Favorite photo locations About This Page:

[MandJ112009]

Hi everyone

Is there any place where I can find a list of neat photo spots? I know there are kodak spots listed on the maps and throughout the parks, but that's not really what I mean. I'm more thinking along the lines of:

1) Trying to pull the sword from the stone at MK
2) Under the "raining umbrella" at DHS
3) next to the snowman at DHS
4) in front of the fountain in X country at Epcot
5) next to Cinderella's fountain near the castle at MK
6) With your head in the tiger's mouth at the Rainforest Cafe sign in AK

So...anyone know where I can find a list like this? If not, anyone want to chime in and help me make a list? I'd like to include at a minimum the following info in my new list:
the park
the land (Fantasy Land, Toon Town, etc)
Any helpful hints for finding the spot.

If you'd like to help me and have a picture of the spot (you, your kids, someone you know, etc) I'd love to see them posted too! I could maybe even add the photos themselves to the list for a visual reference! (with permission of course!)

Thanks for your help everyone! I'm REALLY excited to see what kind of locations everyone comes up with!

[Dave Marx]

Maybe folks have put together their personal lists of favorite spots, but I don't happen to be aware of them.

My list would probably have hundreds of locations on it. Even a normally mundane location can become special under the right weather and/or lighting conditions, with the right composition/lens selection, etc. That's part of the beauty of photography - each photographer has his/her own way of seeing the world. Some photographers love grand vistas, so they wait until they reach the mountaintop. Others find beauty in interplay of light and shadow in the deep woods. Some want places that will provide suitable backdrops for family photos (family in front of a famous landmark). Others are fascinated by architectural detail. Some of my best photos of WDW were taken in places that probably wouldn't show up on anybody's list of great photo spots - I happen to enjoy finding beauty in unexpected places. For example, in Epcot there are a number of places where you can see the monorail beam. The beam simply gets in the way of your shot if there's no train on the beam, but if you wait for the right moment, you'll have a great photo that includes the train.

To help us all out, perhaps you could narrow things down. And rather than hope to get all the possible great locations, try to limit the number, such as "one favorite location in each of the resorts," "one location in each land of each park," etc. I'm sure that you'd get enough answers for each that you'd still have a very long list, but I'm also sure that, no matter how many answers you get, some fabulous locations will never make it to to the list. After all, Disney's parks and resorts are designed by the Imagineers. One of their goals is to provide an attractive view no matter where a guest happens to be.

As to seeing sample photos... a few samples are always cool, to help folks visualize the location and the possibilities. However, they can also limit a photographer's own vision (I wonder how many photographers have tried to duplicate Ansel Adams' famous photos of Yosemite's Half Dome?)

[Carousel96]

Since no one has chimed in, I'll give you a few of our faves:

At All Star Movies: in the toy RC car on the way to the Toy Story buildings, with DD's head "in" the TV at the Dalmations building, in Donald's hammock.

At DHStudios: We always take DD's picture with her hands in Lauren Bacall's handprints in front of the Great Movie Ride.

[Tonichelle]

I actually stay away from the kodak spots... EVERYONE has those shots...

[travelin n scrappin sara]

well the only 'spot' I wanted to return to was moved.....

It was the Goofyamatic (?) thing on the porch of the camera store just off the circle at the entrance of Magic Kingdom. I went there the last time we were there to take the kids photo at the same place we were 2 years prior and the thing was gone..... oh well, so much for those plans!

[MandJ112009]

Originally Posted by Dave Marx

To help us all out, perhaps you could narrow things down. And rather than hope to get all the possible great locations, try to limit the number, such as "one favorite location in each of the resorts," "one location in each land of each park," etc. I'm sure that you'd get enough answers for each that you'd still have a very long list, but I'm also sure that, no matter how many answers you get, some fabulous locations will never make it to to the list. After all, Disney's parks and resorts are designed by the Imagineers. One of their goals is to provide an attractive view no matter where a guest happens to be.

As to seeing sample photos... a few samples are always cool, to help folks visualize the location and the possibilities. However, they can also limit a photographer's own vision (I wonder how many photographers have tried to duplicate Ansel Adams' famous photos of Yosemite's Half Dome?)

Excellant suggestions Dave! Thank you so much!

Let's limit it to one location in each land of each park (but if you have something else special, please feel free to post it!

I was wanting examples more to help me find the location of any obscure places, but I see what you mean about it limiting a photographer's own vision. However...me being SO new to my DSLR (and pretty much using it in point and shoot at this point), I dont know that MY vision could be limited

Thank you so much everyone! I know I'll never get ALL of the places, but I'd love to have a fun list for us to go off of for our upcoming trip! It will be our first trip with the DSLR and we are really hoping to get some fantastic pictures!

[DVC_Increda_Man]

There is a photo ops at the top of the list at
Making More Magic: Everything Else
Link: Photo Ops? at Making More Magic: Everything Else.
There is a lot of member locations there

[Joanne929]

I will say that taking photos of anything and everything at AK is one of my favorite things to do while in WDW. There is just SO much to photograph there - I love it!

[WillCAD]

I started to list my favorite photo ops, and it got to be a novella, so I made a new page for them on my web site instead:
WillCAD.org - Walt Disney World Photo Ops

[Tonichelle]

great list!