Travel

Hidden Mickey

It’s a real thing.  At least as far as the public goes.  Disney has yet to officially acknowledge the Hidden Mickey phenomenon, although they do sell Hidden Mickey books in their gift shops.  hmmm….

Apparently it all started when EPCOT was being planned as more of an adult-targeted park including the sale of alcohol.  Since Disney characters and alcohol were taboo together it was established that none of the characters, especially Mickey, would ever be seen inside that park.  Well, the Imagineers took it as a challenge and started incorporating them into everything they could.  Voila!  Hidden Mickeys.

The general rule is that if it’s not associated with Disney then it’s not really an “official” Hidden Mickey.  It’s still fun though.

Not so hidden, but it makes for a great image. | Order a print of this image.

Not so hidden, but it makes for a great image. | Order a print of this image.

Griffith Park

The whole time I was here I kept thinking how cool it would be to fly the drone over it.

That's the Hollywood sign at the very top right of the image.

That’s the Hollywood sign at the very top right of the image.

Customer Experience

“Adults are only kids grown up, anyway.”

– Walt Disney

If I’ve learned anything from any of my trainings throughout my entire life, it’s that successful businesses get that way by putting the customer experience at the top of their priority list.  The two companies that immediately come to mind for me are Apple and Disney.  Sure, they’re for-profit companies, but their ultimate goal is to deliver a customer experience like no other.  When you can put aside that “I’m gonna get rich doing this” attitude and focus on being creative and innovative it all tends to work itself out.  And Disney is exceptionally good at it.  To watch my dad over this past weekend was pretty cool.  At almost 80 years old, he enjoyed that park every bit as much as any of the adolescents who were experiencing it for the first time.

There were a lot of ways I could have gone with today's post, but this image worked no matter which way I went.

There were a lot of ways I could have gone with today’s post, but this image worked no matter which way I went.

Viewing Size

Every once in a while I’ll post an image that’s just not meant to be viewed on a mobile device.  Realistically, I’d love for these types of photos to be viewed on a large HD screen of some sort where you can get in close and see the whole range and all the detail.  This image is a prime example, but unfortunately it’s too big.

I’m wrapping up a whirlwind weekend in California that literally began back in February when I registered and began stressing about having to run (everything went well, btw), and I’m sitting in the airport a whopping 5 hours early for my flight.  So I need to kill some time.

I shot a series of images of LA and the surrounding area today while in Griffith Park so I decided to try something – a mega/super/ultra, or whatever you want to call it, panorama image of LA.  It turned out great, but it’s going to be sized to fit your screen so it’ll appear really thin.  I posted it on Flickr (500px has a limit of 15,000 pixels on the longest side!), but it’s still sized to fit.  Bummer.  I wonder if I can get it printed full-size…

16 individual images. File size is 2.82 GB. Dimensions - 30926 X 3121 or 128.9" X 13" or 3.273 M X .33 M!

16 individual images. File size is 2.82 GB. Dimensions – 30926 X 3121 or 128.9″ X 13″ or 3.273 M X .33 M! It’s 10.6 feet long!

Forward Thinking

“Times and conditions change so rapidly that we must keep our aim constantly focused on the future.”
– Walt Disney

Even Walt Disney knew where TV & movies were headed. Even back in 1955!  Wink, wink.  Nudge, nudge. 😉

Even Walt Disney knew where TV & movies were headed. Even back in 1955! ;)

In Character

The employee (aka cast) culture at Disney Parks fascinates me – specifically the characters.  I seem to only remember the fully costumed characters when I was young and visiting Walt Disney World.  You never actually saw a real person.  But times, and culture, have changed.  Now there are real life people portraying the Disney characters in the park, which creates an entirely different dynamic for interaction.  I never used to hear the characters make any sounds (especially speech) at all.  Now you can have an entire conversation with them.  The added fascination for me is the fact that now the real-life characters need to work harder to remain in character.  They can no longer hide behind the comfort of being silent and not being seen and can simply use body language to remain in character.  It’s just fascinating – which probably explains why I have a degree in psychology.

btw – this photo is horrible, but Alice is the one who prompted this post and this is the our selfie with her (which is technically really a “groupie”).

So we asked Alice if she knew what a selfie was. She responded "Why yes, a self-sufficient photograph." Awesome.

So we asked Alice if she knew what a selfie was. She responded “Why yes, a self-sufficient photograph.” Awesome.

Fourteen

I’ve seen this back home in Winchester and I’ve seen lots of discussion threads because of it out here in CA.  Still can’t find a solid reason for it.  Why a 14 mph speed limit?

  1. It’s different and catches your attention
  2. 15 mph is too fast (and sounds too much like 50 when spoken with certain accents)
  3. 13 mph is too slow (and unlucky)
  4. 14 is a multiple of 7 so it’s twice as lucky
  5. 14 mph is the speed of a horse-driven carriage at a “furious” pace
  6. The trams travel at 15 mph so theoretically a car should never overtake a tram

And so on and so on and so on.  I tend to fall into the reason #1 group, but I like them all.

IMG_1653

The “World” Has Spoiled Me

There’s obviously a lot that’s different between the two parks.  After the location (obviously) the biggest difference is simply the size.  There’s just more real estate in Florida.  But after today’s adventures, the biggest difference for me now is the Disney experience.  You get more of it in Florida.  I’m not knocking the parks in California – don’t get me wrong.  I enjoyed my first day in Disneyland.  It’s fascinating to pick out the similarities and differences between all the rides.  For instance, in Florida it’s the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House.  In California it’s Tarzan’s Tree House.  Neat.  Anyway, where was I?  Oh yeah, right smack in the middle of Anaheim.  That’s the biggest difference for me – the fact that you’re navigating through a city as well as the parks in California.  The public transportation is Anaheim’s.  In Florida, you’re completely immersed in all things Disney (that is, of course, if you stay “on campus”).  The public transportation is Disney’s.  Walt Disney World has a sprawling 43 square miles (or 27,258 acres) of real estate whereas Disneyland operates on about 160 acres.  So you see, the “World” has spoiled me.

The nightly fireworks show at Disneyland Park.

The nightly fireworks show at Disneyland Park.

The James

How appropriate was it that we’d take the Williamsburg back across the James?!

Not sure what it is about Williamsburg, but we really love it here.

Not sure what it is about Williamsburg, but we really love it.

Bacon’s Castle

No this isn’t Kevin Bacon’s house.  No, they don’t store bacon here.  It was a trip that really started with “let’s ride the ferry today.”

side note:  I had participated in a ride back in 1988 that’s now part of Bike Virginia.  The very first edition was called “The Colonial Williamsburg Bike Trek” and it was a first for me.  First really big, organized ride and my first one on my own.  Big deal as a junior in high school.  No parents.  No siblings.  Lots of responsibility.

Anyway, I remember part of that ride back in ’88 had us hop the ferry over to Surry and ride near all the crop fields and I thought it was a very cool place.  So I convinced my wife to hop the ferry and we explored Surry for a day.  If you’re into history, I highly recommend it.

One of the many Jacobean-style rooms at Bacon's Castle. | Order a print of this image.

One of the many Jacobean-style rooms at Bacon’s Castle. | Order a print of this image.

DOG Street

I’m always concerned about what the reaction will be when I send my camera soaring into the air.  I was especially concerned while visiting WIlliamsburg this weekend.  I don’t know specifically why, but it just felt weird to me to be flying over Duke of Gloucester Street.  It just seems like such a proper place and I didn’t want to distract or disturb.  I ended up launching from the fields behind the Wren Building and flying to just over the Wren Building.  So, for all the Tribe alumni – enjoy.

Tasting

My wife an I went to a wine tasting yesterday.  We thought it was a very adult thing to do, why not?  We both got a little buzzed from just the tasting and neither one of us get it – the whole wine tasting thing.  Just what is a “silky finish” supposed to taste like?!  We wondered if you blindfolded someone and gave them the same wine in three glasses, but told them they were different if they would notice.

We have very similar tastes.  Apparently we really like the dessert wines so they might as well have served us plain grape juice.

These are just about to be harvested at the Williamsburg Winery

These are just about to be harvested at the Williamsburg Winery

Weekend Getaway

“A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in.”

– Robert Orben

Augustine Light

“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”

– Aristotle Onassis

So I’ve had this urge to photograph lighthouses for a while now so it’s always awesome when I get to visit a new one.  Now, apparently, I need to get this same image at every lighthouse I visit.  Be sure to check out my other lighthouse images (and more to come from St. Augustine).

The St. Augustine Lighthouse is St. Augustine's oldest surviving brick structure. | Order a print of this image.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse is St. Augustine’s oldest surviving brick structure. | Order a print of this image.

 

Travel

After 18 hours, 4 and 1/2 states and only three Red Bulls, the vacation really begins.  We chose to drive straight through and I’m kinda glad we did it that way.  It may not be so easy on the way home though.

My view for most of the day. With an 18-hour day, this is about the extent of my shooting today.

My view for most of the day. With an 18-hour day, this is about the extent of my shooting today.

Winning

And that’s how you pack for a two-week vacation to the beach.

Notice how almost half the car is my photography equipment.

Notice how almost half the car is my photography equipment.

Alpendorf

Found another image from our trip to Austria.  On our last day, we took a hike up into Alpendorf and we were glad we did.  Just look at that view!  There are no words to describe it.

What a site for an awesome pool party. That ski lift goes to the Alpendorf Ski area in Austria.

What a site for an awesome pool party. That ski lift goes to the Alpendorf Ski area in Austria.

The Sound of Music

I’m setting up, and adding to, my Flickr account.  I’ve had it for several years and have done nothing with it.  Shame on me.  Anyway, it’s there now and is being populated and organized as we speak.  I randomly started with images from Austria (maybe because I was talking with a friend about the trip the other day).  As I’m skimming through – and skipping most (I really wish I knew how to take better pictures back then) – I stop at this one and immediately begin processing it.  There was just something about it that stood out from all the rest.  When I finished and uploaded it to my galleries I realized that I had processed it before.  The difference illustrates how, on different days, you can see and image completely differently.

This is the building used for the Von Trapp residence exteriors in the movie. | Order a print of this image.

This is the building used for the Von Trapp residence exteriors in the movie. | Order a print of this image.

God Rays

One last look at the Florida beaches before I left.  My kids used to call this sunlight pattern “God Rays.”  Whatever you call it, there’s no denying the fact that it’s an incredible sight.

The wonderful thing about the sun rising or setting is that it's really never the same. Order a print of this image.

The wonderful thing about the sun rising or setting is that it’s really never the same.
Order a print of this image.

Palm Sunday

This one is in an effort to be more timely with my photos.  It is, after all, Palm Sunday.

How timely is this? Another great sunset captured. Order a print of this image.

How timely is this? Another great sunset captured. Order a print of this image.