How to take pictures in a theme park, the nice way
If you are planning a visit to Disney or any other popular theme park this year, let's take a moment to talk about how you will remember that visit in the years ahead.
Taking pictures is as much a part of visiting a theme park as going on rides, watching fireworks, and meeting characters. While it's great to have photos to help preserve the good memories of a day in the parks, taking those photos carelessly can creates much less pleasant memories for everyone.
Do not be that person with a camera — the one who makes a scene, instead of capturing it. Here are my five top suggestions for taking pictures whenever you are on vacation.
1. Don't block others' view
Photography should not be a zero-sum game. Your getting a shot should not keep others from being able to take their pictures, too. Never hold any part of your camera equipment above the top of your head. Keep your phone or camera in front of you and out of the line-of-sight of others. If that's not enough to get a clear shot, move. Don't block others' view.
If you are one of those people who take pictures with an iPad or other tablet, be especially aware of how much space those devices take. Hold it down and out of the way of others.
In this spirit, please don't put a child up on your shoulders during parades and shows, either. Hold them on your hip, if you must, so that they can see without blocking others. Or, better yet, arrive earlier for a later show, when you can get a closer space. Trust me when I say that your future self's spine will thank you for not blocking others' view by putting your child on your shoulders for an entire Disney parade.
2. Don't block others' way
We all know that theme parks are crowded places. Don't block the flow of traffic to stop and take a photo in a busy walkway. Find a place off to the side to gather your family and set up your shot.
If you must get that perfect shot, dead center in Main Street with the castle behind you, queue up with everyone else to have Disney's Photopass photographers take the picture in their designated spot. They will shoot with your phone or camera, too, if you ask nicely.
If you are recording video, bring a gimbal or hand rig to help keep the camera steady. Disney will not allow bulky tripods in the park. You might get in with a smaller one, but even then, never set up a tripod or hold a monopod in a walkway or other place that blocks people's way.
Also: most parks, including all the Walt Disney World and Disneyland theme parks, ban the use of selfie sticks, so just leave those at home.
3. Don't take other people's pictures without permission
Yes, theme parks are public places. And we all probably have been in the background of other peoples' photos more times than we could count. But there's a difference between capturing a bunch of other people in the background of your shot and zooming in (or moving in) for a close-up.
Again, we are not talking about what is legal here, but what is courteous and nice. If you want to take a photo of someone you don't know (including cast or team members), ask first. That's especially true with children. I don't care how much that homemade princess dress would look just perfect on your Instagram. If that ain't your kid, ask the parent. You would want someone to show the same respect to your child, right?
4. Don't use a flash
The theme park's number-one rule for in-park photography always applies. Never use a flash or spotlight in an attraction, where they can disrupt theatrical lighting and momentarily blind people who waited to see the show. Don't use a flash or other artificial light outside of an attraction if it's likely to bother the people around you. If you can't keep a light source out of strangers' eyes, don't use it.
5. Don't make people wait
Taking "just a moment" to snap a picture of everyone getting into a ride vehicle is selfish and discourteous. Even a few seconds' delay, when multiplied by every ride vehicle, can significantly reduce the number of people an attraction can put through in an hour, extending waits for everyone. On some rides, such as roller coasters, a delay in loading even can cause the ride to shut down, costing you and hundreds of people waiting behind you the opportunity to ride at all.
At character meet and greets, don't take an unreasonable amount of time with the character. Have your camera ready to go, any autograph books and pens in hand, and be as considerate of the people waiting behind you as you wish the people in front of you had been. The same applies at any other designated photo op locations, as well.
Obviously, there are other rules for good photography, too, such as finding good lighting, framing your subject, getting your focal point actually in focus, and all that stuff. But those rules are for your benefit when you look at your photos in the years to come.
On behalf of everyone who will be sharing the park with you on your next visit and will never see your photos, please be cool when taking pictures around us, okay?
(A version of this story first appeared on this site in 2016.)
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