I mentioned in my last post about all of the wonderful photo ops in Epcot (and Disney in general). I have literally hundreds of photos I need to go through and edit, but I wanted to share a couple to show you why I love taking pics at Epcot. A few things are key. We never made it to the parks first thing in the morning where I could take advantage of natural light, and I usually had a grumpy little model by the time lovely late afternoon light arrived, so I tried to find spots that were not in direct sunlight but also not too much shade. Good natural light can be found in spots around various areas in the parks. Having a well fed, well rested, compliant subject is necessary. When desperate, resort to small bribes that won't set you back too much, lol! Also, I tried to wait until I got a "clear" background - where we didn't have throngs of people milling around while I was trying to get the shot. This means having the camera ready to go at all times and snapping quickly as soon as the background clears. Take multiple shots so one is bound to come out. If you are using a digital camera, charge up the battery every night and use a memory card with significant memory (I use a Sandisk card with 8 GB of memory). This prevents the frustration of running out of room and not having a spare card. Dress your subject so that the clothing colors and patterns don't interfere with the background and the beauty of the shot. For artsy photos, stay away from that neon green tee shirt stamped with a summer camp logo. Try to dress them in interesting, but unobtrusive clothing. In these photos that follow, I chose a grey tank with subtle yellow stripes and interesting trim around the neckline.
Take lots of pictures. LOTS. Lots and lots of pictures are key - for every 10-12 I take, I probably have 1-2 turn out the way I wanted!
Because so many of my photos are used in my artwork, I end up taking lots of non-event shots. Of course, I have plenty of the event based shots, lots of Disney character photos, bad blurry photos, photos of my loved ones just goofing around, photos of the parades, photos taken while on a bumpy ride, but I also try to do a little bit of "artsy" photography, photos that evoke a mood. I usually page through catalogs for ideas, and try to pose Alekha the way I want to get those art shots. I have to say she is a pretty good subject. I started her very young - by age 3 or 4 she pretty well knew what to do in front of the camera. But I think it's something anyone can get their models to do with a little coaching. Don't forget closeups - of your subject as well as details of the surroundings too. They are great for those multiple photo layouts.
As for venues - Epcot has so many for taking those artsy photos -- the various pavilions in the world showcase has innumerable locations to choose from. I also try to find the backgrounds that I want - while everyone else is queuing up to take a photo at the marked Kodak photo spots, I am trying to find a less obvious spot that adds interest - in front of a weathered painted door, against a building that has interesting texture, somewhere that lends interest without being the obvious "popular" choice.
This first shot was taken at the Mexican Pavilion. I love the bird wandering about in the background and the gorgeous Southwestern colors of the edifice as well as the palm frond framing part of the photo. I added brushes and digital elements to give it the look of a fashion catalog. The frame and label are from Pugly Pixel. Katrina has some wonderful digital resources at very affordable prices and also gives plenty of tutorials on using them. This shot was all about being fast as there were people constantly entering the background from the adjacent building. Notice the lighting - we weren't in the direct sunlight of the 91 degree weather that Orlando had that day, nor were we bathed in shadow. Good lighting is a large part of a good photo.
This one was taken in the French Pavilion - near one of the columns that are papered with reproduction French posters. It's a tall, round column that wouldn't have lent itself to a good shot if Alekha had posed in front of it in the traditional manner, but by zoning in on her, and having her lean against it, the column added lots of interest to the background.
I'll try to post some more tips after I've edited some additional shots. Hope this has helped some! Have a great Tuesday!
