What I Learned From my DIY Photo Shoot at Disneyland

I don't know about you, but I love taking pictures at Disneyland.  Most of the pictures I take are of random Disney details, candids of my family, and occasionally I try to shoot on rides and during shows or parades.  However, a few months ago my daughter was about to graduate from preschool and I wanted to take some pictures of her to share with our family.  We had a trip planned to Disneyland around that time, so I decided to plan a mini photo shoot for her in the park.  Being that I am not a professional photographer -- this was mainly trial and error.

Here's what I learned:

1. Figure out how you want your pictures to "look and feel".  Jot down outfit ideas, locations in parks, time of day you want to shoot, and anything else that you want to include in your pictures, for example, Mickey ears, bubble wands, or toys.  We had a short list of locations, starting with the most important.  Doing this helped me get a realistic idea of what our day would look like.

2. Look up other pictures on Instagram and Pinterest.  I spent a few days looking at pictures that professional photographers took at Disneyland, specifically in the same areas I wanted to shoot.  Since I do not take photos for a living, I wanted to see what the pros have come up with.  Studying these photos gave me inspiration and insight on how I might want to capture my photos.

Inspired by @Ohanaphoto on Instagram

3. Practice and pre-plan.  I was taking practice pictures of my daughter prior to our trip and once we arrived.  I played with my camera settings (10-year-old Canon dslr) and made sure I knew how to achieve the look I was aiming for.  The day before we took the pictures, I walked around the areas I wanted to shoot just to make sure they would still work.

4. Use what you know.  If you have a dslr camera and you are familiar with your manual settings then ignore this one.  If you have a dslr and don't know much about using manual settings, I suggest sticking to settings you are familiar with during your shoot or learn how to use them before your trip.  Experimenting with unfamiliar settings is the best way to learn.  I used the creative setting for the most part, but I did switch to manual when I was having trouble achieving the look I desired.  Most minor issues can be fixed or, at least, lessened with some editing.

5. Get to the parks on time.  In my opinion, the best time to take photos at Disney is in the morning. The lighting isn't as harsh because the sun is still low in the sky and the park isn't as full. We took a lot of our pictures in Toon Town, for two reasons: first, it's one of my daughter's favorite areas, second, it opens after the rest of the park and it's in the back so the crowds aren't as bad. Another location we loved was the area to the right of It's a Small World, where parades enter and exit. It's out of the way, there are lots of great background options, and the facade was great because it was high enough to help block the bright sun it got higher in the sky.

6. Be prepared.  This is a no-brainer, but you should bring any equipment or helpful tidbits that you may need with you. My daughter has wild hair that will only remain tame for so long, so I brought some extra hairspray and hair ties along with my backup memory cards and camera battery. I also stuck an extra outfit in my bag, in case my daughter got uncomfortable later in the day, and I wore clothes that I was okay getting slightly dirty since I spent most of the time sitting on the ground.

7. Go with the flow.  There are no real rules to taking pictures, especially at Disneyland. Your ideal spot may not work out or our kid may see a character and not want anything to do with your fancy photos, just let it happen -- you are at Disneyland after all.  If you have the option, shoot pictures continuously, you may capture some magic or put the camera down and enjoy the moment.  In the end, I got the best pictures when she was genuinely having fun singing, dancing, and enjoying the magic.

Overall I think I captured exactly what I wanted to, which was my daughter's pure joy. Out of the hundreds of pictures I took, I had fifteen that I really loved, and I got to spend an entire morning making magical memories with my family. In addition to the pictures and memories, I was able to take my love for photography a little bit further. It was a great learning experience and I can't wait to see what images I'll be inspired to capture during our next trip!

If you have any tips or tricks for taking pictures at Disney Parks that you'd like to share? Please post them in the comment section!