Devine Inspiration #11: A Snapshot Worthy of a Postcard

Let’s face it, if you are reading this blog, you are a person who is probably interested in things associated with Walt Disney.  You might even be what they call a fan.

Well, those kind of people typically like to have Disney related stuff around there house.  We have quite a bit of Disneyana in our house and once such piece is this Tim Devine original photo taken at the from approximately where the Roy and Minnie statue are facing toward one of the most famous landmarks in the country, Cinderella’s Castle [edit note:  I was able to capture a picture of Tim waiting for the perfect time to take this photo.  I’ve included that picture for your enjoyment].

What makes this print especially appealing is the most notable lack of pedestrians cluttering the street.  This gives the viewer an unfettered look at the beauty of the architectural design of Main Street U.S.A. 

For example. notice the perfectly lined up trash cans in a tight formation down Main Street.  The colors are very rich and vibrant.

This is definitely an early bird gets the worm type of capture.  Even if you get to the park before rope drop for an early morning ADR at one of the Character Breakfasts, it’s still an act of fortuitous luck to find no one in the street.

These are the kind of pictures that really makes the hobby of photography addicting.  Especially if you are a fan of Walt Disney World and all the photographic challenges that it can offer you.

For those that may be interested in picking up this print, or others, for yourself or a friend or family member as a Holiday gift, The Magic In Pixels is running a special of 20% with coupon code holiday-20 (lower case).

 

 

Technorati Tags: The Magic in Pixels, Devine Inspiration, Cinderella Castle, Mainstreet USA

Devine Inspiration #10: TMIP to Donate Portion of Sales to Dream Team

Padawan Grumpwurst is back......

In case you didn't read the article Pat Whitson wrote on the Disneyworld Trivia website about 2008's Dream Team Auction, I am here to tell you that Tim Devine (owner of The Magic in Pixels) has decided to go one step further with his involvement with the Dream Team.

Tim has announced, via the Dream Team, that in addition to donating a fabulous photo of Cinderalla's Castle printed on canvas, he will also donate a portion of his sales from his table at MagicMeets 2008.

Tim knows first hand how the Disney Magic can bring a smile to the faces of ill children.  He was sitting next to me when I took this picture (left) of Collin on the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage at Disneyland back in June 2006.

After meeting Collin, Tim and his wife, Karen, has given multiple times to charities that are important to Collin's mom because they are charities that support Collin.

In addition, he has created a slideshow of Disney's Electric Parade for Collin (he loves it) and sent a few pictures and buttons (Collin has a huge collection of buttons from the parks on the shade of his wheelchair).

Collin has gotten countless amounts of magic and solace from those gifts from Tim.  Tim may not have seen these pictures Julie put on her blog of Collin enjoying his gifts, so I have included them here.

The team up between Fred Block's MagicMeets and Lou Mongello's Dream Team Charity Auction just seemed like a good opportunity for Tim to be able to continue to "give back" to those who are not as fortunate as his family.

How do I know this?  A Padawan knows his Jedi Master.

So, if you are one of the 550 people who are going to be invading MagicMeets in July and are even remotely interested in acquiring one of the Tim's fantastic prints, then make sure you stop by his table.  He's going to have a variety of 16x20 and 8x10 prints, plus Wallpaper CDs for sale. 

If you so choose, you may also place 16x20 prints in advance by e-mailing sales@themagicinpixels.com and Tim will work out the details with you.

At the end of the Auction, Tim will,on-the-spot, donate of a percentage of his sales from that day.

So, if you've been thinking of purchasing a print, MagicMeets may be your best opportunity to not only acquire a lovely adornment for your wall, but also give a little to charity.

Below I have pasted the original announcement from Pat Whitson:

---

Tim Devine, photographer and owner of TheMagicInPixels.com, has announced that he will donate a portion of his sales at Fred Block's 2008 MagicMeets to the DisneyWorldTrivia.com Dream Team Project. 

"As a father of a very healthy two year old, I know first hand the magic and thrill of a Disney vacation, as seen through my son's eyes and mine," says Tim. "I have also seen how the Disney magic can bring a smile to the faces of ill children as well and that really inspires me to want to do what I can to help. I just think it's the right thing to do to try to give that magic to someone else who may not be as fortunate."

The Magic In Pixels will have a large selection of matted 8 x 10" prints, 16 x 20" prints, and photo CDs. Additionally, orders for 16 x 20" prints may be placed in advance through TheMagicInPixels.com or at the table at MagicMeets. He will donate on-the-spot a percentage of the sales that are made at his table by the end of the Auction that day.

This is a wonderful opportunity for MagicMeets attendees to purchase some beautiful art for their homes that will also help a worthy cause!

The Dream Team Project thanks Tim Devine for his generous contribution! 

Technorati Tags: Tim Devine, The Magic in Pixels, Dream Team Auction, MagicMeets, Devine Inspiration

Grumptastic Distractions: The Grump Was There

Hey Lou, Jeff, George and Eric, I hear there was some speculation as to whether or not I was at a certain location in Disneyland's Toontown.

I was indeed there

Technorati Tags: Grumptastic Distractions, Disney Photos

In Case You Missed It: The Hidden Jafar

On Episode #49 of Lou Mongello's WDW Radio Show, Lou invited Steve Barrett, author of Hidden Mickeys:  A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets (3rd Edition), to discuss some of the exciting new Hidden Mickeys that he has been finding or has been alerted to by fans.

One of the hidden details he discussed was what is known as the Hidden Jafar.  Steve mentioned that he had a bit of difficulty finding it because many cast members didn't know where it was located. 

As he was talking about it, I was saying to myself, "Grumpy, you have a picture of that from MouseFest 2007!"

You need to be on the suspension bridge on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail that you cross when leaving the Gorilla enclosure.  Once you cross, turn around and look toward 11 o'clock.  And this is what you'll see:

 

Technorati Tags: In Case You Missed It, Hidden Mickey, Disney Gold

MouseFest 2007: More Random Shenanigans, Hijinks, Immaturity, and Tomfoolery

You wish yours was as big as mine, don't you?

Arrrrr....I'm a Pirate!

O'Hana Rocks, Dude!

Lou "I'm Lou Mongello" Mongello, Jeff "Did you know I do logos" Pepper, George "Take my Picture" Taylor, Andy "What do you mean we don't do attractions at MouseFest" Taylor, and Ray "Look at my biceps" Harkness

Forget about the Yeti! No one told me there would be Hobbits on this Tea Train

Technorati Tags: Disney Photography, MouseFest, Goofing Off

Devine Inspiration #8: Cinderella Castle with Dream Lights

I absolutely love this photo taken by Tim Devine from The Magic in Pixels.

The one thing I can say about this photo is that I was there when this was taken.  In fact, I was standing to Tim's left with my own camera on it's tripod, but my diminutive size prevented me from getting the camera up high enough to clear the people's heads that were in front of us.

Tim had previously captures a copy of Cinderella Castle with the Dream Lights, but this one manages to get the Partners Statue in the shot as well.

This photo is a great compliment to the non-Seasonal photograph of Cinderella Castle that Tim has taken in the past.

As is periodically the case, this photo is for sale on Tim's web site and he's got it marked down for the Holidays. 

Don't forget that Tim is running an additional promo code for the 2007 Holiday Season (holiday07) which will get you $1 off PER ITEM purchased. 

I also hear there is a rumor that for those people that visited him at MouseFest he gave out a promo code to them as well.  If you have been drooling over some of his fantastic shots, this may be the best time to snatch them up for yourself or that special Disney Geek in your life.

I think the perfect pairing would be:

Cinderella Castle with Partners Statue 8x10 Matted

PARTNERS DREAM LIGHTS

If you look closely they look like they were taken from the same location.  So you could have the Dream Lights photograph hanging on the wall as part of your Holiday Decorations and then swap it out for the other Cinderella Castle print for the rest of the year.

Sorry for today's post sounding like an advertisement, but I'm very proud of my friend's work and will gladly pimp his work just like I'd do for any of my other friends who have talent and there is no such thing as bad PR

BTW, have I told you that Jeff Pepper did my Banner Graphic?

Technorati Tags: Devine Inspiration, Disney Photography

Back to Simpler Times

Considering the stress that has come this week with getting ready for MouseFest and my wife getting sick, I thought I'd borrow Lou Mongello's and Jeff Pepper's "Wayback Machine" and go back to a simpler time in my life.

Don't worry guys, I returned it washed, waxed and with a full tank of gas.

Check out Mr. Grumpwurst sporting the styling footie pajamas at Disneyland circa January 1972.

Technorati Tags: Disneyland, Disney Photos, Wayback Machine

Devine Inspiration #7....Beware the Legend of the Forbidden Mountain

I bet you all thought I was done with my odes to Tim Devine.  You were wrong....haha.

Tim, just got back from Walt Disney World (how many trips is this for 2007?) where they were celebrating Jersey Week.

Jersey Week is when all the schools in New Jersey are out for teachers conventions.  During this time families decide to make the most of it and go to Walt Disney World.

During this trip, Tim got many, many good shots of Expedition Everest and they all can be seen in his photo album on his site.

I actually had a hard time picking a picture this time.  He has several that I wanted to choose of the mountain.  Some were at night, but most were during the day.

I ended up picking this absolutely Grumpalicious picture [Ed Note:  Yes, a new Grumptastic word brought to you by Grumpy's Hollow] because I liked the portrait orientation of the shot that gets a good bit of the water in the foreground of the capture. 

In the water you get a nice rippled reflection of the "Forbidden Mountain".

The colors, specifically the greens, really caught my eye.  It may be because green is my favorite color [Ed. Note:  You are known for your Scrooge McDuck tendencies just as much as your Grumpy tendencies.  Maybe it's the richest Duck in Duckburg's love of the greenback that is influencing your love of green].

But to top it all off, there isn't a cloud in the sky.  The mountain is perfectly outlined by the most beautiful shade of Carolina Blue.

Every picture I have taken seems to have the object that is jutting into the sky getting blended into the background because of clouds. As illustrated by this picture.  Where does the Expedition Everest end and the sky begin?:

Photos used with permission of Tim Devine at The Magic in Pixels

Technorati Tags: Devine Inspiration, Disney Photography

Wayback Machine: This Grump's First Trip to Disneyland

Being that my "real" life, the one that pays the bills, is taking up a bit of my time right now, I thought I would put up a quick pictorial post.

This is me, with my mom, on Main Street USA at Disneyland. According to the note on the back of the picture, this was taken January 22, 1972 [Ed. Note:  Thanks George for pointing out the date was wrong.  I wasn't still in a stroller in 1992]. I was born on September 8, 1971, so you can do the math on how old I was (a little over 4 months).

According to my mom, we were moving from Dayton, Ohio to San Marcos, California in 1972 due to the fact that my dad was getting a job transfer with NCR. My parents and I were in California on a scouting mission in January 1972 and they decided that a trip to Disneyland was in order.

There weren't many pictures that are preserved from that trip. This was one that really stood out to me.

Some things of note:

• Look how empty Main Street is. Granted it's January, but I doubt you'd find it this empty now.
• Note the Theme Park fashion choices of the early 1970's. There are men in sport coats and women in slacks. Not a pair of jeans in sight. Also, a lot of dress shoes. Heck my mom is wearing some sort of pant and vest combo.

Heck, back in that day, it looks like you could sport a huge Theme Park Footprint and still not get in anyone's way.

Who knows, this may have been the source of the pixie dust that fills me to this day.

[Editor's Note: Yes, I know that I appear to be copying the niche that Major Pepperidge at Gorilla's Don't Blog fills with the wonderful pictures of old, but this picture (along with a couple others) are just too irresistible for me to not blog about]

*Wayback Machine is a nod to Mr. Lou Mongello and Jeff Pepper who use that term all the time on their WDW Radio Show when they do their Disney Scene Investigations of Disney Things of the Past

 

Technorati Tags: Disneyland, Disney Photos, Wayback Machine

In case you missed it.....

Well, the other day Disney Geek George used a picture from my recent trip to Walt Disney World for their Daily Figment 85.

The day after publishing the post, George contacted me and asked me if I saw the little bit of Disney Gold in the picture I loaned him. 

If you click on the picture to the left, it will take you to the source picture on my Flickr account.  Take a close look at the Bass Drum.

Do you see it?

No?

Maybe this will help:

 

 

 

 

 

Now that you know what you are looking for, you should be able to find it in this picture.  I knew about this one because my wife pointed it out and insisted I take this picture:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now the big question that I have is, where did that logo come from?  I'm sure one of those Disney Scene Investigators Lou Mongello (Disney World Trivia and WDW Radio Podcast) or Jeff Pepper (2719 Hyperion and WDW Radio Podcast) will be able to provide some historical insight on that logo.

As Lou and Jeff always tell us, look up and look down and look around.  Something Grumptastic is always under your nose.  So don't forget to have a camera handy. 

Technorati Tags: In case you missed it, Hidden Mickey, Disney Gold

Devine Inspiration #6......Comes with a Spoiler Warning

Well, I have been a bit remiss on doing my weekly Devine Inspiration feature since I left for Walt Disney World in early September.  Life and my trip reports sort of got in the way.

So, in honor of the Re-Haunting of Disney World's Haunted Mansion while I was on my vacation, I'm choosing today's Devine Inspiration from the batch newly minted during Tim's visit to Walt Disney World in honor of EPCOT's 25th Birthday.

As you can see, to the left, I have chosen the newly floating Madam Leota crystal ball.  Anyone who has armed themselves with a camera and boarded a doom buggy knows how painfully difficult it can be to not only get your camera to auto-focus on anything within Gracey Manor, but it's also difficult to walk out with anything "frame-worthy".

Tim's entire album related to the newly Re-Haunted Mansion is one pictorial example after another on why a flash is not flattering inside a dark ride such as the Haunted Mansion.  If you have seen any of the countess examples of photos taken with a flash that were published after the grand re-opening, you'll see the dramatic difference Tim's pictures possess.

Actually, when I first saw them, I thought to myself that his photographic capture of these scenes were far more brilliant in color and vivid than what I saw with my own, naked eye from the doom buggy.

Now, I offer up my attempt at the same shot for your enjoyment

Technorati Tags: Devine Inspiration, Disney Photography, Haunted Mansion

Devine Inspiration #5

Fantasmic! is such a Grumptastic event, especially when viewed from Disneyland's New Orleans Square. 

This is another picture taken while I was standing next to him.  In fact, I  was there to witness the serious chimping that was going on after the review of the last few pictures taken of the show.

There are a ton of pictures taken from Disneyland's Fantasmic! show that are in Tim's photo album which could've qualified as this week's candidate.  He snagged plenty of great shots taken off of the giant water screens.

I think only Roger "Mr. Fantasmic!" Longenbach could've scored more excellent pictures. 

But, to really see why I picked it is to compare it to the shot I attempted to take of the same thing. 

I had to heavily, heavily crop this picture to even get Mickey to look larger than a pinpoint on the image.  My original image was taken with a fast 50mm (f1.8) lens and was tiny.  I'm actually a bit more impressed with my shot than I probably originally gave myself credit for.  But the newly cropped image isn't really print-worthy and if I took it to get processed would look like something I picked up on the bottom of my shoe at the movie theater.

If you like Fantasmic! at the Disneyland theme park, take a stroll on over to The Magic in Pixels and take a look.

I'm about to leave for a 9-day stay at Walt Disney World in a couple days.  I'll be armed with my three lenses and my Nikon D80 and my Canon Powershot S70.  All I have to say is that photography is the way we document our lives (some people do it in video). 

Don't have lens envy of those guys like Tim and others (most of the regulars at The Magic in Pixels) who sport the big glass.  Even if you are only armed with a point-and-shoot, get out there and burn up some flash cards.  You never know what you might get.  You may enjoy and and convince yourself to upgrade your camera.  Also, sign up and participate in the forums over there.  Even Disney Geek George is over there and he proudly sports a point-and-shoot and contributes photos to the conversations.

Keep it Grumptastic people!

Technorati Tags: Tim Devine, The Magic in Pixels, Devine Inspiration

Devine Inspiration #4

Well, firstly, Tim made me need to go back to the drawing board on this week's showcase.  The picture that I wanted to do he chose to use for his Photography Tip of the Week on the Magical Definition Podcast.  Since, I didn't want to look like I was taking the easy road out, I dug through his albums again and quickly found another image that struck my fancy.

I can hear you all screaming, "WHY!" after seeing the picture I have chosen.

Well, let me tell you why.  Firstly, EPCOT (Every Person Comes Out Tired) is one of my favorite parks to go to.  I'm a sucker for that edutainment.

Secondly, this picture has a very futuristic, yet simplistic look. 

For those of us that are familiar with the iconic Space Ship Earth, this image gives us a glimpse of it.  More like a slight kiss of the geodesic sphere.  Plus, I never really noticed the palm trees before. 

With Space Ship Earth taking up two-thirds of the frame and still not showing the entire structure helps hint to the sheer size of the subject. 

The final touch that draws me to this picture is the colors.  I love the blending of the blues, purples and yellows that make up the light that is being reflected off the metallic surface of Space Ship Earth, or as I like to call it.....The Giant Golf Ball.

Another home run in my opinion.

If you happen to enjoy this picture as much as I do and are pretty sure you'd never have a snowball's chance in Hades of bagging this trophy yourself, stroll on over to Tim's store because this puppy happens to be one of the few out of the thousands of gems that get picked to be offered to the public as a beautiful 8x10 print viewable with 11x14 matte.

But, hey, if you don't particularly like this print, but like the artistic eye Mr. Devine possess take a stroll over to his store and look around anyway.  You never know what eye-candy you just might find that you must have for your very own wall dedicated to all things Disney.

Technorati Tags: Tim Devine, The Magic in Pixels, Devine Inspiration

---

All Images are used with permission of Tim Devine/The Magic In Pixels.  All Rights Reserved.

Devine Inspiration #3

For today's Devine Inspiration, I'm taking us to Disney's Main Street Electrical Parade.  This is one of the few parades that I'll sit and watch.  It brings back a lot of good childhood memories from when my parents, brother and I would watch this parade when it was still on Main Street and Disney's California Adventure was still a parking lot.

This picture is extra special because I was standing next to Tim when he popped this shot off.  He found a sweet viewing spot and it apparently isn't very well thought of because a couple days later when I went back to watch the parade with my sister-in-law and her family (Hi Collin!), the same spot was still wide open.

Disney's Electrical Parade is one of those things that I feel would be really hard to get a decent amount of quality shots with a Point-and-Shoot camera.  I noticed this when I saw the pictures my sister-in-law attempted to make with her very nice Point-and-Shoot.  If the lights weren't blurry, they were streaked.

Even with a good dSLR camera, you still need to have your settings such that the individual lights glow in the picture and don't end up just pinpoints of light. 

But, even if you have your settings right and are in the right place, it's still not easy.  Take for example, this shot (to the right) taken while I was standing next to Tim of the same exact subject in Tim's picture I'm showcasing.  I need to note, that this was the best of the several shots I attempted to take of this particular subject.  I just love how Tim captured Dumbo winking and everything is nice and crisp and frozen in time. 

I pulled this picture from Tim's recently updated Photo Album on his The Magic in Pixels web site.  Tim recently added a bunch of new albums from his Disneyland Trip with Disney's Electrical Parade being just one of those new albums.  If you haven't been to Tim's site in awhile, I suggest you go see what new stuff he's uploaded for our viewing pleasure. 

---

Pictures are used with permission of Tim Devine / The Magic in Pixels.

Technorati Tags: Tim Devine, The Magic in Pixels, Disney Photography

Devine Inspiration #2

I was flipping through Tim's online photo album and came across this little gem. I thought I'd like focus on images contained within an attraction.

The reason for this decision is that pictures taken inside attractions are pretty tricky. For one, you aren't armed with a tripod to keep the camera steady in the low light conditions. You, therefore, are at the mercy of your ability to make the right settings on your camera and work with whatever lenses are in your arsenal.

At first, I thought of showcasing an obligatory Pirates of the Caribbean shot. It's recognizable and a beloved ride. I also thought about doing an It's a Small World photo. Why? Why not?

But, when I saw this picture of the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz, I knew I found my shot.

For those of us who've tried to take pictures of this particular part of the ride, we know that getting a great capture is difficult. This isn't a truly dark ride in the traditional sense. The large "dioramas" are heavily lit with lights while, where you are sitting in the ride vehicle is not. It's almost like trying to take pictures of a stage show.

Tim's capture of this part of the Great Movie Ride is wonderful especially considering he hadn't used a flash device. How do I know he didn't use a flash? I know because flash photography in Disney attractions is very, very big faux pas and bad form and it detracts from the enjoyment of rides from others. You'll know this if you've been on rides such as Space Ship Earth that has the non-Imagineer approved addition of the strobe affects of flash photography.

But I get off track.

I have seen other photos of this particular character where the focus is hard to maintain, or the colors are more muted because of the attempt to compensate for the low light or the hot spots in the ride produced by the spotlights in the ride. This picture, from my recollection, does a fairly good job of capturing what I actually saw with my eyes.

Click here to to to the photo in Tim's online Photo Album.

Technorati Tags: Tim Devine, The Magic in Pixels, Disney Photography

Scrapbooking and fun with food

The latest scrapbooking project is finished.  I am sharing this little gem to give examples of the fun ways to use creative pictures that may be overlooked in the planning stages but add a great deal to the finished product. 

The whole goal of scrapbooking is to preserve memories and experiences in a way that regular photo albums fall short.  In doing this, you really have to think outside the standard trip photos and add some personal flair to the creative process.   

Pictures of signs may make the best title for the page.  This is especially helpful when you can't quite find the "right" font to fit the theming. What better way to capture attention than with the actual sign for the restaurant or attraction?  Several of my pages for my Disney World trip 2006 scrapbook are headed with pictures that Grumpwurst took on our trip of signs and posters.

Another fun way to add flair to a page is by using pictures of the food.  We started this when we went to Victoria and Albert's.  If we were going to pay that much for the food- we were going to remember everything about it!  I love how the kids macaroni and cheese turned out in this picture.  A Mickey Mouse on the page and another trip memory- a great combination.  Everyone ties memories to food wether conscious or subconsciously.  This aids in that process and makes for a cute page as well.   

Who doesn't tie your memories with vacation or life events with food?  I know that my top five things at Disney include at least two food events/tastes.  At Disneyland it is the ice cream from Catch a Flave on the boardwalk heading toward California Screamin and the clam chowder bread bowls in New Orleans.  Even writing about these palate pleasing treats makes my mouth water.  How do you think your memory and senses will be sparked from a picture?

Technorati Tags: scrapbooking, enchanted Rose, Disney

Devine Inspiration #1

I'm going to try a new weekly feature here at Grumpy's Hollow.  Tim Devine, from the Magic in Pixels, has done me a great favor on my Disneyland Trip.  I could never have gotten as many good shots as I did if he hadn't taken me under his wing, so to speak, and told me about what settings to try and lecture me sternly when I was changing my lenses like a ignorant git.

So, I thought it would be nice to try and showcase some of his photos that I, as a hobbyist, find impressive.  These photos may come from his photo album or from his store (some are contained in both places).

I have chosen this print because what better photo to start off with then something as iconic as Cinderella's Castle and the Partner Statue.  Tim has quite a few images of the "Castle" and the Partners Statue, but this one just seems to have all the elements just perfectly captured (in my humble opinion). 

Plus, he's hit the mother lode with no people tainting the shot.

This is the shot, that every man, woman, and child that goes to Disney and is starry eyed with Pixie Dust wants to walk away with.  I would have to say that this shot has to be higher on the list than the perfect shot of the nightly fireworks show.

This image just so happens to come out of Tim's store and is available for purchase and can be found here:

Cinderella Castle 16x20 Mounted Print

Cinderella Castle with Partners Statue 8x10 Matted

If this shot doesn't happen to be on your checklist of trophies you want to bag yourself on the greatest photographic safari in the world, then Mr. Devine has made it easy to get this beauty hanging on your wall.

As I said, not every picture I plan to showcase is going to come from his store, but this one just happened to be.  If I wasn't salivating to get this shot with my own equipment, I'd be severely tempted to drop some cold hard cash on this print. 

I have 3 words for you:

Pure Disney Gold

 

Pictures are used with permission of Tim Devine / The Magic in Pixels.

Technorati Tags: Tim Devine, The Magic in Pixels, Disney Photography