Picture This!

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.

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?

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!

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.

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!

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/18-200VR, 0.333s shutter, f4.2

Accidents happen! Here's one that was a nice surprise when I got home. I was practicing taking night photos of the Mad Tea Party ride and had way more than I actually wanted, but I didn’t want to take the time to delete any of the extras while I was in the park. When I got home I was glad I kept them all because I discovered this sweet couple when I was looking at the full size shots on my computer. I love how the all of the teacups are a total blur except theirs. It’s almost as if they were the only ones there. I’m sure they thought they were!

Quick Tip: Don’t delete your photos until you get a chance to see them in large format. Sometimes there may be a hidden gem that you’ll be glad you saved.

This was Challenge #5:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/55-200, 0.006s shutter, f6.3

This challenge was a real stumper. Pretty much everyone guessed that it was part of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. That's not a bad guess given that it is a pile of canonballs, but it’s actually located off to the side of the Liberty Square Riverboat launch. What I find curious is that it is aimed directly at the people on Tom Sawyer Island. Watch out next time you’re there!

Now, I’m sure there’s someone out there who knows where this next challenge is located…
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Challenge #6: 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.

Chistmas Mickey & Minnie. © Scott Thomas Photography 2007
Nikon D70/80-200D, 1/25s, f/4.5, 400 ISO, +0.3 EV, 80mm Focal Length

There are many ways to use our photos. Enlarge and frame them for our homes or give photographic gift items like magnets, t-shirts or buttons. With the advent of digital photography and the Internet, you can create online digital albums and slideshows complete with music. Many people think ahead and take unique family photographs and create holiday cards to send to family and friends.

This year, I wanted to use one of my photos taken last year during Mousefest in Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe in Magic Kingdom's Liberty Square. The figurine of Mickey holding misletoe over Minnie as she is closing in to give him a kiss was a delightful one I couldn't resist. I used available light in the shoppe and got close with the 80-200 zoom lens on my camera. Your feet is your best zoom lens. This allowed me to use the widest aperture and shortest focal length of the lens to get the most light onto the camera's sensor and blurring the busy background of people passing by the shop window.

Many photo software packages today have ways to create and order prints, cards, postcards and other items. I used Apple's iPhoto to place the photo on the front of the Christmas card. I liked this layout with the angled image, old English font for the text and simple blue border. Inside is a place for more text and pictures. From there it was a simple click to order the quantity I wanted.

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/18-200VR, 1/5s shutter, f4.8

Using objects in the foreground of your shot to frame your subject is a good way to focus attention where you want it and add depth to your photo. While in the Magic Kingdom, I used the arched doorway of Cinderella's castle to frame the passageway and the carrousel behind the castle.

A frame can help give context to your photo. A desert view framed by a rock formation really gives you a sense of place. A frame leads the viewer’s eye into the photo and may even encourage the viewer to look at it longer. You are limited only by your imagination when choosing a framing element. Here are some framing ideas to get you started.

• Architectural elements such as archways, doorways, windows, a hole in a wall, bridges and tunnels make great framing elements.

• Natural elements like rock formations, a gap in dense foliage or between trees, the overhanging branches of a tree, and even people can be used to frame your subject. For example, you can shoot over people’s shoulders or between their heads. There are plenty of opportunities for this at Disney World! You can even use shadows to frame your subject.

• The absence of objects, for instance a bare wall, can frame your subject by isolating it. This is what photographers do when they use a backdrop. Another way to isolate your subject is to use a very shallow depth of field to blur the background, creating a frame that will surround your subject.

• Patterns are often used as framing devices. Imagine the shelves in the World of Disney filled with stuffed Pooh bears. Now imagine one pink Piglet in the center of all that orange. That’s a frame.

Your frame can go completely around your subject or it might just be on one or two edges of your shot. It can be close to the edge of your photo or protrude pretty far into it, even taking up most of the space in it. The key is to keep in mind is that you are trying to focus the viewer’s attention on your subject. You don’t want your frame to overshadow the subject but in the same instance, you don’t want a wimpy frame that just ends up being a distraction. A good practice is to ask yourself if the frame will add to the photo or take away from it before you click your shutter. Experiment and see what you like.

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/18-200VR, 1/1250s shutter, f5

One of the first things you should think about before taking a photograph is whether it will look better with a horizontal or vertical composition. Because of the way that cameras are built, it feels more natural to hold them horizontally. Consequently, most photos are composed that way. This works well when you want to emphasize the width of your subject. A horizontal composition will draw your viewer’s eye from side to side across the frame. This photo from the Magic Kingdom gives you a sense of what a gorgeous fall day it was. In addition to the train station, I was able to capture the big, beautiful sky and many of the Halloween decorations in the shot.

Depending on your subject, a vertical composition may be a more pleasing way to frame your picture. Often, tall subjects (like trees or people) look better when framed vertically. Composing vertically can be a good way to capture a more detailed view of your subject. In this vertical shot of the same scene, the emphasis is more on the beautiful clock tower and the architectural details of the station.
Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/18-200VR, 1/1000s shutter, f4.8

If you’re not used to turning your camera on its side, it may feel a bit awkward at first. As with everything, the best way to get used to it is to practice. So next time you are taking pictures, make a point of trying both horizontal and vertical compositions on every photo. It won’t take long for you to get a sense of which subjects look better with each orientation. I often take both kinds of photographs and decide later, when I’m viewing them on my computer, which I like best. Sometimes I can't decide and end up keeping both, like I did with these two views of the train station.

This was Challenge #16:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50/18-200VR, 10/640s shutter, f5.3

Heather Young is this week’s challenge winner. She was first to guess that this lovely jewel is on the turban of Jafar. Jafar can be found on the front of the villian’s float in the Disney Dreams Come True Parade at the Magic Kingdom. Yay Heather!

Congratulations also go out to Courtney Mitchell, Heather Young, Christina, Jess, Nick and Annette Romano, Jude Toups, Sandra Shaw, Darlene, Brooke Kern, Rita Carmack, Stacey Barboza, Chloe, Steven Gordon, Jennifer King, Pamela & Briana Bates, Betsey Pickard and Chip Vermette. All of you also gave the correct answer and were entered in the November winner's drawing.

And speaking of that November drawing… Congratulations to Blair McGee! Blair was chosen from a pool of 140 November winners to receive a copy of Hidden Mickeys Walt Disney World by Steve Barrett and some special AllEars® goodies.
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Challenge #17: 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!

A camera lens which has a focal length over 100mm is considered a telephoto lens. This includes the popular zoom lenses which go over 100mm. Just like a telescope, the longer the focal length, the smaller angle of view is seen through the camera's viewfinder. This has the effect of compressing objects at different distances in the field of view. Depending on the camera's depth of field or aperture setting, the objects can all be in sharp focus or just a selected object.

In the picture below of Christmas decorations down Magic Kingdom's Mainstreet USA, I compressed the wreaths, garland and Cinderella's Castle into a pleasing composition. The aperture set at f/8 kept all three subjects in focus and without the reference of buildings on either side, it's hard to tell how much distance is between them. Incidently, I took this from the Walt Disney World Railroad platform which overlooks Mainstreet USA. It's a great photographer's roost for parades, fireworks and for getting over the heads of our fellow quests.

Mainstreet Christmas Decorations. © Scott Thomas Photography 2007
Nikon D70/80-200D, 1/800s, f/8, 400 ISO, +0.3 EV, 116mm Focal Length

I promised myself I would not brood over the fact that my two blog-mates are both enjoying Mousefest at Walt Disney World today. I did attend Mousefest in 2006 so, as I looked through those photos, I found this interesting subject to talk about. I know Barrie and Lisa will be bringing us all back some great photos to share. You gals stay out of trouble, ya hear?

Further Reading: For those interested in attending future Mousefests, here's the link to the offical website: Mousefest.org

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.

Parasols in Liberty Square.
Nikon D70/80-200D, 1/200s, f/5.6, 200 ISO, +0.3 EV, 135mm Focal Length

When I can, I like to find Photographic Gems at Walt Disney World. Gems can be found literally around each and every corner. Remember to look not at just the overall scene but at parts of them. This is how I found these colorful, personalized parasols being displayed next to a cart in the Magic Kingdom's Liberty Square across from the Christmas shop. It was a busy morning and there were people everywhere but the bright colors of the parasols caught my eye as I was scanning around. The Cast Member had taken great care in arranging the parasols in a pleasing fashion. Being in the shade, the picture came out a bit bluish so I adjusted the color temperature a bit towards the warm or red color in a photo editor.

This was Challenge #22:

And here is the answer:

The Beauty and the Beast float at the Magic Kingdom is where you’ll find this cute little bird. There is always a lot of wonderful detail in the parade floats – something to keep in mind for future challenges! This week’s winner, Christina Daughtridge, is very observant. She was the only one who sent in the correct answer.

We've had two hard challenges in a row. I bet a lot of people will recognize this next picture.
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Challenge #23: 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!

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.

Here is February’s calendar page for downloading. This photo of Snow White from the parade at the Magic Kingdom was probably my luckiest shot ever. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. The original photo wasn’t actually that impressive. I turned it into one of my favorites by cropping it and softening her features with a gausian blur effect in Photoshop.

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.

Did you get a new High Definition (HD) TV for Christmas? You might want to pull out it's user manual and see how you can get your digital photos to display on it. Most come with a way to hook up your camera or computer directly to a video input. Some, like the Samsung DLP HDTV I own, have a USB port and built-in photo viewing program. I copy some photos to a USB Flash drive on my computer then plug it into the TV's USB port. I select the photo viewer program called Wiselink from the HDTV's menu and it displays the contents of the drive (see photo).

There is a gotcha. When copying the photos to the USB drive, I make sure the photos are 1920 pixels in width to fill the HDTV's screen. However, since my digital camera does not produce an HDTV's screen ratio of 16x9, I still end up with black bars on the left and right side of each picture. This is not a big deal for me because the large, bright and clear image displayed is still breathtaking. It's a very easy way to show others your photos without everyone having to crowd around a small computer screen.

I have noticed many of the newer cameras now have a 16x9 ratio selection when taking photos. Those images would completely fill the screen. Check your camera's manual to see if it supports this feature.

Back to my HDTV, I can either manually select and view each photo or start up a slideshow which displays each photo in sequence for a set number of seconds. I can even add music while it's running. This is a far cry from the days of bulky white movie screens, loud slide projectors and long boring presentations by the photographer. Well, two out of three isn't bad!

Space Mountain in the Magic Kingdom.
Nikon D70/18-70DX, 1/160s, f/6.3, 200 ISO, +0.3 EV, 50mm Focal Length

This was Challenge #24:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2008 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/60s shutter, f4

On Main Street in the Magic Kingdom is a counter service restaurant called Casey’s Corner. Casey’s the place to go when you have a taste for a good old fashioned hot dog. Decorated with old baseball memorabilia, the seating area at Casey’s is designed to resemble a grandstand from days gone by. You can sit on the bleachers and enjoy your hot dog while watching old Mickey cartoons on a big screen.

Congratulations to Melissa Mathias, this week’s winner. In addition to Melissa, Kevin Gramlin, Mike Chappell, John Williamson, Wendy Haseneier, Sharon Pierce, Bill Nuzzo, Stacey Van Dyke, Angie Young, Pat Stockhaus, Renee Soderberg, Brenda, Sheila Filipone, Chris Maupin, Trygve Cumpston, Rhonda Jackson, Terri McAleer, Michael Belemjian, John Frangakis, Austin O'Blenis, Caryn Schill, Amie Mumpower, Jane Bradley, Doug Uccollo, Kathy Lowe, Jessica Romano, John Kaanta, Bill Bathel, Elisa Dillon, Kevin Sommer, Ed Aleszczyk, Scott Price, George Z, James Tweedy, Shelley Eggert, Brittany Vander Wal, John Lacasse, Debbi Bozeman, John Harmon, Scott Bauer, Dick Nussbaum, Lou Baker, Larry Gionet, Christina Romano, Joe Marrella, Michelle Raimist, Jim Thompson, Jos Rohrbach, John Burgess, Christine Rigney, Paul Pinzer, Bridget, Gary, Nicole Blount, Bryan McIntyre, Jim Barnick, Scott Cullen, Eric Bouchet, Buddy, Chris Thomas, Jim Greenhouse, Kathy Knight, Ed Horn, Melissa Hallenbeck, Terrie Waltich, Tommy Turner, John Pasqueralli, Steve Seibert, Mike Timmerman, Mike Holland, Phillip T. Stewart, Kelly Ware, Ken Hegburg, Kenny Cruz, Linda Norton, Cheryl Edwards, David Freemyer, Adam, Anthony Iarriccio, Jen Cerce, Bill Androckitis Jr., Cindy Bunch, Jude Toups, Jane Kubarsky, Tracey Yates, Kelly Sutton, Brian Gardner, Alyssa Nutter, Kyle Ellis, Nadine Anderson, Kevin Scharf, Todd Stevens, Liz Myrato, Heather Young, CJ, Betsy Richter, Mike Kaczanowski, Leslee Rigoli, John Zawisza, Kelly Michael, Ali, Debbie Beineman, Lori LaPointe, Michele Kaanta, Erica Andrews, David Rhoad, Margaret West, Kim Christian, Jennifer Kaufman, Mike Cross, Pollyanna Buff, Pat, Ruthie Hatch, Bob Sertic, Daniel James McCarthy, Erin McAuliffe, Mildred Popp, Regina Allen, Kim Tidwell, Marilyn Flanigan, Kandice, Charles Wright, Susan McAbee, Julie Bozeman, Cindy Dore', George Taylor, Jennifer Bowling, Debra Ulicny, Heather Cottell, Jen Carpenter, Lauren, Ellen Quinn, Emily, Michael Greer, Patty Carty, Brandy White, Kimberly Wilson, Chris Kotcamp, Krista Penno, Kurt Nank, Kristen Paolello, Malima Wolf, Jeff Swearingen, Carla Kumm, Mike Leonard, Jeff Sims, Jen Renaud, Danielle Mahoney, Dan McDonald, Ed Hogan, Vickie Woods, Brandon Wilson, Arthur Hutchinson, Mark & Meg Wilson, Julie LaChance, Elaine Johnson, Tim Rachuba, Jim Newman, Kristen Baustert, David Lizewski, Monica Maury, Joe, Larry Carter, Tom Michel, Paul Perrin, Karen, Ann Fowler, Dan Hawkins, Dennis Baylis, Katie Rohrbach, Maria Mounsey, EG, Melissa Wheeler, Ken Kleiner, Regina L Tipton, Patricia Ovesny, Rebecca Payne, Amanda Campbell, Luis Rodriguez, Lauren, Garland Cox, Nathan Firth, Mary Virginia Bartlett, Anderson Dun, Ron Harper, Nick Straka, Morgan Tosczak, Nate Clements, Frank F. Fincken III, Leslie Tischler, Jeff Kincaid, Brian Yesutis, Mary Brennan, Scott Stout, Michael Gainey, Jackie Revoir, Melissa Blackwell, Kim Moore, Tina, Jennifer Tremley, Sheila Saey, Heather McFall, Dina Hodara-Bono, Sally Fralix, Kathy Francis, Becky Rodriguez, Kelly DeLeon, Jan Thompson, Scott Weber, Tim Cooper, David Lampl, James Hajek, Katrina Drillien, Chip Vermette, Brian Martsolf, Denise Dossat, Pat Holt, Ken Fischler, Ed Crawford, Karen Korcheski, Tara Jachimczak, Dolly Desiderio, Boyd, Emily Foreman, Tara M., Jennifer Cicchetti, Denise Duggan, Joan Weisse, Christine Schuler, James Hickey, Jim Hammell, Arthur, Jamie Poynton, Chris Bertelmann, Cathy Messer, Sharon Lee, Jamie Gardner and Robert Flaherty all gave the correct answer and were entered in the January winner's drawing.

Phew - that was a lot! Now, drumroll please... the prize winner for this month is Erica Andrews.

For this next challenge, I am looking for a little more detailed of an answer than usual. There is something very special about this photo. In addition to where it is located you have to be able to tell me what is special about it. Do you know? Starting this week, please send in your answer before the end of the day on Thursday to be entered in the contest.
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Challenge #25: Where in the world is this and what is special about it?

Do you know? Do you have a guess? Send in your answer, before the end of the day on Thursday, 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 #25:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2008 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/60s shutter, f5.6

This beautiful horse lives on Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel in the Magic Kingdom. There are 90 horses on this fanciful carrousel and no two are alike. What makes it special is that this is the only one with a gold ribbon on its tail, signifying that it is Cinderella’s own horse.

Congratulations to Angie Young, this week’s winner. In addition to Angie, 127 people knew that this is the tail of Cinderella's horse. Morgan Tosczak, Carol, Sharon Pierce, Sharon Martinez, Jennifer Kaufman, Cheri Fitz, Miranda Brooks, Sarah Biggs, Brandy White, Lisa Leonard, John Agnew, Vicki Vaught, Amy Szabo, Heather Young, Sarah Smee, Belicia Dawson, Melissa Ruggieri, Jennifer Bourg, Tom Carty, Kelly Scott, Mark Carty, Melissa Wheeler, Vera, Neil Taylor, Robin Fitts, David Lizewski, Hillary, Leslie Budd, Rebecca Rodgers Johnson, Lisa Jones, Tim Rachuba, Lora Myers, Lynn Barber, Bev Carson, Greg Tucker, Bill Sosebee, Sara Lewis, Corey Vail, Marie Bertini, Chris Bertelmann, Patti Sturgis, Amy Cole, Debbie Hudson, Cindy Haley Higgins, Katie Whitehurst, Debra Kuklinski, Judy Brodersen, Kimberly Wilson, Nick Straka, Melissa, Karen Robertson, Ken Fischler, Kari Kane, Kathy Larson, Jennifer Schwing, Gregg Letts, Melissa Blackwell, Julie Ellis, Sharon Lee, Noreen Rachuba, Kathryn Hughes, Bob Hendrix, Megan, Paula Potts, Kelley, Jill Caltagirone, Terri McAleer, Karen Nelson, Kerry Ross, Shiraz Biggie, Karen Litzau, Genevieve Obrien, Brian Yesutis, Marianna Clark, Amber Keen, Jacquelin Schmidt, Paul Ignudo, Jr., Laura Pranaitis, Michelle Raimist, Lynn Brown, Emily Rennie, Kali Murry, Lisa Honard, Jaime Thomson, Karen DeSantis, Phillip T. Stewart, Evelyn Cowdell, Jennifer Cox, Austin O'Blenis, Casey Lawler, Karen Dresser-Smith, Ron Renz, Claudia Rosani, Josh Rohrbach, Ann Fowler, Amanda Campbell, Archie, Annette, Jessica, Nick, Nicholas, Christina Romano, Denise Montgomery, Chip Vermette, Carinne Kight, Kimm Bunch, Paula Chapman, Luis Rodriguez, Eileen Miller, Kelli Vancil, Brian Gallant, Jennifer Henson, Deborah Shauan, Sara Beth Wade, Dave Cole, Heather Fresa, Sue Peters, Peggy Saeger, Matt Brethauer, Wendy Ewing, Robert Lee, Becky Sutton, Dianne Brady, Joy Ludtke, MIke Keneally, Jamie Poynton, Felice Ciccione, Frank Valenti, Michelle Ellis, Leslie Losee, Hollie Hinton and Kyle Ellis all gave the correct answer and will be entered in the February winner's drawing.
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Challenge #26: 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!
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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!

Walt Disney World is magical at any time of the day but, at night, it's extra magical. So much so that Walt Disney World resort guests are able to enjoy Extra Magic Hours or EMH in all the parks (see link for schedule and more information). It was on just such a night in the Magic Kingdom when I took this photograph. It was 1AM and the park had another hour of EMH to go so there was still people walking about the hub area in front of Cinderella's Castle.

Cinderella's Castle at 1AM. © Scott Thomas Photography 2008
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/8s, f/3.8, 1100 ISO, -0.3 EV, 20mm focal length

Since night photography is very popular. This blog will have a few entries pertaining to how to get pictures after the sun goes down. This is when the digital SLR camera really shines so to speak. With their larger sensors, better lenses and faster and more powerful processors allowing the use of fast ISO numbers, a dSLR creates much better images after dark. The latest dSLRs get great results using ISO 3200 and even 6400. Couple that with noise reducing software and you can get amazing results.

For the picture above, I used my Nikon D70 with Auto ISO engaged and shot in Program mode. The camera selected the slowest shutter speed I would allow of 1/8 second for ISO 1100 and the widest aperture of f/3.8. The vibration reduction (VR) lens was set to ON and the rest was up to me. I did not have a tripod so I made myself into one. I leaned against an authentic WDW garbage can, used my elbows on the top of the garbage can (thankfully this was not one of the moving and talking variety), put my left hand under the lens to give it a good foundation, my right hand holding the camera firmly but not too tight, tucked my arms in close, lightly pressed the shutter halfway down to set the focus, held my breath and then slowly pressed the shutter the rest of the way. Don't mash the shutter. In fact, you should practice how to press a shutter this way to cut down vibration in the camera. As I've mentioned before, when taking photos in less than ideal conditions, you should take more than one. I took about a dozen of this scene with this being the best in the lot.

Further reading: I have lots of them. It'll be review for our regular readers but, please, read them over again as I'm sure you'll pick up even more each time you do so.

ePhotozine Night Photography Tutorial

Barrie's Astro Orbiter

Barrie's Portrait of Germany

One of the problems we all have at Walt Disney World is distracting backgrounds. From sharing the resorts with thousands of other guests to uncooperative animals or characters, backgrounds are hard to control. So, what's a photographer to do? First, you have to do some very obvious things each time you look through your viewfinder. Before you press the shutter, look behind and in front of your subject for protruding objects coming out or into the frame, make sure your subject is the focal point of the frame and not a building or person nearby and lines like horizons or buildings are not distracting by being crooked . I learned these points the hard way when I did wedding photography for a few years. Believe me, nobody wants a portrait of a bride with the church's organ pipes protruding from her head.

Another way to control the background at a busy themepark is to move around your subject until you find a more pleasing background. In the photo here of Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket, I tried to use a wide angle to slightly distort the statue to bring it front and center. The angle is a bit different, however, the background is very busy partially due to the use of the small f/10 aperture. You can see lights in the flower bed , a person kneeling next to a stroller in the upper left and part of the fence leading up to the statue on the right. Not very pleasing to me.

I checked out the previous picture in my camera's LCD display and knew I could do better. Since this was taken during a December trip, Disney had placed poinsettia "trees" around the hub in front of Cinderella's Castle and by moving a bit to one side, I could put one of them directly behind the statue. I tried a few different angles and liked this one the best. I zoomed in a bit here which helped to blur the background some even shooting at f/10. The direction of the light is much better as well but that's a subject for another time.

Further Reading: Getting Backgrounds Right

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.

Here is March’s calendar page for downloading. This photo is of the Main Street Philharmonic, a 12-piece brass and percussion band that performs on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom. Their antics are very fun to watch as they perform old-time favorites like "Take Me Out to the Ballpark" and "76 Trombones".

By zooming in close and filling the frame with the band members I was able to to create the illusion that this was a large marching band. Having band members that extend beyond the frame of the photo tricks the eye into thinking that they go on forever.

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.

Joe McNally is a photographer to be admired. He's been published all over the world and in such publications as National Geographic, Time, and Sports Illustrated to name a few. In over 30 years as a pro photographer, Joe McNally has been faced with capturing photographs in some of the most bizarre places on Earth (and New York City) and under some strange circumstances and still managed to come away with publishable work. What would you give to sit down with Joe and learn at the feet of one of the masters? Luckily for us, Joe has given us such an opportunity, with some encouragement from his friends, his book, The Moment It Clicks, came out to resounding reviews and sold out of it's first printing within days. It's now in a second printing and I'm sure many more will follow.

I recommend this book if you are past the beginning stage in your photography comfort zone. He does assume you have an understanding of photography. Anything beyond that he explains in footnotes or in the "How to Get this Shot" sidebars. The real charm of this book is in all the "nuggets". These nuggets are short bits of knowledge and photographic common sense he has garnered during his career of working with clients, photo editors, models and other photographers. You would spend hundreds of dollars to see Joe in a workshop give some of these nuggets. For less than $40 you have them, examples of some of the best journalistic photos he ever produced and how he did them to reference anytime you want.

If you are thinking of becoming a professional photographer in any field. This is a must read in my opinion. Someday I hope to meet Joe and thank him for this book. While it is inspirational, I enjoyed it for the mental and physical perspiration which went into each of the photos he presents and for passing on his knowledge in a straight forward and personable manner.

Now, in Joe McNally style, here's a self-assignment I gave myself on my last Walt Disney World trip. Pictured below are my two daughters and a friend riding Big Thunder Mountain. My daughters are both in college and I don't know how many more times they'll want to spend with Dad on vacation. I wanted to capture a moment of joy. One I can look back on and recall the spirit of what the Disney parks mean to me. It doesn't matter they were hamming it up. The fact that they did is a testament to Walt Disney, himself. This is one of those moments it clicked for me.

The Joy of Disney. © Scott Thomas Photography 2008
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/320s, f/9, 200 ISO, 18mm Focal Length

Further Reading: Here's another review from Dave Black of "The Moment It Clicks". Dave has a unique way of taking you inside the book.

This was Challenge #31:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2008 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/1600s shutter, f5.6

High atop the Agrabah Bazaar in Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland is what looks to me like some kind of bird house. I wonder if that is really what it is though, or if it is something completely different. Does anyone know?

I was really surprised that no one got this answer. I thought for sure that everyone would have seen this, especially anyone who has ridden on the Magic Carpets of Aladdin. That’s two weeks in a row that I have stumped you. Let’s see how many of you know this next one.
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Challenge #32: 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!
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This was Challenge #32:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2008 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/800s shutter, f3.8

Yay! I was beginning to wonder if anyone was playing anymore. I'm glad to know you’re still with me. The winner for this week was Angie Young. She was the first to let me know that Challenge #32 was from Big Thunder Mountain in the Magic Kingdom. You can see the scull at the base of the mountain, just above the train engine.

More than 200 readers knew the answer to this past week’s contest and sent it in before the end of Thursday: Mike Kaczanowski, Tricia Dean, Jennifer Tremley, Michele, Mary Kuks, Allison Dibiase, Dana Schirnhofer, Heather Coursen, Kim Riley, Suzy Kozicki, Kelly Jean Clarkson, Dolly Dolores Guerrera, Lisa Ann Pompa, Anne Hainsworth, Michele Gaudet, Heidi Goodhue, Alicia Reimer, Margie Addington, Michelle Sergot, Alan Lichtman, Robert Flaherty, Mark Robertson, Barbara Turner, Kristi Humphrey, Mandy P, Melissa Rebelo, Meg Comeau, Ella, Betsey, Felice Ciccione, John Silvestri, Kate Fanning, Becky Myers, Noreen Rachuba, Elizabeth Squires, Melissa, Cathy Evans, Michelle O'connor, Jennifer Gatti, Kelli Vancil, Maureen Tavrell, Kimberly, Marcia Thompson, Chip Vermette, Melanie Woodall, Leslie Tischler, Patti Sturgis, April Haddock, Julie Ellis, Sherri Chavis, Kristi Marks, Walter N Clark, Jeremy Hardy, Trish Avery, Bev Carson, Lisa Hall, Tom Linder, Liz Moreau, Anna Eldred, Linda Kuehnle, Christina Rose Cooper, Aimee Hewitt, Kelly Geyer, Christine Mckay, Bill Sosebee, Mary Butler, Heather F, Janet Theriault, Natalie Covey, Amy, Stacey Magee, Sharon Leitgeb, Debra Kuklinski, Bob Sertic, Merry Shippee, Mary Ellen Domeseck, Todd & Lily Drebnisky, Eric Bouchet, Chris & Alison, Beth Dickerson, Sheila Saey, Barbie, Rhonda Foss, Kathy Mcneal, Paula H, Abbie, Amie Mumpower, Andrea Roberts, Kellie Carter, Jackie Purcell, Tyra Trueblood, Melesia Love, Jaime Thomson, Karyn, Patricia Ovesny, Megan K, Kristin Coon, Lisa Stamey, Chris Bertelmann, Chris Connors, Ann Carr, Bsherwin, Shirley Mclaughlin, Shannon Milair, Amanda Campbell, David Wickware, Amy Miller, Alyssa Nutter, Lora Myers, Hollie Hinton, Trish Babler, Nick Straka, Juliet, Holley Blyler, Richard Caprio, Gary Genteman, Melissa Blackwell, Diane Blanchard, Shiraz Biggie, Nicole Lassiter, Karen Dresser-Smith, Jason, Jude Toups, Melissa Mathias, Michael Gainey, Jennifer Spraker, Penny, Jen Campbell, Laura Pranaitis, Susieh1957, John, Ken Jackson, Sarah Smee, Brian Gallant, Bryan Timko, Tina Lefante, Becky Davies, Aruna Mohan, Ken Kleiner, Loretta Reed, Wendy Snelgrove, Bruce Lawson, Megan, PaulIgnudo, Lisal Hoffman, Carinne Kight, Eric Hoffman, Jessica Longdon, Jared Orth, Steve Benson, Trygve Cumpston, Ken Fischler, Rachel Sipes, Lynn Barber, Garland Cox, Sharon Lee, Barry Fisher, Lauren, Tim Rachuba, Deb Ragno, Gloria Martin, Michelle Ellis, William Ellis, Chris Thomas, Lisa Pompa, Heather B, Sabrina, Kris Dunkeson, Sharon Pierce, Brian Harrigan, Denise, Linda Mac, Christine Benoit, Jim Thompson, Hillary W, Jennifer Lalli, Leslie Budd, Katie Wetzel, Nora Beirne, Jon Ward, Kendall Huffman, Theresa Rucando, Kyle Carty, Jennifer Horst, Kelley H, Robin Fitts, Willie Tople, Kathy Lowe, Melissa Nute, Kathryn Hughes, Erica Andrews, Amy Schweizer, Maryann Eckenrode, Stacey Barboza, Emily Rogers, Judy Koslowski, Ann Fowler, Rob K, John Agnew, Caryn Schill, Rick Shea, Aaron Hale, Brittany Irish, Scott Cullen, Belicia Dawson, Karen Nelson, Patty Sindone, Evelyn Cowdell, Dan Record, Frank F Fincken III, Christina, Austin O'Blenis, Jane Bradley, Elisa Dillon, Brandy White, Darlene Harmon, Heather Young and Josh Rohrbach. Whew!

And now for the BIG winner of the month… Richard Caprio has won the March drawing for the Hidden Mickeys book and AllEars goodies! Way to go Richard!

Here’s a special shout out to Brian Stake who wrote in to say, “In relation to your question of if that is a bird house or not... that is exactly what it is! I am currently stationed overseas in Baghdad, Iraq and we have a rather large birdhouse on Forward Operating Base Victory that looks very similar to that.” Thanks Brian!
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Challenge #33: 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!
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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!

I love color. When I was young and my favorite afternoon cartoon program said they would be showing them in color I was excited. When I tuned in the next day it was still in black and white! I complained to my mother who carefully explained we didn't have a color television yet. A couple of years later I finally got to see not only cartoons but Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color on Sunday nights in full, living color. Yes, I definitely like color.

Even in my photography, I have always preferred color over black and white. With the advent of the digital darkroom, however, I have started to explore other interpretations of my photographs. There are all kinds of ways to alter your digital images and one of the most popular is rending them from color to black and white.

Harper's Mill can be seen from the walk way between Frontierland and Liberty Square. You can also see it when taking a cruise on a Riverboat. Disney Imagineers are known for their attention to detail and Harper's Mill is one of those park additions which add to the ambiance of Tom Sawyer's Island. I took this in the mid-day sun so it has very bright highlights and deep shadows. This is often referred to as a high contrast image. A perfect candidate for a black and white conversion.

Harper's Mill on Tom Sawyer's Island in Color. Copyright © Scott Thomas Photography 2008
Nikon D70/80-200D, 1/250s, f/6.3, 200 ISO, +0.3 EV, 80mm Focal Length

Most photo software and online editors have a way to turn your color images to black and white. Check your editor's manual or help files on how to do this. Editors vary in the amount of control you have from none to total control of the contrast and amount of the conversion. Below is a simple Black and White rending using Picnik.com, my favorite online photo editor. You can see a larger version of either photo just by clicking on them.

Harper's Mill in Black & White. Copyright © Scott Thomas Photography 2008

Also, check out Jack Spence's Blog on The Old Mill which explains some of the background information about the building.

Once in awhile I'll take a picture that calls out for something different. In the case of the photo below when I first looked at it on my computer monitor, I thought it could have been taken back in the time of the American Old West in the mid-1800's. Those photos are in tones of browns, yellows and whites and referred to as sepia which lots of photo software and online editors can create. If you don't know if your favorite editor has a way to transform your photos into a sepia tone, check out it's manual or search through it's help files.

Frontierland Rail Road Station in Color. Copyright © Scott Thomas Photography 2008
Nikon D70/18-200VR, 1/125s, f/11, 200 ISO, -1.0 EV, 18mm Focal Length

Now, if it wasn't for the fact that Frontierland never existed in the real American Old West and ignoring the modern sign in the lower left, the transformation into a sepia toned photo makes it look like it was taken back in the 1800's. This is a great way to take a simple portrait or landscape and bring it into the past. You can see a larger version of either photo just by clicking on them.

Frontierland Rail Road Station in Sepia. Copyright © Scott Thomas Photography 2008

This was Challenge #37:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2007 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/50s shutter, f5

This lovely clock is on Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom. Angie Young was the first to send in the correct answer. Nice going Angie!

Here’s a special hello to Mrs. Mumpower’s first grade class! Like many people this week, they guessed that this clock was at the train station. That was pretty close, but not quite right. As you can see, the clock is actually about halfway down Main Street. I bet you’ll know the answer to this week’s challenge though.

Until next week, adios! (Hmm, I think that might be a hint!)

Congratulations to all the readers who knew the answer to this past week’s contest and sent it in before the end of Thursday: Becky Myers, Baines Family, Lynn Barber, Bruce Lawson, Richard Nussbaum, Mary Williams, Abbey Williams, Carl Williams, Sharon Pierce, Heather Coursen, Mike Fisk, Tina Panzarella, Sharon Dale, Nancy Hannah, Betsey Pickard, Evelyn Cowdell, Jim Greenhouse, Tim Rachuba, Jen Maciok, Mike, Jennifer Tremley, Raymond Hatch, Chris Connors, Jennifer G, Jared Orth, Trish Babler, Maryann Eckenrode, Karen Dresser-Smith, Ken Fischler, Jeff Christiansen, Mike Kaczanowski, Jacquelyn Law, Ed Nawrocki, Pat Whitson, Hollie Hinton, Chris Bertelmann, Aaron Hale, Lisa Gale, Neil Taylor, Nicole Cyr, Kelley H, Patty Lue Roosa, Holley Blyler, Sherry Klinefelter, Theresa Rucando and Heather Young. Each of you will be entered in the May winners’ drawing.
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Challenge #38: 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!
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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!

This was Challenge #39:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2008 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/320s shutter, f5.3

This beautiful horse pulls the trolley on Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom. Ed Aleszczyk knew that! He was first to send in the correct answer this week, followed by a whole bunch of other people!

Congratulations to all the readers who knew the answer to this past week’s contest and sent it in before the end of Thursday: Cari-Ann Smith, Whitney Miller, Kate L, Heather Stevens, Paul Ignudo, Kevin Toomey, Patty Lue Roosa, Grace Goldblatt, Danusia Rogacki, Sara Lewis, Jennifer Tremley, Daniel Meagher, Sarah Bajek, Holley Blyler, Wendy Snelgrove, Richo, Danny Gauthier, Kim Peters, Brian Gallant, Karen Schlumpf, Sandi Smith, Doug Armstrong, Megan Stallings, Jude Toups, Eulette Mckneely, Susan Pitts, Katie Wetzel, Ken Fischler, Brian Harrigan, John Agnew, Ed Nawrocki, Sara Clemenson, Renee Soderberg, Karen Hotchkiss, Amie Mumpower, Jacquelyn Law, Michelle Ellis, Theresa Rucando, Jessie Romano, Linda Iacono, Debra Kuklinski, Anne Hainsworth, Alyssa Nutter, Angie Young, Jennifer Siwula, Merrie Tesh, Kendall Huffman, Robin Fitts, Double Family, Katelyn Palermo, Patrick Mcclelland, Sarah Smee, Derek Carty, Mike Kaczanowski, Jennifer Bourg, Josh Rohrbach, Evelyn Cowdell, Garland Cox, Jeff Schoeling, Katarina Whitmarsh, Vicki Vaught, Chris Bertelmann, David Lizewski, Darlene Harmon, Caryn Schill, Tim Rachuba, Patty Carty, Rose Guarracino, Chloe' C, John Dupre, Brenda Double, Jesse Kline, Glenn Meyer, Sarah Haas, Christi Ison, Luis Rodriguez, Paige Tow, Michele, Diana Archambault, Willie Tople, DECLAN OBRIEN, Nancy, Marc Lorenzo, Kelli Vancil, Janet Campbell, Chad Ryan, Patti Sturgis, Valerie Mccoy, Heather Coursen, Nan Newton, Melanie, Matt Naldzin, Beth Dye, Sherri Pell, Carol Donoghue, Lisa Battaglia, Tammra Daugherty, Nora Beirne, Renie Mistretta, Stacey Barboza, Moya Seaman, Noreen Rachuba, Sharon Dale, Jennifer Bogdan, Jodie Lee, Lesley Strawderman, Becky Myers, Susan Thompson, Judy Koslowski, Tina Lefante, Dave Cole, Kathryn Hughes, Heidi Leshko, Kimberly Kusser, Cheryl Costello, Bryan Timko, Hollie Hinton, Kelley H And Laura Barnes. Each of you will be entered in the May winners’ drawing.

You can take your time thinking about this next challenge. I'll be going on vacation (more about that later) and will be taking a little break from the blog. You have until Thursday, June 5 to get your answers in. Look for the answer and the next challenge to be published on Sunday, June 8. That's also when the winner of the May winners' drawing will be announced so don't forget to come back!
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Challenge #40: 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, June 5, 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!

This was Challenge #40:

And here's the answer:

Copyright © 2008 Barrie Brewer, Nikon D50, 18-200VR, 1/500s shutter, f5.6

I’m back! Thanks for putting up with me taking a vacation. I had a wonderful time on my Adventures by Disney tours of Italy and France. I’ll be sharing some photos from my trip with you soon.

Several people thought that challenge #40 might have been part of the shipwreck of the Albatross at Stormalong Bay. I thought that was a pretty good guess but it wasn’t quite right. Austin O'Blenis was the first to tell me that this scrawny pirate can be found in the Magic Kingdom, keeping watch from the crow’s nest above the Pirates of the Caribbean sign.

Congratulations to Austin and all the readers who got the answer right: Nancy Bennett, Marissa D'Ambrosio, Walter N. Clark, Candace Dadswell, Bruce Lawson, Willie Tople, Lisa Pompa, Joey Roggenbeck, Robert Mcclean, Gary Burke, Mary Williams, Nan Newton, Don Williams, Chip Vermette, Jill Strand, April Haddock, Nora Beirne, Susan Mcdonald, Evelyn Cowdell, Debra Kuklinski, Dawn Bach, Jessie Romano, Marissa D'Ambrosio, Jennifer Tremley, Tabatha Lawson, Stacey Van Dyke, Juliet, Karen Dresser-Smith, Nancy Bennett, Dawn Suarez, Liz Moreau, Tom Linder, Theresa Peake, Nora Zajac, Christine Rotella, Laurie Parr, Heather Coursen, Heather Stevens, Becky Myers, Beth Dickerson, Nancy Crossman, Kate Fanning, Kelli Vancil, Beth Dye, Kim Phillips, Margaret West, Marisa Sanderson, Brian Haas, Jeremy Hardy, Carrie Gardner, JJ, Jamie Hammond, Janet Theriault, Lisa Battaglia, Jane Treppa, Tina Panzarella, Heidi Leshko, Sheila Saey, Heidi Summers, Debbie Hudson, Tim Sayler, Paul Ignudo, Jr., Alan Lichtman, Mark Carty, Brian Gallant, Noreen Rachuba, Christi Ison, Jennifer Schwing, Carinne Kight, Jen Campbell, Kimberly Kusser, Ashley Salters, Amy Cole, Mary Williams, Stacey Barboza, Marie H., Sherry Klinefelter, Kellie Carter, Ann Carr, Betsey Pickard, Chris Connors, Debra Moscara, Heather Timko, Sharon Powers, Dina Grassi, Dana Schirnhofer, Chad Ryan, Melesia Love, Robin Fitts, Emily Rennie, Wendy Snelgrove, Jesse Kline, Mike Venere, Paula Potts, Tim Rachuba, Sharon Pierces, Robin Mcconnell, Karen Schlumpf, Maryann Eckenrode, Michael Mclucas, Marie Bertini, Jaime Thomson, Ed Nawrocki, Josh Rohrbach, Christina Cella, Sharon Dale, Theresa Rucando, Amy Schweizer, Patty Carty, Hillary W, Kim Davis, Kevin Toomey, Louis And Susanpassauer, Deb Ragno, Brad Weaver, Erica Adkins, Sarah Bajek, Lynn Barber, Joseph Tortorici, Sara Lewis, Katarina Whitmarsh, Ann Fowler, Chris Bertelmann, Kelley H, Anne Hainsworth, Diane Ramos, Lisa Allison, Chloe' C., John Dupre, Garland Cox, Ed Aleszczyk, Jacquelyn Law, Kelli Olthoff, Stephanie Visco, Chris Thomas, Trygve Cumpston, Anthony Dearman, Belicia Dawson, Patty Sindone and Brandy White. Each of you were entered in the May winners’ drawing.

Jennifer Tremley’s name was randomly chosen as the winner of this month’s drawing. Congratulations Jennifer! You are now the proud owner of some special AllEars® goodies and a copy of PassPorter's Walt Disney World by Jennifer Marx, Dave Marx, Allison Cerel Marx.

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Challenge #41: 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, June 12, 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!