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Keep The Camera Handy – Family Photos On Rides

By Paul on December 15th, 2011

One of the first things you think about when remembering your trip to Walt Disney World is what attractions you rode. Unfortunately most people don’t have many photos of the family enjoying their favorite attractions. We remember to stop and take a photo with a PhotoPass photographer. We always get photos of us with Mickey and other characters, but how many pictures do you have of the expressions after the first hill on Big Thunder Mountain?

On your next trip, keep your camera handy on the ride!

Make sure you have a good camera strap first! AND make sure you are using that strap!

You will be surprised at the expressions you can capture!

Here are a few tips to help you capture those memories.

Shoot Often
You’re going to be bumped, turned, and twisted while trying to focus. You may have to shoot 50 shots on Big Thunder to get one in focus.

Focus Mode
As a portrait photographer, I’m always using a single point focus mode and aiming for the eyes. I use single point focus on attractions as well. But I switch from single shot focus to continuous focus. This will allow the camera to keep focusing on that one point even if their tea cup spins further away.

Exposure Settings
For attractions with lots of movement you’ll need a faster shutter speed to capture the moment. Adjust your ISO and aperture to give you the highest shutter speed possible. On dark rides that may be 1/60th or 1/30th. On rides outside you should be able to reach shutter speeds of 1/250th and above easily.

Be Careful
Be careful with yourself and your camera. Make sure that strap is tight! Also make sure you don’t put yourself at risk. On a recent trip I leaned out of the of the vehicle further than I should have on the Mad Tea Party. My position greatly increased the G’s, and I had to sit for a few minutes before continuing. There are also times when leaning out of the vehicle or turning at a different angle can cause physical injury. Be careful!

Keep the camera out on the wet rides too!

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