Disneyland photography blog
This picture came minutes after a storm began to clear. The warmth of the sun was quick to dry the boardwalk. The clouds broke quickly in all kinds of interesting textures and varying speeds. It was easy to be mesmerized by the scene, which strongly reminded me of one of the beautiful billboards over by Screamin’. I never grow tired of the atmosphere of Paradise Pier. What’s not to love about a nod to the beachside amusement parks of yore?
It seems like it’s been too long since I’ve worked on a picture of the Haunted Mansion. Rectifying that problem tonight was a lot of fun. Every picture is different and it’s rare that the flow of one is ever similar to another but I can say that I took my time on this image more than I usually do. Partly it was fun. Partly it was having inspiration and drive to go after what I wanted this picture to be. This angle is one that I was rather happy to find. I’ve loved this stone structure with its warmly lit wooden door and for a long time, wanted to share it here in some way. I always get a sort of lighthouse feeling from it. Maybe it’s the stone in particular, but this rustic treasure, on the backside of the Harbor Galley, sits next to the Rivers of America and New Orleans Square, a port city. In my own imagination, I see this structure oceanside with cold, tempestuous waves thrashing against it, trying to tear it down. To have a dreary feeling like that pairs so well with the Haunted Mansion. Its ship weathervane plays into my notion nicely, as do some of the backstories to the mansion, where the owner was a drowned, murderous sea captain. I hope you enjoy tonight’s picture, with its hot and cold running chills. Remember, there’s no turning back now!
I’m ashamed to say that I don’t spend anywhere near enough time in a Bug’s Land. Not only are there some great attractions, but the colors, textures and especially the bug’s eye view make this land special and unique. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that it is widely under appreciated. I guess it’s tough to be a Bug’s Land… I recently learned that a Bug’s Land is actually intended to be the lawn of The Hollywood Tower Hotel. That’s an amazing detail, right? It completely altered my perspective with a renewed sense of wonder and having that understanding led to what you see in the picture below. I hope you enjoy!
This shot is the very last shot I took from our twenty-four hour Disney extravaganza and in many ways it is my favorite from the day. This scene is always what I think of first when I think of Disneyland. I love the Main Street Depot and the ever changing Mickey Mouse flowers. It’s the first thing you see past the turnstiles as you eagerly wait to enter and the last thing you look back on as you leave. As we walked through the tunnel, past the attraction posters and out into this grand entrance area, the early morning light seemed to make a point of highlighting Mickey. It makes sense, after all, Walt wanted us to remember that it was all started by a mouse. Even the sun seems to take note of such important things. But for me, more important than any of this, this image is the moment in which I remembered, very tangibly, how special this place is and how blessed I am to visit. To have taken part in such a wonderful event put on by dedicated hard working people is almost indescribable. Twenty-four hours culminated in so much more than exhaustion. This is the place, this magic kingdom, where we make memories and have special moments.
As our One More Disney Day drew to a close with the rising sun, we took the opportunity to spend time at the Rivers of America. We had missed the opportunity the prior morning with ABC’s Modern Family filming right where I took this picture from. There’s something really special about early morning at a river, even one that’s not “real”. It’s so serene as light floods the dawn sky. The water is placid. Even the ducks seem to know how peaceful it all is.
At first glance this sight may not seem all that strange. Perhaps not until you realize that this is, in fact, morning. We spent most of the latter part of our extra Disney day in Fantasyland, which was filled with adults. It wasn’t completely devoid of children but there was a different atmosphere with so many of us who refuse to grow up pressing straight on till morning. I must say though that I had a little trouble finding the second star to the right.
