The End

DSC_0558, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

Tonight marks the series finale of LOST, a show that many of us have devotedly watched for years. The finale promises to answer many of the lingering questions that have haunted viewers for years, but I think I found the answer to one of the most pervasive questions about the show when I was at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

For most of the series, everyone was wondering where the Island was.

Based on this billboard, I'm guessing that's NOT a typo but rather a clue, and the island is actually in Californifia.

Alternatively, seriously? Disney? Proofread a little.

SpectroMagic

Dale, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

Another color isolation piece from Photoshop.

I really liked this shot in its initial form. I love reflections, and I think they can be a visually fascinating source for photography. What I was especially pleased with was the fact that I managed to get some decent captures of SpectroMagic, when I had no intentions of attempting to shoot it earlier, since most of my prior attempts were largely busts. However, I decided to give it a whirl, and I was pleasantly surprised.

I've always loved the night parades at the Magic Kingdom. I have many pleasant memories of watching the Main Street Electrical Parade and SpectroMagic, getting the music stuck in my head, seeing my favorite characters with their costumes turned into overglorified Lite Brites. With SpectroMagic due to be replaced by the returning Main Street Electrical Parade (although I'm unsure of how long this replacement will last), I can say with certainty that I'll miss seeing this show waltz its way down Main Street.

The Surge

DSC_0882, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

Probably my least favorite part of a Disney day is being stuck in the surge. Whether it's at the beginning of the day or the end (but especially at the end), getting stuck in the mob of people herding their way toward the exits leads me to be entirely on edge. Tempers are usually running high. People, like the little girl in the foreground of this picture, are often exhausted. Strollers are pushed with no regard for the ankles and heels of those in the immediate vicinity. It is utter chaos.

Which is why I love the sight of those balloons. Once again, they just bring me back. It makes the disorder a lot more tolerable.

Wishes

DSC_0839, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

I took nearly 700 pictures of the Wishes fireworks display at the Magic Kingdom. I have already posted one such picture on the blog, and figured that, at least for this trip, it would be best to limit it to only a couple shots. If you want to see the rest, visit my flickr page.

This shot comes from the grand finale, where the sky is lit up so brightly with fireworks that you can see the castle in silhouette. It is organized chaos, an amalgamated dreamscape of colorful explosions and fantasy imagery.

I love that you can also see the silhouettes of the crowd, watching intently, taking in this pure spectacle.

Balloons

DSC_0074, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

First off, I often like using Dutch angles. I know how they're traditionally used in cinema, and I'm not using them for any specific purpose beyond I like it, and it looks neat. I'm not making any grand statement about balloon sellers at the Magic Kingdom or anything; I just decided to tilt my camera and shoot.

I must say, though, the balloon seller on Main Street is the ultimate throwback. It seems like there's always a cast member trying to sell you things on Main Street, whether its a PhotoPass photographer, or a cart selling lightsabers and glow necklaces. The balloon seller, however, fits. They just belong on Main Street. The balloons have evolved, certainly, but the concept brings me back to my childhood. It's precisely the right type of throwback.

Little Things

DSC_0021, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

One of the fun things to do in Disney World is to slow down.

Coming from me, this is a surprising statement. My touring style is mostly "Go! Go! Go!" as I venture from one attraction to the next, trying to do as much as possible. However, it's important to remember that Disney World ITSELF is an attraction, and the small details can be just as fun as any ride.

Take, for example, this shot. It's Pooh in a Bobby Hat. This was in one of the shops in the United Kingdom section of World Showcase, and it's something that would easily be overlooked. It's a fun little sight that made me smile, which shows that sometimes, you just need to slow down and look around.

Focus

DSC_0015, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

I have a couple of shots nearly identical to this one, except with Amanda and Jill as the focal point. However, much like this shot, I like that the focus is on the background, as that is where Amanda's focus is drawn. It's almost like seeing things from her perspective, except slightly removed.

Why They Call Me Thumper

DSC_1266, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

While we were in Walt Disney World, the Flower and Garden Festival was underway, which meant there were some really great topiaries around Epcot.

Amanda saw this Bambi assortment and ran up to Thumper, mimmicked the pose, and proceeded to say "I'M THUMPIN'! THAT'S WHY THEY CALL ME THUMPER!" It was a genuinely adorable moment, and it makes me smile every time.

Placation

DSC_0794, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

Last night, while we were watching LOST, I had Jill, Eric, and Cara complaining about how they had (or had not) been featured on the blog thus far. Jill and Eric were previously seen in this entry, whereas Cara has not really appeared.

Well, here you go. All three of you are in this one. And you will be in future posts as well. No worries.

Different Angles

DSC_1194, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

Everyone has a picture of Spaceship Earth. I have MANY pictures of Spaceship Earth. Everyone always takes the same picture of Spaceship Earth, which is why I like to go for a different angle. The trees give a basic impression of the size of this attraction, and the angle provides a fresh view - a new way of looking at something we've seen time and time again.

By the Blue Purple Yellow Red Water

Boardwalk, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

The original of this photo (or one of the others I took immediately around this photo) could pop up on the blog later, as it was a sunset that made Amanda and Jeff comment on its beauty, and I decided to record it. For now, though, I have another Photoshop experiment.

"Color and light. There's only color and light."

Color is perceived by the eye through the reflection of light. Going with this principle, since I'm on my isolated color kick right now, I decided to create this image with the idea that the ONLY color you get to see is that which has been reflected in the water; as a result, we have the manifestation of color being the direct result of reflected light.

It feels almost otherworldly, like a variation on Magritte's "The Dominion of Light," while also being slightly subtle enough that the eye might not entirely perceive the contrast between the color and the black and white for a moment.

Castle at Night

Night Castle, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

Here's another Photoshop experiment.

I took a photo of Cinderella's Castle, taken during the evening hours, and desaturated it, ramping up the contrast. I then isolated the colors of the castle and brought it back to the Wonderful World of Color, and there it is, the sole beacon of color in an otherwise black and white image.

I'll probably keep trying to do images like this when I have appropriate material to work with. I like seeing the world through a different lens.

Frog

DSC_0997, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

This little fella was hanging out right outside the door to our hotel room. It amazed me how willing he was to pose for me as I snapped off a bunch of shots.

I really have nothing else to say about this picture.

Bonus

Amanda at the Castle 2, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

I've already blogged the original version of this photo, but I decided to play around with Photoshop, and this was the result. (I also have a version where the blue on Cinderella's Castle was the only color in the image, but I really quite liked having the blue sky as well.)

It's evocative of Dorothy entering Oz, going from the real world to Main Street to the entrance to Fantasyland.

I might play with color on some of my other pictures; I like Photoshop, but I also like trying to let the pictures stand as they were originally conceived in the camera. We'll see. For now, just consider this a little bonus post.

Spinning

DSC_0730, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

One of my favorite little moments from "The Lion King" is during "Circle of Life," where the focus shifts from the ants walking on a tree branch to the zebras running below them. (Mind you, I love a lot of that movie, and a number of other moments from that song, but that moment is relevant to the point I am discussing.) I love that they put that effort in, to play with focus, because it could be just as easy to just go f/64 on us and have everything be focused, but they don't. It makes it feel much more realistic.

When I took this shot, I was playing with the focus. I always have the camera set on autofocus, due to my shooting style. However, I have the option within my camera to select the zone where the autofocus is attempting to focus, so I'll play with it, selecting different zones, watching things switch in and out of focus.

With this shot, I could have made Jill the focus, but what's the point in that? She is looking away, so it only makes sense to focus on the same point that she is focusing on - namely, Jeff and Brian. They opted, along with Amanda, not to join us on the Mad Tea Party, so they waited outside while Jill, Jon, and I rode in one teacup, and Eric and Cara rode in another.

There they are, watching, waiting. At least, they seem to be. Jeff appears to be looking at his camera, perhaps trying to take a picture, while Brian is seemingly sticking his tongue out.

I enjoy this picture; I often find it interesting to have the focus be on the background, because it goes against the traditional logic of foreground vs. background. Sometimes it's more interesting to see what's happening behind the picture you seem to be taking.

Smile! You're on Candid Camera!

DSC_0691, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

On the last post, Diane left this comment:

"Hey buddy....let's see some pictures of everyone else. I mean, Amanda's easy on the eyes and all...but, didn't anyone else count???"

Humorously enough, I already had this photo loaded in my queue, prepared to post later today.

Jill, Jeff, and Eric. It's like I turned to them, told them to be awkward, and this was the result. Instead, I turned to them, held up the camera, and this was their genuine reaction.

Sure, a nice photo with everyone smiling can be a wonderful thing, but a humorous, awkward photo can be equally as memorable.

Perspective

DSC_0559, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

"Now Approaching...Mickey's Star Traders..."

Amanda casts a mighty shadow.

Either that, or the TTA track is casting a shadow that could vaguely pass as being a shadow of Giant Amanda, keeping Tiny BK and Mini Jon out of the warm Florida sun.

I like using perspective in my pictures when I can. Layers, fully utilizing the foreground and the background to full effect. Of course, when shooting with the auto-focus on, sometimes the camera goes rogue and decides to focus on a wall instead of the person in front of it, but when you shoot incessantly the way I do, eventually you get the right shot.

Rivers of America

DSC_0512, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

Not every picture needs some in-depth reasoning behind it, and this picture is a prime example.

We were walking through Frontierland and Liberty Square; I noticed that the Liberty Belle Riverboat was making its way around the Rivers of America, so I turned, snapped off a couple shots, and kept walking.

I'm glad I managed to get it unobscured, considering that tree branch is hanging rather low.

I also like how this essentially features four attractions in one shot; the Liberty Belle takes the primary focus, but Tom Sawyer Island is present at the left side of the frame, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is peeking out in the background, and the queue for the Haunted Mansion is over to the right.

I remember when these waters were fully active, with the Mike Fink Keel Boats and Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes traversing the Rivers of America alongside the riverboat and the rafts to Tom Sawyer Island. The latter two are still up and running, but the former two are long gone. This is an area that most guests (including myself, usually) seem to just treat as a bunch of space between the Haunted Mansion and the Frontierland Mountains, but I had some fun times here when I was a kid.

The Wildest Ride in the Wilderness

DSC_0498, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

I feel bad for the person near the front with his hands up. He probably was thinking, "Sweet! I'm near the front! I get the best ride!" without realizing that the entire train had to make it over any drops before any acceleration occurs. As a result, the drops are often just slow declines for the front cars, moments of anticipation, waiting for the back to catch up so that they can finally start moving quickly, waiting for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad to become the "Wildest Ride in the Wilderness."

I think this shot is a pretty good example of how I like to sometimes use light; contrast that draws the eye in and makes you actually look at the picture. Look at this in a thumbnail, and it might take you a second to actually decipher what it is. I like it when the brain has to actively work a little.

Hang on to your hats and glasses...

DSC_0457, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

Ascending a hill on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

On rides like this, I'm sure it can be annoying to ride in front of me, especially when I'm in photo mode. I have lots of pictures of Jon and Amanda with their arms raised as we ride down drops and around bends, but then on the more leisurely moments, the arms are down and so is their guard.

Amanda looks around, enjoying some piece of scenery; from this point, Cinderella's Castle is surely visible, so perhaps that is where her gaze leads. Maybe she's just looking back toward Frontierland or Liberty Square, or possibly contemplating going to Tom Sawyer Island. She's the only one who can know.

Jon seems to be looking down; perhaps he's observing the small details that the Imagineers inserted into the ride, or maybe he's just looking at his phone.

One detail that I love is the pesky little remnants of microphone tape on the back of Jon's neck, a reminder of the show we had just wrapped.

You May Get Wet

DSC_0628, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

I decided to snap a quick candid shot of Jon while he conducted a little pre-ride interview via his Flip video camera, and I couldn't help but laugh upon reviewing the photo and noticing how similar Jon's facial expression is to Brer Rabbit's. I love little happy accidents like this.

Water and Light

DSC_0437, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

This isn't a particularly interesting or unique shot; I'm sure plenty of people have taken essentially the same picture. "Hey look, Splash Mountain, okay." But sometimes you end up pretty lucky, and the mist from the splash floats up, and the sun hits it just right, and what do you know? We've got ourselves a nice little rainbow hanging out over the briar patch.

For that alone, this becomes a shot worth taking, even if a picture of Splash Mountain isn't horribly exciting.

Glee (the emotion, not the show)

DSC_0341, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

Amanda's genuine reaction, upon seeing Cinderella's Castle.

It is rare that you can see such pure, unadulterated joy so perfectly captured in a photograph.

It is even rarer to have a photograph portray this utter elation through body language alone, without the slightest glimpse of the subjects face.

I love this picture.

Inside Looking Out

DSC_0308, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

I walked through the turnstiles of the Magic Kingdom and turned, waiting. On the other side of things stood Jon and Jill, passes in hand, ready to enter.

And then there's that guy on the right, who looks like he has absolutely no desire to be there. I don't know who he is, but his presence adds so much to this photo for me. It goes simply from being a picture of my friends before they stepped into the Magic Kingdom, to being a picture of my friends before they stepped into the Magic Kingdom...plus that guy.

Rearview

DSC_0244, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

(I think, for the time being, this will be my last picture from the drive to Disney. That's not to say it will be the last Disney picture; I anticipate posting many of those in the days/weeks to come.)

I've always enjoyed using mirrors in my photography. Not in the "Oh, here's a myspace photo of me in the bathroom mirror, holding my cam and flashing a peace sign" sense, but rather as an added layer.

In particular, with this shot, the mirror seems to take on the properties of a window, a portal to someplace else (in this case, the backseat of the van, where Amanda appears to be in her own little world, contentedly staring out the window, softly singing along with whatever song the radio happened to be playing).

It's a different perspective, a new way of looking at things.

A Tale of Two Cars

DSC_0133, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

(I considered going with "A Tale of Two Coches," as that lines up more accurately with the intended homage, but looking at it typed out doesn't quite translate.)

We took two cars to Florida; I spent the entire trip in the van, as Jeff, Jon and I were the only ones insured on the van. The rest of the folks (plus Jon) all had a turn driving BK's car. On the way down, we ended up sticking closer together, thus providing me with photo opportunities like the picture above.

This was the closest I came to the other car during the trip. Outside of the occasional text message and a stop at a Waffle House, this was my interaction.

On a strictly photographic level, I love those happy accidents that occur when composing a shot. As I've said, I shoot away. Sometimes, the pictures just happen. That I somehow got this shot, where you can clearly see, from left to right, Amanda, BK, Jon, and Jeff, that amazes me. The front seat of the other car, positioned perfectly between Amanda's forearm and the nape of Jeff's neck...a lucky shot, I must say.

Also, Amanda may or may not be taunting the other car at this exact moment.

The Drive

DSC_0028, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

I'm never sure how my attempts at night photography are going to go, as there are simply too many variables - how steady is my hand going to be? How still will my subjects be? How long will my shutter need to be open to capture an image? It's always a gamble.

First, it can be a blackjack. 21. All the pieces work together to create a solid image.

Second, it can be a bust. 22. Something's off. A blurry mess that vaguely resembles the desired image.

Sometimes I get the picture, but more frequently, I don't. That's why I shoot as much as I do. That's why I came home from Disney World with over 6800 pictures. You can't count on one and done. Give yourself room for error, and maybe you'll find the shot you like.

Take the shot above, for example. We were a few hours into our day-long drive. I was sitting in the back, shooting for fun, not expecting much of anything to really come out. After all, it was night, the light was dim, and I had to factor in the potential shake in my hands, plus the motion of the car, plus the fact that it's a candid and Jeff and Jon weren't posing.

Then we went under a well-lit bridge, and I clicked away, seizing the brief glimpse of light. Dark enough that we still have some motion blur outside the car, and light enough that we can see what's going on inside.

The fact that I happened to catch Jeff's mouth in the rearview mirror, in the middle of singing along with whatever Moxy Fruvous song was playing, was simply a happy accident.

At Last...

DSC_0777, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

I have been to Walt Disney World many times. In fact, I can literally say "countless times," as I have actually lost track of how many times I have gone. It is, without exaggeration, my favorite place to be. I have also taken thousands upon thousands of photos of everything ranging from characters to landscapes to buildings to cast members to hidden Mickeys to little lizards running around. The one photo that I had not taken, however, was the "perfect" fireworks picture.

I always wanted to get that quintessential shot - Cinderella's Castle, with a burst of fireworks right behind it. I would choose a spot, and I would set up my tripod, and I would wait hours in order to get that shot. However, it just never happened. I would be slightly to the side, and the fireworks would appear to be beside the castle instead of behind it. When I set up at the Main Street train station, everything was so far away that the effect was ruined.

This trip, I grabbed a spot right next to the hub. I wanted to share the spot with my friends, who were running late. The spot filled up, so I moved to another spot. My friends arrived, but THAT spot was filling up, so I knew I had to abandon the tripod. On one side of me was a crying baby, and on the other was a small child who either didn't notice or didn't care that he was repeatedly striking me with his plastic lightsaber. I ended up leaving my friends in that spot, and made my way to the hub right in front of Cinderella's Castle.

The tripod was out of the question. This new spot was packed, people jammed in shoulder to shoulder. I would have to hope that my hands would prove steady enough to get the shot.

And there it is.

I don't know if this one is EXACTLY the shot I've dreamed of; the one that precedes this one in my photostream is a much more traditional shot - two fireworks, fully developed, right behind the castle. But this one? This has the remnants of those two fireworks, and the beginning of two more, looking like the amalgamation of a sea urchin and a dandelion.

While this one is different from the postcard shot I always wanted (and I'm pretty sure I have that postcard shot in my photostream), I still think this is a striking shot.

A Fresh Start

DSC_0208, originally uploaded by bjhiggins.

I had let this space fall dormant, unused for nearly two years.

I decided it was time for a fresh start, wiping out the eleven posts that had previously resided here, hoping that this attempted reboot will be more fruitful than previous attempts.

What exactly I'll be posting, I'm not sure. Sometimes, it will be a picture I inexplicably love, or perhaps a shot I'm proud of, or maybe something significant. Some photos will be new, and some will be from my archives. Some will be digital, others will be scanned negatives from when I worked with film.

Mostly, this will be a space where I show you my photography, a sort-of digital portfolio with commentary. If you know me, you should know what to expect - the camera mainly seems to find time to come out when I'm in Disney World or when I'm doing a show, so a lot of my shots are Disney-or-Theatre-centric. However, as I dip through the archives, we can expect a wide variety of things.

Hopefully I'll be able to keep this iteration of the blog far more active than my previous attempts...I'll certainly try.

Now, the photo above. I took a trip with seven friends to Walt Disney World. I took over 6800 pictures while I was on this trip, and that shot was the last picture I took. It seemed to be a fitting ending to the whole trip, since I experienced a great majority of the trip through the camera's viewfinder. I was shooting while we rode Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain. I was shooting in Animal Kingdom during Kilimanjaro Safari and Expedition Everest and Finding Nemo: The Musical. I had two friends get on the stage for the American Idol experience, and the camera was pressed to my eye for the whole time. That's not to say there weren't times when I put the camera down, but a large chunk of the trip was spent with a lens between me and my friends. To cap off my photographic journey with a reflection of this seemed entirely fitting.