Boardwalk at Night

Posted by Mike on February 26, 2015

Boardwalk, Crescent Lake,
Walt Disney World

Even when I am on vacation I am an early riser. It does have its advantages. When I stay at one of the resorts around Crescent Lake (behind Epcot) I always go exploring before most people are even considering waking up. I might meet the occasional jogger or maintenance worker but for the most part I have the lake to myself.

This is a 6 image HDR panorama of the Boardwalk from the pavilion between the Boardwalk and Epcot. Normally I use Photomatix to combine the exposures but this time I tried the ‘Merge to HDR Pro’ in Photoshop. I have to admit that for this image I really like the results. I had plenty of control for the merge and it was a little easier to use. With both merged images still open in Photoshop I used the Photomerge function to create the panorama. There was a little more adjusting in Photoshop to get to this final image.

Boardwalk at Night
Nikon D5100, Tokina 12-24mm f/4, {8, 15 & 30s brackets}, 28mm, f/11, ISO 100

Sunset Reflected

Posted by Mike on November 6, 2014

Computer Chip Commercialization Center (Quad-C)
SUNY Polytech Institute Campus

Sunset Reflected
Olympus E-P3, M. Zuiko 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6, 1/160s, 22mm, f/8, ISO 400

Torii Gate Light Reflections

Posted by Mike on October 11, 2014

Torii Gate, Japan Pavilion
Epcot, Walt Disney World

It is only a few days away from my planned (and then cancelled) fall trip to Walt Disney World. I am feeling a little home sick. LOL The autumn and Halloween time decorations, combined with the Food and Wine Festival, make this time of year my favorite time to visit. I had also planned on attending the Magic in Pixels – Pixelmania 2014 event but some required training for work interrupted my plans. It only delays the inevitable and allows me to save up for a more glorious spring trip. 😉

The Japan Pavilion in Epcot’s World Showcase is one of my favorite places to explore and photograph. The Imagineers went all in on this pavilion. There are numerous iconic features that draw my camera’s attention on every trip. The torii gate in the waters at the front of the pavilion has always been a challenge for me. I even make it more difficult be insisting on capturing it at night. I do like the light reflections though…

Torii Gate Light Reflections
Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, {10, 15, 30, 45, 60, 80 & 106s bracket}, 17mm, f/16, ISO 400

A Quiet Morning for Reflection

Posted by Mike on October 9, 2014

Flame Tree Barbecue seating area
Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World

One of the reasons I love going to Disney is for the exploration. There are the obvious attractions and experiences that Disney pushes at their guests but my greatest enjoyment comes from wandering around the parks and finding all the little details that enhance our experience. Most visitors will not make the time to actually see what has been built as they rush from one big event to the next. My initial visits were that way as I wasn’t sure if and when we would return. We dragged the kids through long days and tried to ‘see’ everything. What we missed were the quiet moments that become the memory makers.

I was in the Animal Kingdom last October for the early morning extra magic hour and wandered down to the seating area behind the Flame Tree Barbecue. This area has one of the best views of Expedition Everest but what I found was the detail and beauty built just so the guests have a nice place to eat lunch. I spent the whole hour in this area photographing the details. I don’t remember which attraction I rode first that day but I do remember how much fun I had exploring that morning.

Slow down and enjoy the little moments…