Magical Picture Memories

Magical Picture Memories

       I know every time I go to a Disney Park or on a Disney Cruise I want pictures. So do you stop and get your picture taken by every PhotoPass Cast Member or do you just shoot as many pictures of yourself as you can and maybe ask other guests and Cast Members to take your picture? My answer? Both!!

       The PhotoPass people are set up at all the most beautiful spots and usually are very good at framing shots to capture the magic spot you are in front of. They are located at all the iconic spots in the parks as well as with the characters. Besides taking pictures with their camera they will use yours if you ask. My favorite places to get PhotoPass pictures taken at Disneyland are in front of the castle and in Mickey’s Movie Barn with Mickey Mouse. As I stated before you can have the PhotoPass Photographer use you camera and we often do.

       I also enjoy getting pictures on the rides. You can often ask a Cast Member assisting guests to load the ride to take your picture. You can also get creative and just hang on tight to your camera and take pictures as the ride is in progress. These are hard to get and I am so glad that digital technology came along so I can shoot ten shots in hopes of getting one good one.

       I have a different view or eye for pictures with characters. I would rather have a picture of the character interacting with my child than a posed picture. I saw the most amazing picture while waiting to look at my PhotoPass pictures. The couple in front of me was a wife and husband and they had a seeing eye dog with them. The husband is blind. This couple had gone to see Mickey Mouse in his Movie Barn. They had gotten to totally amazing pictures! One was Mickey kneeling and reaching out to the dog. The dog was happily sniffing Mickey’s hand. The other was a close up of Mickey and the dog’s faces. They were nose to nose looking right into each other’s eyes. I wanted to buy those pictures and I did not even know the people! The interaction between Mickey and the dog was touching. Those are the moments I want to capture when my family goes to see Mickey. I want to capture the touching interaction between Mickey and us. The hugs and smiles are what stay with us forever.

       I look for the quiet hidden corners to take pictures in. There is a stairway in an alcove on a side street in New Orleans Square. This is a beautiful spot and is often decorated for whatever the holiday/season is. My husband and I love to stop in there and get our picture taken on our anniversary and for Christmas.

       Other fun things to take pictures of are signs and just the small Disney touches. I laughed so hard with I saw the restroom signs at DCA in the food area. I find the flowers on the tables at the Carnation Café a small and beautiful touch and often take pictures of them when I eat there. The Main Street Windows are always fun, both the display and the second story windows. I look for interesting lamps and other things around the park to take pictures of as well.

       All in all the most important thing is take pictures of things that touch your heart. Don’t worry about composition or focus. If you can see what it is a picture of it will remind you of that moment for years to come. Look for the little moments with a smile or funny story and snap away.