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Friday
Jan072011

Vintage-izing Your Park Pics

It seems that every time I take photos of the parks I have high expectations that the photos will look stunning the moment I see them on a large screen.  Inevitably I find myself disappointed at just how booooring the pics turn out. "Golly... these look outright crummy!", I shout. 

I’m no professional photographer and I always expect to need a bit of post-production magic to make the shots look half-decent. But lately I’ve realized something else. The kinds of park photos I can’t stop staring at all come from olden-ages when unassuming tourists used actual film and entirely non-digital cameras. No really, they did. Add to that a few decades of fading hues and we get beautiful and interesting imagery.  Since I don't have one of those cameras and I don't know if stores actually sell film anymore, I'm left with digital pictures and Photoshop.

So here are a few pics I shot (all within the last year) adjusted to look not only much older but much more interesting (assuming you and I share similar taste). To the photography purist, I disclaim: no specific film or process was meant to be replicated here. These are simply supposed to look older and better than the originals. And if they look like they belong on Daveland or Gorillas Don't Blog, then mission accomplished.

So it's really isn't that difficult to do. Old photos generally have less saturated colors.  Often the blacks are not solid black but more brown, reddish, or blue in color. 

How-To

 

Just one of many ways to pull off the effect. Note that there are a bunch of other "vintage" photo styles you can replicate, this being just one. (Video by Mitch).

Originals

 

 

Friday
Dec312010

YEAR IN REVIEW

As 2010 comes to an end we look back on our first full calendar year and the ride it's been! 

 

Most Visited Posts of 2010 (in no particular order)

 

Matterhorn for Magic Kingdom Fantasyland

Fritz shares what he'd like to see built in Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland.  It includes two tracks, a boat ride, and a Swiss village.

 

Haunted Mansion Like You've Never Seen It

Go behind the scenes of The Haunted Mansion!

 

A Look at the Progress City Model - Then and Now

A deeper look into the Progress City model than ever before with photos of both it's Disneyland and Magic Kingdom's homes.

 

Walking the "Politically Correct" Line

Lilly discusses her frustrations with overly-sensitive worries of offending people and how it affects us all.

 

Pirates of the Caribbean Like You've Never Seen It

See Pirates of the Caribbean up-close and personal with lots of pics.

 

THEN AND NOW: MK Tomorrowland

The first in our ongoing "Then and Now" photo series.

 

Hidden Mickey Controversy

Hate those Hidden Mickeys? Lilly and Mitch go head-to-head in this two part debate.

 

I Miss Paul Frees

A look at legendary voice talent, Paul Frees and all the things he has done for Disney theme parks.

 

Little Box of Treasures

Enjoy what Fritz calls a pile of garbage but see the amazing places this junk came from!

 

Frito Kid and Deeee-licious Fritos!

A historical look at a mysterious and much-forgotten part of Disneyland.

 

 

Most Common Search Phrases of 2010

new disney rides
imagineering disney
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imagineering blog
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disney river country
new disneyland rides
tangles disney
america sings 

Other Fun Search Phrases of 2010

disneyland pictures of durassic park
john lasseter blog
epcot symbols
racist imagineers
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looney toon walt disney pictures
cartoon character mountaineer attire
is disney imagineering run by computers
is marty sklar dead
are disney animatronics real people


Most Common Questions Asked Via Email

How do I become an Imagineer?
What do I study in order to become an Imagineer?
What does it take to become an Imagineer?
Can I submit an idea and you submit it to Imagineering?
Can you talk to someone to tell them I'd be a great Imagineer? 

 

Thank you everyone for a fun year.  We look forward to the next many years!

 

 

 

Tuesday
Dec282010

Upcoming Concept: Sword in the Stone Dark Ride

I've been spending my Christmas break watching and pausing my favorite childhood animated feature, The Sword in the Stone.  And since childhood I've wanted the film to have more of a theme park presence... in ride form of course.

In an upcoming post I plan to state my case for why a Sword in the Stone Fantasyland dark ride WOULD be successful and why it WILL NEVER be built. I'm not one to believe that box office numbers dictate the popularity of a ride based on the same film.  Nor do I believe an "old, outdated, forgotten" film cannot make a great ride and remain popular.  Look at: Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Splash Mountain, Alice in Wonderland, etc.  More thoughts to come.  This idea is of course not going to win the award for original concept for it is based on an already-existing creative work, but it will be fun to think about.

For now, enjoy (as I have this week) these great pieces put together by Sandro Cleuzo using Milt Kahl drawings.  Fantastic.

And these great shots have inspired me to put on thick-rimmed glasses and narrow black ties while sketching concept art at my drawing board.