Getting a nice family portrait from Photopass

[Stan]

I recently composed a set of recommendations for how a family could get a high quality portrait of their group taken by the Disney Photopass photographers. Now I know this happens all the time- but I don't think it's super consistent, and that's not (always) the photographer's fault. I thought others might find my suggestions useful, so here they are.

This list was part of an email exchange back in May-June when someone asked me to meet them for portraits during their Orlando visit. Unfortunately I was on a rare out of town trip the whole time they were here- so I couldn't help them, nor was I able to suggest another photographer (since I don't know anyone else doing quite what I do).

Please feel free to comment on, add to, or disagree with my ideas !!!
I'll probably think of more things to add later myself.

1. Find 2 or 3 spots where Photopass photographers are stationed, get your family all situated and ready, and go pose for them. Do this in at least 2 places with at least 2 different photographers.
2. Make sure all your photos go on the same photopass (take the card from 1st photographer to all the others?). Once you're done you should be able to buy the photo CD and make all the prints you want (that's why it's important to use the same photopass, a $xx CD can contain images from only 1 photopass).
3. Since the Disney photographer(s) may not all have the time or experience to pose large groups, practice your group ahead of time at posing "at a moment's notice"- maybe try your own digital camera to get it right. You need to make sure everyone's face shows, and I suggest leaning everyone's outside shoulder forward (everyone tilts toward center about 30-45 deg)... alternative is everyone faces same direction. Just don't let anyone be square chest toward camera- almost no one looks good that way. Study my group poses to see what I mean.
4. On a clear or partly cloudy day you want to do the photos early AM or late PM (not too close to sunset), in the shade (preferred) or with the sun behind you. On an overcast day that doesn't matter so much.

[disneydeb]

WooHoo!
You are the new Intercot sponsor!

WELCOME!
Are you coming to the meet in October?
and
Thanks for the photography tips!
deb

[Stan]

Hi, Deb. Holy smokes... 10,060 posts!

Yes, I'm planning to be at the meet, and I expect I'll do some photos (John & I are discussing).

You're welcome about the tips. Most of what I said applies to portraits made by anyone. Funny thing about a photograph- it's a chain only as strong as its weakest link- for example it doesn't matter if a people picture is made with the finest camera $3,000 can buy, if it's taken with unflattering light or from an unflattering angle it's still no good. The tough thing in a given photo setting is figuring out which factors are really important so you can concentrate on getting those right and ignore the other 10,000 that don't matter.

[dolphinmickey9170]

Welcome Stan. Glad to have you as our newest sponsor.

You have some great tips -
may I add one.....

When the stars of the photo are wearing glasses, have them tip their head toward the center of the shot just a little so the light of the flash does not bounce of the glasses. Don't tip so much it looks un-natural, but just a slight amount. We found this out the hard way a few years back.

Hope this helps.

[Stan]

Speaking of glasses... #6 - Ditch the sunglasses unless you're trying to be cool , ditto handbags, fanny packs, ice cream cones, Goofy hats?, etc etc. I'm always trying to take care of this myself, but occasionally even I miss something, like when several people joined this group after I'd told everyone else about 50 times to take off their sunglasses. Consider leaving the regular glasses off too unless they are an integral part of your personage or have an effective non-reflective coating.

#7- Ask to see the photo on the camera before your group abandons the pose- so if something's wrong (like Grandma's face hidden behind Uncle Joe) you can try again right away. (Will the Disney photographers do this?... does anyone know?)

[LoriMistress]

These are all great suggestions. If you have an early ADR for breakfast at one of the parks, they do have CMs that are out that are doing the Photopass. Less guests to fight the crowds against and less guests that won't be in the backround of your picture.

[kakn7294]

If I'm trying to get a really good family shot, the best time for us to do so is in the morning when we are all fresh and still look good. I like all of the other tips - we do remove the fanny packs! Thanks Stan!

[Lizzie]

Thanks for the hints. On our last trip we traveled with our twins as infants and we always left them in the stroller, because it was easier and we were always stopping for picutures. Now looking back I really wish we had taken the time to take them out when they weren't sleeping. Though they were usually sleeping.

[tinksmom02]

Thanks for all the great tips! We didn't use Photpass on our last trip as much as I would have liked, but we're planning to fix that in Sept, and your tips will come in handy! Thanks again!

[Stan]

#11- Try an unconventional grouping (best practised ahead of time unless you find a very patient photographer). The crazier it feels the better you'll probably like it later. Do enough different places and poses that you'll have a lot of choices when you get home. I bet you choose one of the "funny" ones to blow up for a big print on your wall.

Eventually I'll put all these ideas in 1 big list with proper credit given...

[Catwillow]

[*]Make sure all your photos go on the same photopass (take the card from 1st photographer to all the others?). Once you're done you should be able to buy the photo CD and make all the prints you want (that's why it's important to use the same photopass, a $xx CD can contain images from only 1 photopass).[/LIST]

My best friend and I have purchased several of the Photopass CD's since they have been offering it and on ALL of them we have had multiple photopass cards put on them.

[Stan]

I'm glad to hear about that. I haven't purchased a Photopass CD myself (that's a surprise I bet ), but I had DGD out at MK a while back and we went to see Mickey (DGD is 2 and you haven't been to WDW if you didn't see Mickey). So of course I went online to look at the photos they took and compare to the ones I took (Toontown Fair). For the record neither of us did very well in there- I could give Disney a nice lesson in balancing the color of flash and incandescent floods if they're interested in improving their operation- I know how to deal with it but the setting caught me unprepared that day- but I digress.

For weeks afterward I got emails offering me prints and CD's... that's the way the game works. And somewhere it said (or maybe a CM told me at the park?) that only one photopass could be on a single CD. So I'm guessing that a family that ended up with a pocketful of photopasses from a week at WDW might have a problem getting all those pics for the price of one CD.

So, what's the official story? Has anyone had a problem with this? ...or is it not a concern?

[tyandskyesmom]

My best friend and I have purchased several of the Photopass CD's since they have been offering it and on ALL of them we have had multiple photopass cards put on them.

I was going to say the same thing. We had three cards put onto one CD. No problem...we did it at Grand Floridian on our last day and the CMs there said it was fine.

[Stan]

We had three cards put onto one CD. No problem...we did it at Grand Floridian on our last day and the CMs there said it was fine.

Very good- now we just need to hear if anyone was ever not allowed to do this.

#12- Try a little digital editing after you get home and have the photos on your own computer... using Photoshop, Photoimpact (my personal favorite- way cheaper too), or whatever. This may be more important if you plan to make an 18x24 print for your DMIL's family room. Maybe you ended up with glasses flash reflections after all, or there's a ketchup stain on Joey's white shirt (funny how you see that in a photo but not the day it was made). Maybe in your large group, even though you asked the photographer to take 5 shots, there wasn't one image with everybody's eyes open, smiling, etc. So you need to copy somebody from one pose to another like in this shot. The original looked like this- compare boy in front row.

[Darin M]

My girlfriend and I edit our Photos with Adobe Photoshop CS2. You can do soooooo... many different things to your photos, the possibilities are endless.

[fairies*n*fireflies]

This is my first official post! YEAH!!!


Thanks Stan for the great tips. I am into scrapbooking so I try to plan some of my photos out for layouts. My friend at work told me about the photopass cd's and its definately worth the cost compared to purchasing the individual cost of ordering them off the website. She said that it cost her approx $100 for her CD last year.

Jennifer

[Stan]

OK, now I guess I can summarize the list. We can always do it again if we get more ideas.

1) Do family group photos in more than 1 place (Stan).
2) Get all photos on same photopass- may be OK if you don't (Stan).
3) Practise posing your group before you get to the photographer, and lean everyone toward center... nobody straight on to camera. (Stan).
4) Avoid sun in your faces (Stan).
5) Glasses wearers tip heads toward center to avoid flash reflections (dolphinmickey9170).
6) Ditch sunglasses, fanny packs, etc etc, maybe also regular glasses (Stan).
7) Confirm photos are OK by reviewing on the camera (Stan).
8) Have an early breakfast ADR inside a park & have CM's make photos before park opens (LoriMistress).
9) Work in the morning while everyone is fresh (kakn7294).
10) Take children out of strollers for photos (Lizzie).
11) Try an unconventional grouping- here's another recent one I did (Stan).
12) Don't skip the digital editing (Stan).

[LoriMistress]

Here are some tips on how to take some great pictures or more use for your Photopass:

*Start capturing the memories early in your stay. Be sure to get your first Disney's PhotoPass photo taken in the first park you visit to mark the start of your vacation.

*Keep your Disney's PhotoPass card in a safe, accessible location. Just in case your card gets lost, write down the 16-digit number from the back so you're sure to have it handy when you're ready to view your photos.

*If your party splits up, each person can have their own card. It's easy to combine multiple cards into one account online.

*In general, you'll find the Photopass photographers near the park entrances, main icons and at the majority of Disney character meet and greet locations. Read on for specific locations throughout the Walt Disney World® Resort.

*The Photopass photographers will take multiple poses at each location to ensure that you get a great variety. Let them help position your party and allow them to take the candid moments as well as the more traditional portrait-style shots.

*Once you get back home, try adding borders or character signatures to your photos. You can also crop your photos and save them to increase the total number of photos that will appear on your Disney's PhotoCD.


Notes for MK:

* Wonderful icon shots include spots near the main entrance, Main Street U.S.A., and in the Castle Hub area. Did you know we have over 8 different vantage points of the picturesque Cinderella Castle? Start with a classic on Main Street and let our photographer point out other perfect spots. Be sure to include a photo with the castle lit up at night!
* If your family loves photos with characters, Magic Kingdom® Park is a MUST SEE. Be sure to stop in Town Square and in Mickey's Toontown Fair to meet all of your favorites including Mickey, Minnie, and their pals, Winnie the Pooh and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood as well. Toontown also includes the perfect place for posing with Princesses!
* You can also take photos with Ariel at her Grotto in Fantasyland; Aladdin, Jasmine and the Genie as well as Captain Hook, Mr. Smee, Peter Pan and Wendy in Adventureland and Stitch in Tomorrowland.


Notes for Epcot:

* Start with a fun portrait with Epcot's signature icon, Spaceship Earth in the background. Our photographers can be found just inside the main entrance as well as on the opposite side of the "big ball" to get a perfectly proportioned photo. Does it look more spectacular in the daytime or at night? Get photos of both and you decide.
* In Future World, pose with Mickey and the gang inside the Character Connection in Innoventions West. You can meet up to five favorites in a row!
* Characters are also found throughout the park. Many of the Disney Princesses and their friends are known to visit with their loyal subjects throughout World Showcase, including Winnie the Pooh & Friends in the United Kingdom Pavilion! Be sure to ask our photographers for a rundown on where to find your favorite characters when you visit.
* Ready for the rides of your life? Be sure to pose outside of the Mission Space attraction. Plus, if you ride Test Track, just slide your Disney's PhotoPass card into the slot under the photo monitor at the end of the attraction to add your ride photo to your account.

Notes for MGM:

* What better place for some "action" shots than Hollywood Boulevard? Great locations with Mickey's Sorcerer Hat in the background await up and down this famous street.
* Capture the thrill (or is that fear?) as you head toward Sunset Boulevard's most exhilarating attractions. Our photographers will capture great photos with the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Rock 'n Roller Coaster (starring Aerosmith) in the background (Note: Attraction photos not included).
* Disney characters are waiting to meet you all day long. Come say "hi" at the end of Hollywood Boulevard right "under" Sorcerer Mickey's hat. Or, you can meet your friends from Disney/Pixar's Toy Story at Al's Toy Barn.
* There are great photo moments on the Avenue of the Americas including a chance to pose with some "attitude" when you meet the Power Rangers!


Notes for AK:

* Begin your visit with a photo just outside the main entrance to capture the excitement of the adventure that awaits.
* Did you know that there are over 325 animals carved into the Tree of Life? Our photographers can point out a few and take some gorgeous photos of you in front of this most spectacular backdrop.
* Whether you're brave enough to ride or just want to watch the thrillseekers, don't miss a photo with the breathtaking, scream-inducing Expedition Everest in the background. Our photographers have the ideal location scouted for you in Asia (Note: Attraction photo not included).
* Stop by Camp Minnie-Mickey to pose with Mickey and the gang decked out in their safari-wear. You can also meet Winnie the Pooh and friends along the river near the entrance to Dinoland U.S.A. at the Character Boat Landing, or Baloo & King Louie in Africa.


Notes for Other Places on WDW Property:

* Disney's Typhoon Lagoon and Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Parks: Leave your camera in a dry, safe place and let us capture all the splashy fun. Our photographers can be found at several locations in each Disney Water Park. They'll even give you a special card that you conveniently wear around your wrist. What could be easier? (or more fun!)
* Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique: If you're planning a princess makeover during your stay, you're in for a treat. Our photographers will take photos before, during and after the magical transformation. Trust us, these are definitely going to be keepers.
* Select Dining Locations: If you dine at any of the following locations and purchase* the photos offered tableside, those photos can be added to your Disney's PhotoPass account.

**Cinderella's Royal Table at Magic Kingdom® Park
(photos included with meal price)
**Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus; Norway in Epcot®
**Restaurantosauras at Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park
**Chef Mickey's at Disney's Contemporary Resort
**Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show at Disney�s Polynesian Resort
**'Ohana at Disney's Polynesian Resort
**Mickey's Backyard Barbecue and the Hoop Dee Doo Musical
**Revue Dinner show at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort.

Great Site for Saving $$$ For Photopass:

Since Photopass CDs cost aprox $125 now, you can purchase your Photopass in advance for $99.95!

http://www.disneyphotopass.com/previsitcdplan.aspx

This site may be helpful for those who are going to special events (Example: MNSSHP, MVMCP, P&PP, etc.)

[Stan]

Thanks !!!

[LoriMistress]

This is my first official post! YEAH!!!

Welcome to Intercot!