Capturing Dynamic Ride Images and Portraits - Enhancing Your Theme Park Photography
Welcome to the heart of our theme park photography adventure! In this series of articles we’re discussing how to craft more unique theme park photos that will really stand out amongst what everyone else is taking. In the previous article we discussed how to maximize golden hour to capture truly stunning images. But in this section, we're going to delve into the art of taking stunning portraits, freezing the thrill of rides, and showcasing the intricate architecture that makes these parks so captivating. Get ready to add depth and dimension to your collection of memories that will really stand out and capture your love of the parks!
Taking Better Portraits:
A portrait of someone in an industrial themed area of the New York section of Universal Studios Florida
Let's talk about capturing the people who make your theme park experience so special – your family and friends!
A Portrait of someone walking down an empty Sting Alley in the New York section of Universal Studios Florida
One of the things that I love the most about theme parks is their ability to transport you to new places. At Universal Studios, you can be in a turn of the century New York City cityscape in one moment, and then in a magical realm of wizardry the next moment! Utilizing these backdrops and sets for portraits can be so powerful, and they can up the quality of your photoshoot immensely.
A portrait within Dragon Alley in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Florida
When taking portraits, all the rules we’ve already discussed are applicable! However, lighting is your secret weapon. Avoid harsh sunlight that creates unflattering shadows. Instead, seek out open shade or even overcast days for soft, even lighting. While we don’t have studio soft box lighting, clouds offer massive coverage of soft lighting — it's like having the world’s largest softbox in the sky! It’s also highly recommended that you capture portraits during the golden hour we talked about in the previous article. The warm, gentle light can add a magical touch to your portraits. If you’re shooting at night, get creative and use lighting coming from facade windows or the neon lights from signage. Use lighting to paint your subject!
A portrait taken in an early 1900’s New York themed backdrop at Universal Studios Florida
Again, framing is everything! Don’t forget to pay attention to the background. Oftentimes it’s easy to get wrapped up in perfectly positioning your subject the way that you want, that you forget to check the background and surrounding areas. A cluttered or distracting background can take away from the focus on your subject. Look for clean and simple backdrops that complement your subjects without stealing the spotlight.
A portrait taken in front of the Hogwarts Castle in Hogsmeade at Universal’s Islands of Adventure
If your frame has people wandering around in the background, be patient and wait for the right moment when there’s a lull in the flow of traffic. Waiting those extra moments to capture a clean background will set your photo apart from the rest! And don't be afraid to experiment with different angles and poses to capture genuine expressions and connections.
Creating Dynamic Ride Photos:
An empty train crests the iconic top hat of VelociCoaster at Universal’s Islands of Adventure
Some theme park rides are all about thrills and excitement, and capturing that adrenaline rush in a photo can be a bit tricky. But don’t worry, because we're here to help you freeze the action in all its glory. In this section we’ll cover a few techniques that will help you capture the action of thrill rides in different ways.
A long exposure of The Hulk Coaster at Islands of Adventure. Light trails follow the coaster train as it roars out of the launch tunnel and into its first inversion.
When it comes to rides, it's all about timing and technique, and here is where you get to experiment! When learning about shutter speed, you learned that the faster the shutter is, the crisper the image will be when your subject is moving. Likewise, the slower your shutter speed, the more blur will be introduced to your frame when the subject is moving. Fast-moving rides don’t always call for fast shutter speeds!
A long exposure photo of the Jurassic World: VelociCoaster and its final inversion.
While slower rides might be easier to capture with various shutter speeds, you can experiment with longer exposures to capture motion blur with any attraction. Burst mode is your best friend with quick attractions with high shutter speeds such as roller coasters!
Burst mode. will allow you to snap a rapid sequence of shots in a matter of seconds if your shutter speed is quick enough. From there, you can easily pick the perfect moment from your selection. This photo was taken as one of many within a burst. I held down the shutter button right before the coaster train reached the area I wanted to freeze in time, and I kept taking photos until the coaster had left the area I was focused on. That allowed me to stop the train perfectly in the first inversion of its iconic cobra roll element.
The Incredible Hulk Coaster in front of a striking sunset at Universal’s Islands of Adventure
The Incredible Hulk Coaster at Universal’s Islands of Adventure captured perfectly in the middle of its inverted loop.
This photo of The Incredible Hulk coaster was also shot in burst mode at high speed. I found an angle of the coaster that I liked, waited for the iconic moment of the coaster being launched, and snapped as many photos as possible. Later on I was able to select the perfect moment where the coaster train was perfectly upside-down and being framed by the ride track.
Showcasing Architectural Wonders:
The beautiful and well themed, adventurous skyline of Port of Entry at Universal’s Islands of Adventure
Every theme park is a treasure trove of architectural wonders waiting to be captured. The grand castles, futuristic buildings, cities from bygone eras, and intricately designed streets are all perfect subjects in and of themselves.
The architecture of the Norway Pavilion at EPCOT in Walt Disney World
Wide-angle lenses are often your best companions for capturing these architectural marvels. Capturing wide shots with a 24mm lens or wider will allow you to capture the scale and grandeur of these structures in a single shot. But don't be afraid to mix it up.
The well themed streets of the Morocco Pavilion at EPCOT in Walt Disney World
The unique and creative architecture of Port of Entry at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
Although wide angles allow you to capture more in one frame, they’re becoming more and more common and familiar. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different focal lengths and perspectives with architecture – sometimes, a shot from ground level can add drama and impact to your photos, but sometimes using a telephoto lens and compressing your background offers an even more unique view that most would overlook while shooting because it goes against the “norm".
A simple, yet captivating shot of Galaxy's Edge against a blue sky at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World.
One of my favorite photos from Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios isn’t a shot of the Millennium Falcon, although I do have a few photos that I’m proud of that capture that icon beautifully. It’s actually this simple photo of a spire on top of a gift shop. The reason why I love it so much is because this is an image that would oftentimes be overlooked, but at the same time it captures the beauty and attention-to-detail in the land. This image transports you to a galaxy far far away. It doesn’t feel like it's a theme park, but instead it captures the essence of why I love these parks so much and the imagination these places can take hold of. Although it’s a simple shot, it tells a story and speaks loudly. This image uses several of the techniques we’ve discussed in this series of articles. If this is your first visit to these articles, welcome! We’d love to have you along for the journey by starting here: How to Stand Out From the Crowd With Theme Park Photography!
Toothsome Chocolate Emporium at Universal’s CityWalk in Orlando
In the next section, we're going to dive into the world of post-processing and how you can enhance your theme park captures to truly make them shine. Get ready to take your photos from great to jaw-dropping with a few editing tricks!
Previous Article: Maximize Golden Hour
Next Article: Coming Soon
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