Monorail Monday
Future World, Epcot, Walt Disney World
I couldn’t let another Monday pass by without posting an image of a monorail! Looking back at the pictures I captured on my one Disney park day in March I think a good third of them are of a monorail. I’ll chalk it up to me still trying to find that new and unique image. Yeah, that is what I’ll tell myself… LOL
Colorful Energy
Olympus OM-D E-M1, M. Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8, 1/400s, 12mm, f/11, ISO 400
Monorail Monday
Although I only went to a Disney park on one day my last trip to Florida I managed to satisfy my monorail hunting addiction. I enjoyed Epcot and the International Flower & Garden Festival but looking through my 300 images from that day I really did obsess over those dang monorails.
Disney once again placed the Sorcerer Mickey topiary in the plaza between the Imagination and Land pavilions so I think I was obligated to capture it with a monorail in the background. I mean, you have to have one on the monorail track if it is in your picture, right? That is a rule, isn’t it? Someone back me up… LOL.
I tried something a little different with the processing of this image. Along with my normal work flow I added a little radial blur around the edges to bring the focus back to the center of the image. I did this as the composition did not have any way of directing your eye to my intended subject(s). I might be pushing this image a little by calling it a Monorail Monday shot, but hey, it is worth a try. I do like this topiary display. 😉
Sorcerer Monorail 2
Olympus OM-D E-M1, M. Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8, 1/400s, 15mm, f/11, ISO 200
Monorail Monday
Lime Land
Olympus OM-D E-M1, M. Zuiko 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R, 1/800s, 62mm, f/11, ISO 400
Monorail Monday
Future World, Epcot, Walt Disney World
Every image is really about stopping time but some images show it more than others. This image especially conveys that stoppage due to the reverse waterfall and the frozen in time look. Normally I like my waterfalls looking smooth but this was captured before I had filters for my Olympus lenses.
Stopping Time
Olympus OM-D E-M10, M. Zuiko 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R, 1/400s, 14mm, f/10, ISO 200
Monorail Monday
Future World, Epcot, Walt Disney World
I’m back to another Disney image but it is for a specific reason. Monday’s are known as Monorail Mondays to a lot of us Disney photographers. Since standing around waiting for a monorail to pass by my chosen location is actually one of those activities I enjoy while at WDW, I thought it appropriate to post another contribution.
I really love the area of Future World in Epcot over near The Land and The Living Seas (I know, I should be calling it The Seas with Nemo & Friends but I like the previous name) pavilions. There are always beautiful flowers growing in the planters and the abundance of water allows for great monorail reflections. Plus, due to the taller trees I can also find a spot in the shade to wait for the next monorail.
This image is utilizing one of those pools to grab a reflection of the monorail as it heads toward the Epcot station. Spaceship Earth can be seen in the background and in my opinion that is always a plus for my monorail images. The cool part of any monorail image is due to the configuration there is a ‘front’ on both ends so unless you know the route even a receding monorail looks like it is coming into view. 🙂
Star Wars Reflection
Olympus OM-D E-M1, M. Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8, 1/320s, 17mm, f/9.1, ISO 400
Imagination Pavilion, Future World, Epcot
Mondays are always difficult. The start of another work week. The first get up after a relaxing weekend. But they are also known in my Disney Photography world as Monorail Monday. I have posted lots of monorail images and as any frequent reader will know I have a thing for those darn monorails. 🙂
Today’s monorail image is a little different. It is more of a hint of monorail image than anything else. I also have a thing for photographing the reverse waterfall at the Imagination Pavilion in Epcot. This image combines those two favorites.
I was right in the middle of the evening blue hour. The sky still had that deep blue color and near the horizon you can catch a glimpse of the sun reflecting off the clouds. I setup the tripod with the thought of capturing the monorail as it approached the waterfalls. In order to freeze the monorail I would have had to increase my ISO to get a fast enough shutter speed.
I went in the other direction. I triggered the shutter as the monorail approached and captured the whole passing in a 25 second exposure. This allowed for a nice smoothing of the waterfall and monorail. You can still make out a few distinguishing features of the monorail… the red stripe, the white body and the window area. The headlight created a great reflection in the water.
Motion Blur
Nikon D7100, Tokina 12-28mm f/4, 25s, 12mm, f/11, ISO 200
Monorail Monday – Epcot, Walt Disney World
The Force Glides Through
Olympus OM-D E-M1, M. Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8, 1/320s, 21mm, f/11, ISO 400
Monorail Monday
Epcot, Walt Disney World
It has been almost four years since the kids were in Walt Disney World. Last year when I couldn’t go on vacation with them due to work they did go over to Downtown Disney. This year they were not going to let me get away without taking them over. We planned on two days. The first was definitely going to be Epcot. The kids are fascinated with the Japan Pavilion and I knew there would be plenty of photography for me.
Of course if you have been cursed with reading this blog then you know when I go to Epcot it involves capturing monorails. I think it is the challenge of discovering new views for the monorails that keeps me interested. Oh, who am I kidding… I love the monorails, and obviously photography, so this is a match perfect for me.
This was also a different style trip to Disney for me. It wasn’t about me and pictures. I decided before we even left Grandma’s that I was not bringing the tripod. I was going to do everything hand-held. It would be about capturing the moments not the technically perfect images. My new Olympus OM-D E-M1 would be great for this. Plenty of controls, small, lightweight and portable. No renting a locker, no twenty pound backpack. Just enjoy the parks and grab some pictures.
This approach had me modifying my normal shooting method. As the sun started to set I needed to increase my ISO settings or find places the prop up the camera. Especially with monorails where I have found I need at least a 1/320s shutter speed to freeze the monorail in the image.
Christmas time at Disney is always beautiful and the parks are full of poinsettia plants. I positioned myself just behind one and waited. Monorail Gold came round the park loop and I fired away. At 5:30pm the sun was just above the horizon so my ISO was up to 1600 and the aperture was down to f/6.3 to get the shutter speed I needed. This one will be a little grainy looking if you zoom in but the view is still great.
Poinsettia Gold
Olympus OM-D E-M1, M. Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8, 1/320mm, 12mm, f/6.3, ISO 1600
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