There is so much to see at Walt Disney World. The amazing detail in each park is simply mind blowing. The Magic Kingdom is truly a photographer’s dream. I could spend days just capturing the buildings, the characters, the gardens, the sculptures, etc. I’m so happy there I feel this crazy urge to document every element of the experience to bring it home with me.
The Most Important Thing to Remember:
All those Disney details will still be there during your next visit. What changes between now and then is your family. The best photography tip I know is to turn your camera towards your children and document their reactions to the experience rather than the parade/show/castle in front of them. There is nothing in the world like the smile and excitement of seeing Mickey for the first time: That’s the picture you really want to bring home, not an image of something that could be purchased in the gift shop as a postcard.
What to Look For:
If you want to capture your kids’ reactions to a Disney parade, do just a little prep work before the parade starts. I found a great open shade spot for us to watch the 1 p.m. live show in front of Cinderella’s Castle at Magic Kingdom featuring Mickey & friends. Here’s a pullback so you can see what it looked like: My family stood in the shade facing out towards the sunny area for the parade. We arrived 20 minutes early to save our spot under the awning and it gave us a perfect view of the show. From there I was able to move around and to the side of my family to capture their reactions in nice even lighting. This is a much more flattering light than out in the open sunshine where your kids will be hot and sweaty and squinting to see the show. I love this image of my daughter clinging to my husband’s neck as he holds her up for a better view of the parade. They are all snuggled in and enjoying the show. Beats a shot of Mickey in front of the castle any day! Of course, I did capture just a few images of the parade characters so I would remember what it is they are looking at but none of them catch my heart strings like these do.
More Disney Vacation Photo Tips:
