jessica Gottlieb, Kari Morrison, Kathy Howitz, Dominic, Kimberly Mueller, Jay Bellemare, Clarissa, Karen Schlumpf, Sabrina Rolle, Gay Krahling, Danusia Rogacki, Jennifer Hacker, Alica Byars, Kenny, Debbie Hicks, Judy Brodersen, Deborah Rich, Dustin Woodley, Chris Maslowski, Catherine Zori, Amanda Mccandless, Emma Poprock, Kellie Carter, Jacqueline Sadler Rose, Kirk Sheppard, Kathy Maffei, Tom Wert, Mark Mills, Dawn Godaire, William Lawson, Colette Seller, Andrea Mayo, Debbie Roach, Jeremy Forehand, Larry Gandy, Christina Cella, Diane Bunn, Lisa Mcneill, Adam Boerhave, Jason Comegys, Kelly Zanauskas, Erick, Sara Cavallon, Jessica, Shawn Guthrie, Frank H, Mark Mainka, Tacey Atkinson, Renee Lambertus, Brian Berger, Maryanne Taragano, Sean Hyland, Eric, Erin Morrison, Jillian Clark, Gail Perry, Marie Rogowski, Brett, Kyle Bliven, Kelly Mager, Christy Hodge, Cat Birkett, Apryl Thomas, Susan, Amanda Heller, Joe Mahoney, John Pulcini, Diana Archambault, Joel Freer, Rebecca Sacks, Sal Derose, Kristin Trexler, Kevin Csizmar, Kelly Johnston, Anderson Dun, Kim V, Gino Caputa, Jon Strickland, Ann Toback, Erich, Cori Lehman, Jennifer Stafford, Catherine Zori, Garry Lauter, Julie Lauter, John Dean, Melina Hillis, Joe O'leary, Tom Koval, Jamie Poynton, Daniel Brace, Holley Blyler and Jess Ro. Each of you will be entered in the July winners’ drawing.

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Challenge #47: Where in the world is this?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer, before the end of the day on Thursday, July 24, by clicking HERE!
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Everyone who sends in a correct answer to a Where in the World Challenge this month will be entered in a drawing at the end of the month for some special AllEars® goodies and a copy of PassPorter's Walt Disney World by Jennifer Marx, Dave Marx, Allison Cerel Marx!

Backlighting is light illuminating from behind the subject. This is very tough to correctly expose for and causes havoc with your camera's light meter.

If you are outdoors and the light source is the sun, the best way to meter for backlighting is to point your camera to one side of the sun or the other, read what your meter is saying in Auto or Program mode, switch to Manual mode and then set the aperture and shutter speed. This will create a silhouette of the subject. Let me point out that you should never point your camera directly at the sun. In fact, do not have the sun anywhere in the frame when you are metering.

You can also bring out more detail in your subject if, still in manual mode, you open up one or more f-stops. This is what I did in the photo of the male African Lion when taking an early morning Kilimanjaro Safari in Disney's Animal Kingdom. When pointing my lens to one side of the sun, I got an exposure of 1/1600th of a second shutter speed and an aperture of f/16. By opening up one stop to f/11, I brought out more features and color of the lion. Remember, the smaller the f-stop, the larger the lens opening or aperture thus letting in more light to enter when the shutter is pressed.

You may be wondering why the shutter speed is so fast in this case. Let me tell you, those "jeeps" on the safari bounce and rock a lot. So, I increased the camera's ISO to allow for faster shutter speeds. For more on this technique, visit my tips on photographing on a Kilimanjaro Safari.

A male African Lion is backlight on an early morning Kilimanjaro Safari.
Nikon D70/80-200D, 1/1600s, f/11, 800 ISO, EV +0.3, 200mm Focal length

If you can get close enough to your subject either by using a zoom lens or being able to walk up to it, take your meter reading with the subject filling the frame through your viewfinder. Again, set your exposure manually and either zoom out or back away, compose your shot with the light behind your subject and you should get a great photograph.

There will not be a Photographic Innoventions next week as I am taking a vacation to various parts along the Atlantic shore ending up at Magic Meets. I'll be helping Deb Wills out at the AllEars table along with Lisa and attending many events and presentations. See you there or see you back here in two weeks.

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/20s shutter, f3.8, 800 ISO

I think the best queue in all of Disney World has got to be the Expedition Everest queue at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. I could spend hours in that line just looking at all the amazingly cool stuff! Of course, that doesn’t keep me from using Fastpass whenever possible!

This week's Disney Pic of the Week theme is Parades!

Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/100s, f/4.2, 400 ISO, +0.3 EV, 35mm Focal Length

The chimpanzee puppeteer entertains guests during Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade at Disney's Animal Kingdom. The colors, costumes, music and floats with Disney characters and guests makes for one of the "fun-est" parades at Walt Disney World.

Barrie and Lisa will be along this Thursday and Saturday to share some of their parade pictures.

This was Challenge #43:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2006 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/160s shutter, f6.3

This highly decorated and colorful bus is actually a refreshment stand found in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It is located on the path to Asia as you are heading towards Expedition Everest. There were many guesses but only a handful of people got it right. I’ll try to go easier on you with this week's challenge!

Darlene Harmon was the first to send in the correct answer this week! Congratulations to Darlene and all the readers who got the answer right: Karen Dresser-Smith, Karen Schlumpf, Aruna, Becky Hartness, Jen Cox, Anne-Lise Hagevig, Katt Stanley, Sharon Dale, Neil Taylor, Melissa Blackwell, Marie H., Kevin Toomey, Cameron Lange and Evelyn Cowdell. Each of you will be entered in the June winners’ drawing.
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Challenge #44: Where in the world is this?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer, before the end of the day on Thursday, July 4, by clicking HERE!
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Everyone who sends in a correct answer to a Where in the World Challenge this month will be entered in a drawing at the end of the month for some special AllEars® goodies and a copy of PassPorter's Walt Disney World by Jennifer Marx, Dave Marx, Allison Cerel Marx!

Almost as important as the amount of light for a photograph is the direction the light is coming from. In the next three weeks, I'll show you how the direction of light effects your photographs. It doesn't matter what kind of camera you use, light properties and direction remain the same.

Frontlighting is light illuminating the front of a subject. The best kind of outdoor frontlighting is shown below when I captured the Resort Monorail heading to the Magic Kingdom while some anglers fished in the Seven Seas Lagoon. The sun was still low enough not to cast too much of a shadow below the monorail and evenly illuminated it and the fishing boat.

The Resort Monorail is frontlighted by the morning sun as it heads to the Magic Kingdom.
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/800s, f/8, 200 ISO, EV -0.3, 200mm Focal length

A variation of the sunny frontlight is the Overcast Frontlight. This is very nice, soft, even light and brings out colors and textures hard to see in bright sun. The ostrich on Disney's Animal Kingdom's Kilimanjaro Safari is a nice example. This was taken on one of the first morning safaris so the sun was behind me when I took this.

Overcast frontlighting as shown by this ostrich on Disney's Animal Kingdom's Kilimanjaro Safari.
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/200s, f/8, 200 ISO, EV 0, 65mm Focal length

Something you have to be careful of when shooting with overcast skies is to try and keep the sky out of the image as much as possible. The overcast sky acts like a huge light diffuser but is very bright. In the above photo, I wanted the jeep following mine in the picture or I would have framed it with only the ostrich and without the sky.

A couple of months ago I started using Apple's Aperture 2 photo application. The photo editor in Aperture is much better than anything I've ever used. While not a true graphics editor like Photoshop, Aperture does have some tools which are helping me make great photographs from not-so-great ones.

Like this photo of a performer in Disney's Animal Kingdom's Festival of the Lion King show. I caught her just before she was about to blow a kiss to the audience at the end of the show. I really loved this photo except for the object on the right hand side. I believe it's a hand or part of a costume from another performer passing out of the frame.

Festival of the Lion King Goodbye Kiss before cloning.
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/60s, f/5.6, 1600 ISO, -0.3 EV, 200mm Focal Length

I could crop the object out but, with such a high ISO, the image would get even grainer than it already is. Aperture, like other photo editors, has a clone repair tool. What a clone repair tool does is allow you to take a part of a photo and then "paint" over another area duplicating that part. You do this with a "brush". In Aperture's case, it's a circle.

To go about fixing this photo, I selected the cloning tool and adjusted it's size. The area just above the object is what I used to clone. I moved the brush there and clicked the mouse to select it. Then, I moved my mouse with the left button held down over the area and carefully replaced the object with the selected area. Below is the final result after a few tries. Many editors let you start over if you don't like the initial results. If your photo editor doesn't, be sure to save a backup before starting. To see if your photo editor is capable of cloning, look through it's manual or support website.

Festival of the Lion King Goodbye Kiss after cloning.

Aperture seems to work in reverse to common sense. Measured in f/stops, the smaller the f/stop, the larger the aperture or opening of the camera's iris and the more light is allowed to hit the sensor. It also controls the Depth of Field or how much or how little the plane of focus is in your photographs.

In the photo of Expedition EVEREST, I wanted everything sharply focused (a large plane of focus) from the tops of the trees to the clouds in the sky.

Expedition EVEREST in Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/60s, f/18, 200 ISO, +0.3 EV, 35mm Focal Length

To get the maximum depth of field, I moved the Dial Mode to the A position to put my camera in Aperture Priority mode. I now had control of the aperture or f/stop setting by turning the command dial (this may be different for your camera so check your manual. There I go again!). I took a series of photos of Expedition EVEREST, waiting for the train to enter the mountain. It took a few tries to get the timing down. Once I downloaded the files to my laptop, I liked this one the best at f/18. It shows every detail in mountain's "rock" and "snow" with a nice base frame of trees and top frame of sky. I took this while waiting outside the Theater in the Wild to see Finding Nemo -- The Musical.

On the Maharajah Jungle Trek, the sun angle on this hanging Malayan Flying Fox showed how thin the membranes are in his wings. To make sure the background went out of focus, I selected an aperture of f/5.6 for a narrow plane of focus. This technique is called selective focus and is a great way of separating your subject from a busy or unappealing background.

Malayan Flying Fox (Pteropus vampyrus) soaking up the sun on the Maharajah Jungle Trek.
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/25s, f/5.6, 200 ISO, +0.3 EV, 120mm Focal Length

This was Challenge #35:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/320s shutter, f9

The Harambe Reserve at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is home to these reticulated giraffes. You can catch a glimpse of them wandering the savannah when you take a ride on the Kilimanjaro Safari. Did you know that even though the giraffe’s neck is taller than most humans are, it is still made of only seven bones? This is the same number of bones that are in the human neck. Click here to learn more about reticulated giraffes.

This week’s bragging rights go to Darlene Harmon, who was the first to send in the correct answer to challenge #35. Nice going Darlene!

Congratulations to all the readers who knew the answer to this past week’s contest and sent it in before the end of Thursday: Rusty Podbelski, Nicole, Chris Kotcamp, Kirby Double, Dawn Bach, Hollie Hinton, R.A. Curtis, Clare O'Connor, Bruce Lawson, Karen Dresser-Smith, Sara Beth Wade, Jean Smith, Leah Miscavage, Laura Brown, Sandra Miller, Sherri Pell, Kathy Smith, Walter N. Clark, Anjanette Tournillon, Gary Allen, Jami Kliethermes, Kim Wimberg, Karen Bortz, Shana Stewart, Jim Szlachta, Chris Thomas, Melissa Abreu, Allison Dibiase, Christine, Heather Coursen, Tom Swan, Kate, Kelly Nienhueser, Becky Terjung, Liz Moreau, Mary Jo Collins, Trish Babler, Diane Brunner, Joseph Zafia, Janet Theriault, Richard Nussbaum, Chris Bertelmann, Karen Akers, Debra Kuklinski, Jennifer Bogdan, Stacey Barboza, Amy Miller, Jim O., Lisa Forsythe-Kane, Lynn Hart, Mhairi Stirling, Heather Webb, Eulette Mckneely, Heather Stevens, Chad Coppess, Anita Burns, Jennifer Farrell, Jennifer, Elizabeth, Marie, Carinne, Liza Graham, Luis Rodriguez, Chris Connors, Melissa Santana, Janelle Farmer, Stephanie Visco, Kathleen Stevens, Marie Hodur, Merrie Tesh, Erica Adkins, Melissa Mathias, Julie Fahrner, Garland Cox, Doug Armstrong, Karen Korcheski, Laura Pranaitis, Emily, Wendy Snelgrove, Theresa Rucando, Cameron Lange, Dana Schirnhofer, Susan, Paula Potts, Heather Timko, Diane Blanchard, Debra Ulicny, Nick Straka, Dan Brian Huebner, Kendall Huffman, Lisa Gale, Kameo Crea, Melissa Demonbreun, Jennifer Tremley, Danusia Rogacki, Maryann Eckenrode, Vicki Vaught, Holley Blyler, John, Chris & Alison, Jennifer Bourg, Aaron Hale, Danielle Murgia, Jeff Schoeling, Brittany Irish, Belicia Dawson, Deb Ragno, Pollyanna Buff, Eli Young and Darlene Harmon. Each of you will be entered in the April winner's drawing.
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Challenge #36: Where in the world is this?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer, before the end of the day on Thursday, by clicking HERE! !

Picture This! Photo Blog Survey! Take a few minutes and provide feedback on our Photo Blogs.
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Everyone who sends in a correct answer to a Where in the World Challenge this month will be entered in a drawing at the end of the month for some special AllEars® goodies and a copy of PassPorter's Walt Disney World by Jennifer Marx, Dave Marx, Allison Cerel Marx!

I was reading about some photographers who came back from an African safari the other day. They listed the equipment they used the most. Cameras costing thousands of dollars, lenses in the 500 to 600mm range which cost, you guessed it, thousands more. It got me to thinking about how wonderful the Kilimanjaro Safari is in Disney's Animal Kingdom. However, it does have it's challenges, too. With that in mind, I'd like to give you my list of equipment needed and other tips to get great wildlife photography in the Harambe Reserve.

I would recommend a camera or camera and lens combination which will reach out to 300mm or more. This will allow you to fill the frame with an animal or animals. Many Point and Shoot cameras do not do this. You can still get some great environmental photos of the savannah and when the animals venture close to your "jeep". For me, I'd recommend a high end Point and Shoot camera with an 8x or more zoom lens. If you own a digital SLR, a lens reaching 200 to 300mm (depending on your camera's crop factor) will work great. I have used a couple of different lenses on the safari with good results. A Nikon 80-200mm f/4.5-5.6D AF and the 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom lenses. With my Nikon D70 crop of 1.5, I get a 300mm focal length with either lens. There are many economically priced zoom lenses in the 55mm or longer to 200 to 300mm range.

Baby Elephant (uncropped photo). © Scott Thomas Photography 2008
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/500s, f/5.6, ISO 400, -0.3 EV, 200mm Focal Length

Now the part which separates the P&S from the dSLR, because the jeep was designed to give a bumpy ride and it does move, you have to set your camera to get fast shutter speeds to cut down on blurry pictures due to vibration. Anit-vibration technologies aside, those jeeps sway and bump even when stopped as people try to get to one side or the other to see the animals. I set my camera to Shutter priority mode and 1/500th of a second shutter speed. If it happens to be a very bright day you can set it even faster. You may have to increase your ISO setting to obtain these shutter speeds. I usually set mine to an ISO of 800 if it's an early morning or late afternoon safari and 400 if it's during the mid-day sun.

Due to the distance even with a long lens, chances are you will want to crop your photos as, again, it's hard to compose in a moving, bouncy vehicle. A 6 megapixel (MP) or more camera is probably going to give you the ability to do this. Lower MP cameras will not give you as much creative leeway. In the African Lion photo below, I cropped this from the original portrait orientation to eliminate some sky which was cloudy and the bottom portion which featured a fellow guest's arm.

African Lion (cropped photo). © Scott Thomas Photography 2008
Nikon D70/80-200D, 1/500s, f/5.6, ISO 800, +0.3 EV, 200mm Focal Length

I've ridden on both sides of the jeep and have found most of the good viewing is on the left side. They load you from the right side so you want to be the first one in a row. The hippos, giraffes, elephants, crocodiles, and many of the antelopes tend to be on the left side.

Giraffe Mother & Calf (uncropped photo). © Scott Thomas Photography 2008
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/500s, f/5.6, ISO 800, +0.3 EV, 200mm Focal Length

Time to get on your safari hat, shirt and shorts to go after some big game, Disney-style! Oh, don't forget to make sure you have extra batteries and they are all charged up before you leave your room. Nothing like having the perfect shot of a giraffe in your viewfinder, pressing the shutter and your camera tells you it's battery is too low. Don't ask me how I know this.

If you read my December 25, 2007 blog, you know that my holiday gift to you is that each month I will post a photo calendar page that you can print out and use at home or work during 2008.

Wow - it's already time for the April calendar. Here it is, ready for downloading. This is Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Isn't it just beautiful at night? Boy does Disney know lighting!

I took this photo from the seating area behind Flame Tree Bar-B-Que. It's a long exposure, for which a tripod was necessary. If you look closely, you can just barely see the blur of the train as it enters the mountain.

Because Animal Kingdom normally closes earlier than the other parks, it's hard to get night time photos - especially in summer when it stays light later. If you want to get night shots here, you really have to pay attention to when evening Extra Magic Hours are and plan accordingly.

Here's another tip - don't forget your bug repellent. It's hard to concentrate on getting a good shot when the misquitos are chowing down on your ankles!

You will need to have Adobe Reader on your computer to download the calendar(s). Just click on the photo to download the calendar you want.

This one prints out at 8.5" x 11". It's handy if you need a calendar that you can write on.

This one prints out at 4.75" x 4.75", the perfect size for a CD Jewel Case frame.

No, it's not the name of a new ballroom dance craze. Bokeh is used to describe a certain camera lens characteristic. Bokeh comes from the Japanese word "boke" which means fuzzy. Sounds like a strange characteristic for a lens to have, doesn't it? Bokeh describes how the background looks when shooting with the lens at it's largest aperture. A lens with "good bokeh" has a nice smooth looking but out of focus (or fuzzy) background. Lenses with "bad bokeh" have spherical or other geometrical shapes with hard edges which look bad behind a sharply focused subject in the foreground.

The picture below shows what "good bokeh" looks like. The foliage behind the tiger on the Maharajah Jungle Trek is softly out of focus and does not take away from the handsome portrait. You will find when taking someone's portrait, this is the best way to separate them from the background. In my previous entry on the Creative Uses of Aperture, you can see another example of what good bokeh looks like.

Tiger on the Maharajah Jungle Trek in Disney's Animal Kingdom. © Scott Thomas Photography 2008
Nikon D70/80-200D, 1/125s, f/5.6, 400 ISO, +0.3 EV, 200mm focal length

To get the sharpest images possible with your lens, it's best not to use the widest or smallest apertures. Most lenses are optimized in the f/5.6 - f/11 aperture range and give their best performance when stopped down a couple of f-stops from the widest aperture. If you have a 50mm f/1.8 lens, it's best to use it around f/4 to f/8. Most consumer zoom lens have a sliding scale when it comes to their widest aperture. The Nikon 18-200VR lens I use has it's widest aperture of f/3.5 when it's at 18mm. At 200mm, it goes down to f/5.6. That's what it means when you see a lens' description like this: Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR Zoom Lens where this lens starts at f/4.5 at 70mm and goes down to f/5.6 at 300mm. Usually, the faster the lens, meaning the lens starts at a very large aperture, the more expensive the lens is.

So, why not use the widest or smallest aperture? The problem with using small aperture sizes is that light waves are affected due to diffraction and though you have great depth of field, you lose out on sharpness. Large apertures are great for low-light, but unless you have an exceptional lens, its just too difficult to produce lenses that are razor sharp when wide open.

Everest in Disney's Animal Kingdom. © Scott Thomas Photography 2008
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/200s, f/8, 200 ISO, -1.0 EV, 20mm focal length

These are good guidelines to start from. The best way to find out the best apertures for the lenses you own is to test them. Set up a small still life with various objects. Include something with text on it like a sign. Watches are also good as they are small and very detailed. Put your camera on a tripod and put it in aperture priority mode. Take a series of photos varying the aperture size with each one from the smallest f-stop to the largest. Download the pictures to your computer and view each photo at 100%. I found the sharpest aperture range for my 18-200VR lens to be around f/8 at 18mm and f/11 at 200mm doing similar testing when available light permits.

Further reading: Creative Uses of Aperture

This was Challenge #19:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2005 Barrie Brewer, Fuji FinePix S5000, 1/1000s shutter, f9

This giant dinosaur calls Chester & Hestor’s Dino-Rama home. You’ll find Dino-Rama in Dinoland USA at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Stacey Van Dyke was this week’s lucky winner. She was the first one to send in her answer. Congratulations Stacey!

From the number of answers I got this week, I’d say Dino-Rama is no secret. Stacey Van Dyke, Brittany Irish, Jennifer Chartier, Austin O'Blenis, Christina Romano, Daniella and Isabells, Belicia Dawson, Jessica Romano, Willie Tople, Katie Wetzel, Amber Keen, Sherry Klinefelter, Neil Taylor, Ed Aleszczyk, Kelli Olthoff, Jude Toups, Tim Rachuba, Aruna Mohan, Bethany Cybak, Denise Cayz, Paula Potts, Carinne, Laura Barnes, April Ramey, Tricia Noble, Richard Uhler, Melissa Blackwell, Garland Cox and Jennifer Schwing will all be entered in December’s winners drawing. Good luck to you all!
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Challenge #20: Where in the world is this?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer by clicking HERE!
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Everyone who sends in a correct answer to a Where in the World Challenge this month will be entered in a drawing at the end of the month for a copy of Hidden Mickeys Walt Disney World by Steve Barrett and some special AllEars® goodies!

This was Challenge #18:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/18-200VR, 1/125s shutter, f5.6

Challenge #18 turned out to be a difficult one. I have lots of photos of different light fixtures at Disney World. They are always so creative and interesting. Tim Rachuba was the first of only three people who knew that this photo was of a lantern that can be found on Discovery Island in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Congratulations Tim – you’re this week’s winner. Tricia Noble and Nancy Ahlsen also had the correct answer this week. Tim, Tricia and Nancy will be entered in the December winner's drawing.
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Challenge #19: Where in the world is this?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer by clicking HERE!
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Everyone who sends in a correct answer to a Where in the World Challenge this month will be entered in a drawing at the end of the month for a copy of Hidden Mickeys Walt Disney World by Steve Barrett and some special AllEars® goodies!

Last month I did an entry on Props at Walt Disney World and asked people to send in their favorites. By far the most popular ones where all the different and fun hats you find in shops throughout the resort. As an example, my daughter is trying on a very patriotic hat in The Chapeau, a hat shop on Magic Kingdom's Main Street. This shop can monogram almost any hat and, of course, Mickey Ears for you while you wait. Hats found in World Showcase are a big hit with our Photo Blog readers from French Berets, Sombreros in Mexico, Coolie hats in China to Homburg style hats in Germany. The little outdoor shop at Rafiki's Planet Watch in Disney's Animal Kingdom has all kinds of safari hats. My daughter just had to model one for me.

Safari hat. © Scott Thomas Photography 2007
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/60s, f/4.5, 200 ISO, -0.3 EV, 40mm focal length

Other popular suggestions for props was RC Car from Toy Story at the All Star Movies resort, the larger than life Troll in Norway's Puffin's Roost shop, a Cinderella statue at the Marketplace in Downtown Disney similar to Buzz Lightyear I mentioned in the first Disney Prop entry and the Mickey sculpture at the Contemporary resort with Mickey ears perfect to sit kids in.

Would like to continue this topic so if you have a favorite Walt Disney World prop, I'd like to hear about it! Just leave a Comment using the link below.

This was Challenge #14:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2006 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/18-55, 10/2000s shutter, f7.1

OK, that was an easy one! Nearly everyone knew that this was a photo of Daisy Duck hiking with Hewey, Louie and Dewey at Camp Minnie Mickey in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Congratulations to Casey Wittekind! She was quick with her response and is the official winner of Challenge #14.

Several people thought that it was Donald leading this group, not Daisy. Maybe they know something about Donald that I don’t so I included them as winners too! That means there was an amazing 105 people who sent in the correct answer this week!

Congratulations to Amiee Stooksberry, Amy Cole, Amy Debevec, Amy Eastman, Anderson Dun, Angela Haire, Anick Nolin, Anthony Dearman, April Pangburn, Ashley, Barb Murin, Bernadette Weltsek, Bethany Mattiuz-King, Bill, Blair McGee, Brian Martsolf, Brittany Irish, Brooke Kern, Carol Gamill, Caryn Schill, Casey Wittekind, Catherine, Cheri Fitz, Chloe, Christina Romano, Christine, Christy Miller, Danielle Destefano, Darlene Harmon, Debbie Hudson, Diana Blanchard, Diane Schlicht, Ed Aleszczyk, Ella Harmeyer, Emily Presgrave, Emmy-Lou, Erin Rix, Frank Finkin, Frank Pierce, Gerry, Heather Young, Heidi Summers, Isabella Pedone, Jaclyn Frye, Jacquelyn Law, James Hickey, Jane Bradley, Jane Cash, Jennifer Bourg, Jessie Romano, Jodi Higgins, Joe V., John Ames, John Derrico, Judy Koslowski, Julie Fahrner, Jyl Deshler, Karen Dressersmith, Karen Kenney, Karen Schlumpf, Kathy Love, Kelly Scott, Kristin Padalik, Laura Barnes, Lisa Beth, Lisa Forsythe-Kane, Lisa Honard, Lynne Workinger, Marianela Olivares, Marie Bertini, Mark, MaryAnn Eckenrode, Matt Roseboom, Melissa Wheeler, Michael Gainey, Michael O'Blenis, Mike Himel, Minnie Escobar, Nancy Kruczek, Nicole Gray, Rachel, Raj Boora, Richard Martin, Riva Janes, Robert Flaherty, Robert Speed, Ronald Zinke, Ryan Simms, Samantha Sim, Sandra Shaw, Sandy, Scott Button, Scott Cerino, Shari, Sharon Pierce, Shawn Hyde, Stephen Hafke, Susan Calhoun, Susie McCallister, Tammy Bozman, Tammy Petone, Terri, Theresa Rucando, Tracey Hvizdos, Vicky. All of you will be entered in the November winner's drawing.

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Challenge #15: Where in the world is this?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer by clicking HERE!

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Everyone who sends in a correct answer to a Where in the World Challenge this month will be entered in a drawing at the end of the month for a a copy of Hidden Mickeys Walt Disney World by Steve Barrett and some special AllEars® goodies!

No more lurking out there - if you think you know the answer, be sure to send it in so that you don't miss out on your chance to win something very cool!

The definition of a prop is something used in creating or enhancing a desired effect. The entire Walt Disney World resort is full of props. Some conspicuous and some not. I'm going to show you an example of each from Disney's Animal Kingdom.

The first prop is found in Chester & Hester's Dino-Rama which is like a little scene people can get into. This was taken a few months before my youngest daughter (seen here as the driver) would be able to get her driving learners permit and my eldest daughter acting out how she feels about that. Makes for a great photo from that trip. This can be found near the tail of the large, cartoon-ish brontosaurus, which you can see, in the background.

Dino-Rama Prop.
Nikon Coolpix 995, 1/350s, f/7.5, 100 ISO, 0 EV

In the gorilla glass viewing area on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail there are many displays of information showing the differences between a gorilla's anatomy and Man's. Here my daughters are comparing their hands to the hand prints of a 6 year old male gorilla. Again, this prop makes for a wonderful memory and photograph.

Comparing Hands.
Nikon Coolpix 995, 1/30s, f/3, 200 ISO, 0 EV

You can find props in all the parks, resorts and entertainment areas in Walt Disney World. Here's some more places you can look for on your next trip: the park bench with Roy Disney and Minnie Mouse near the flag pole on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom, stage crates near Min and Bill's Dockside Diner in the Disney-MGM Studios, parasols in the Yong Feng Shangdian Department Store in Epcot's China pavilion and a life size Buzz Lightyear outside of the World of Disney store in Downtown Disney's Marketplace. Do you have a favorite prop at Walt Disney World? I'd love to hear about them and I'll share them in a later Photo Blog entry. Just send in a Comment!

Copyright © 2006 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/55-200, 1/500s shutter, f4.4

One thing I love about taking photos of the parades at Disney World is that the Cast Members love to mug for the camera. It makes it so fun to take their pictures. This is one of my favorite photos. It was taken during Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade at the Animal Kingdom.

Quick Tip: When composing portraits, line up your shot so that your subject’s eyes are about a third of the way down from the top of the photo. This gives your viewer the sense that they are looking at your subject at eye level, regardless of how tall or short either person is.

This was Challenge #10:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/18-200VR, 1/20s shutter, f4

I just love all the creative signs at Disney World. This one is located on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail in the Africa section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. In addition to gorillas, you’ll find birds, fish, monkeys, duikers and hippos on this trail near Kilimanjaro Safaris.

I think the signs are as much fun to look at as the animals. Karen Dresser-Smith from Salem, Massachusetts must think so too – she’s this week’s challenge winner!

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Challenge #11: Where in the world is this?

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

This was Challenge #7:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/18-200VR, 1/500s shutter, f5.7

And the winner is… Marie Bertini! Marie was the first to correctly identify this photo as the Zendrum played by the Village Beatniks in Animal Kingdom. You can usually find them rocking out near the Flame Tree BBQ on Discovery Island.
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Challenge #8: 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.

The Crown and Crest store in Epcot's United Kingdom pavilion. © Scott Thomas Photography 2007
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/15s, f/3.5, 450 ISO, +1 EV, 18mm Focal Length

While "researching" family crests and name histories in the United Kingdom's Crown and Crest store in Epcot, I suddenly remembered the old Walt Disney themepark fan's adage, "Look Up!". I was rewarded with the view you see above of multicolored flags depicting family crests from Ol'England hanging from the wooden rafters.

Did you know most pictures are taken about five to six feet off the ground or eye level of most people? While I was standing for this photograph, many times after taking an initial photograph, I pause and think how I can make it better. Would a different angle help? What if I move closer? Or farther away? Would getting down on my knees or belly give the picture more impact? How about from above? Is it possible to come back at another time of day when the sun is low or at night?

Now, I do know it is very hard to do this at Walt Disney World with the crowds, kids in tow or rushing to get to a scheduled show or dining reservation. However, I encourage you to practice this exercise with subjects around your home, neighborhood or anywhere you have your camera with you. Thankfully, Disney Imagineers make it easy and all you need to do is look up...

Flags blowing in the wind above the Maharajah Jungle Trek in Animal Kingdom. © Scott Thomas Photography 2007
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/250s, f/8, 200 ISO, -0.3 EV, 75mm Focal Length

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/18-200, 1/1000s shutter, f4.8

If you listen to our friends over at the WDW Today podcast, they’ll tell you that an hour or two is more than enough time to spend in the Animal Kingdom. They are exaggerating of course, but their point is that there just isn’t that much to “do” there. If it’s attractions you’re most interested in, then I’d have to agree. The only ones I make sure I never miss are Expedition Everest, Kilimanjaro Safaris and the Festival of the Lion King.

As a photographer though, I have to disagree. I think Animal Kingdom may be my new favorite park for taking pictures. I think Disney did a fabulous job on the theming in this park. The detail is incredible. At every turn there is something interesting to capture on camera. It’s also a very beautiful park. The landscaping is gorgeous and there’s water everywhere. Oh, and don’t forget the animals. Two hours may be enough time for the attractions, but I could easily fill two days with taking photos at Animal Kingdom.

Quick Tip: I spend a lot of time looking at other people’s photos. It’s a great way to learn about what kind of photos catch my interest. Once when looking at some Disney photos I came across a photo of the Yeti Shrine with Expedition Everest in the background. It wasn’t obvious, but as I studied it I noticed the shrine seemed to have a similar shape to the mountain. In that photo I couldn’t be sure so, on my next trip I made a point to check it out. Indeed, as you can see, if you stand in just the right spot you can line up the shrine and the mountain. That was a fun discovery.

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.

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.

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.