2013-11-08 | MLCreations Photography

One aspect of Disney photography that has eluded me is dark ride photography. Getting images inside an attraction while the ride vehicle is moving with minimal light and ‘no flash photography, please!’ just was not something I was able to accomplish. The very first group event at Photo Magic 2013 was riding The Great Movie Ride at Hollywood Studios. Oh boy! I listened to the advice being offered by members of the group. I switched to my fastest lens (35mm f/1.8) and thought… ‘I can do this!’. OK, maybe I didn’t actually think that. I was still unsure of myself but what the heck, it was only space on a digital memory card and the delete button would be right there.

The fixed lens did present a few challenges. I know there were a few scenes I was not able to capture and some close up opportunities that escaped me but I did manage to come away with a few good images. I learned a few tricks, got a better appreciation for using the higher ISO settings on my camera and figured out how steady myself as the vehicle was moving. In the end it was a great experience. It was fun riding the attraction with such a large group of photographers and listening to the click of the shutters as everyone was trying to grab their view of the ride. Heck, I might even spend more time next visit trying to get those scenes I missed…