shadow having fun
My family having fun at Disneyland as the sun goes down.
My family having fun at Disneyland as the sun goes down.
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Oct, 2012Views
1413
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Awards
Zenith Award
Top Shot Award 21
Featured
Contest Finalist in What Shadows Can Do Photo Contest
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
All Star
Love it
Superior Skill
Great Find
Magnificent Capture
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Top 20 rank
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Top 30 rank week 1
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo at Disneyland in California after a long day of riding rides with the family.Time
This was taken in the evening as the sun was setting. The kids wanted balloons and I never considered how the lighting would illuminate the color until we were walking down the sidewalk and I saw our shadows. I just had to capture this moment.Lighting
I wanted to make sure to capture the color in the balloons in contrast to the dark shadows. And I wanted to be able to recognize them as Mickey Mouse balloons. The hardness part of the shot was that the sun was so low in the sky that our shadows were starting to become very long and difficult to photograph with the balloons. I didn't want distorted shadows. I also had to find the right timing when other people were not walking on the sidewalk.Equipment
I used a Nikon D80 to capture this shot. My settings were f/8, 1/50 sec with ISO set to 100.Inspiration
Seeing the color of the balloons projected on the pavement as we were walking with the sun setting behind me really inspired me. Our shadows and the balloons created a picture to represent our time on vacation at Disneyland without being a specific family photo. I liked the unconventional way to represent a portrait of the family on vacation.Editing
I cropped this photo a bit and added some saturation and contrast through photoshop to help make the colors pop.In my camera bag
Although my bag is filled with lots of equipment, I don't carry it around when having an active day like spending the day at Disneyland. I take my Nikon D80 with a standard zoon lens wrapped with a Zing protective foam cover and a strap. I find that I get enjoyment from finding the best shot and taking it and a minimal amount of equipment can be more than enough to capture the shot if I can get the lighting and composition correct. And I can still enjoy riding the rides and seeing the shows at Disneyland without the burden of carrying a lot of equipment.Feedback
Keep your eyes open for a great opportunity. I didn't plan this shot but when I saw it, I had to act quickly. The family was tired but the sun was perfectly located and the crowds were small, so quick timing was key. Also be prepared so you don't need to pose people or artificially manufacture the setting. Leave that for the photo studios. If you are out and about, always be ready for that quick shot and keep a lookout for those opportunities to capture something truly interesting.
