Words of a Dis Hippy

Linnean Angles

2012-01-31T17:01:00.001-08:00

Linnean Angles, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

After some new found information by my good friend Greg, I found out how to shoot a 9 shot bracketed HDR. This is the Linnean House at the Missouri Botanical Garden. It's been recently remodeled and has never looked better. I also used exposure fusion in photomatix to blend the exposures and it really worked out a lot better to give a more realistic feel. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions would be welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4

Glass Abstract

2012-01-30T07:24:00.001-08:00

Glass Abstract, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

After grabbing a couple of shots of the Chihuly ceiling, I attached my trusty 50mm f/1.8 for some detail shots. I was channeling DugJax and his master abstract skills to take these shots. What I really love about this ceiling installation, is that the colors are intense by themselves and even better in combination with each other. Of course this particular piece attracted me because it's green. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Reverse Lobby Detail

2012-01-26T06:25:00.001-08:00

Reverse Lobby Detail, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This is the reverse or the back side of the Port Orleans French Quarter lobby. I couldn't take not posting a Disney shot any more so I had to add something. Sunset was happening on the front of the building so the shadows are pretty harsh, but I like the detail just the same. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Watching The Glass Go By

2012-01-25T07:53:00.001-08:00

Watching The Glass Go By, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This is a shot I took of my beautiful girlfriend Jenea sitting on the rotating circular bench. I would without a doubt have to say my favorite part about going to see and shoot this Chihuly artwork is that Jenea is by my side and just as excited to see it as me. I had a pretty hard time processing this one, without getting the ceiling to bright and getting Jenea bright enough. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Single/Multiple Self Portrait

2012-01-24T07:37:00.001-08:00

Single/Multiple Self Portrait, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

There was a small hall of mirrors and wall of mirror domes that we had fun shooting in for a while at the Children's Museum. This is me of course, I was actually able, after a lot of moving and adjusting, to get a self portrait of myself and to be in the frame from two different angles at the same time. I wasn't going to change it at first, but I couldn't take the backwards Nikon logo, so I flipped the whole image in photoshop, but that's about it. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

From The Bottom Up

2012-01-23T06:56:00.001-08:00

From The Bottom Up, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Here's another shot of the beautiful Fireworks of Glass Tower at the Indianapolis Children's Museum. I liked how this one was framed up and the closer detail that it offered. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Ceiling Detail

2012-01-20T07:57:00.001-08:00

Ceiling Detail, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I know I just posted a shot of this ceiling yesterday, but I had to post this one because I was able to stretch my tripod really tall, and use my ultra wide angle lens to get a shot of the ceiling filling the frame. I absolutely love all the different pieces that are in these ceiling installations. I would probably have to say that it would either be a ceiling installation, or a boat installation from Chihuly. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

The Ceiling

2012-01-18T18:18:00.001-08:00

The Ceiling, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Fireworks of Glass
The Ceiling

The Fireworks of Glass ceiling floats just under the tower. It is filled with 1,600 pieces of glass from Chihuly’s spectacular series, including Sea Tubes, Hornballs, Persians, and Putti in a variety of shapes and colors.

On the museum’s Lower Level children and families can look up and see the brilliantly colored glass forms in the ceiling.

Children and adults can also sit on a large, round, revolving platform, gaze at the ceiling overhead and discuss what they see.

Families can also create their own sculptures with colorful plastic-like shapes call polyvitro; and blow glass or explore the hot shop and the glassblowing process virtually.
Sourced from:
www.childrensmuseum.org/fireworks-of-glass

I still can't really decide which I liked better, the tower or this unbelievable ceiling. We must have spent a half hour just wandering and starring at this ceiling. The bench in the center you could lay back on and it's circular and spins slowly. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

The Tower

2012-01-17T17:49:00.001-08:00

The Tower, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Fireworks of Glass
The Tower

The Fireworks of Glass tower stands in the museum’s central atrium, where children and families can circle the ramps and explore it from all sides. Chihuly's artists blew and installed 3,200 pieces of glass on the tower. It comprises more than 3,200 individually blown, brilliantly colored, two- to four-foot-long pieces of smooth and twisted glass called Horns and Goosenecks.
Sourced from:
www.childrensmuseum.org/fireworks-of-glass

This is the main centerpiece in the Fireworks of Glass exhibition at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis. This tower is massive in size and has many different pieces in red, blue, and yellow. The cross on the floor is translucent and is the ceiling underneath. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Fireworks of Glass Preshow

2012-01-17T08:36:00.001-08:00

Fireworks of Glass Preshow, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

As I was processing my photos from the Children's Museum of Indianapolis and the Chihuly exhibit that is there, I had real trouble deciding which I should show first. I thought I would take a queue from Disney and have a little preshow with this shot of the exhibit sign. This way the rest of the series will have a little more backstory. I hope you all enjoy when I present photos in series like this, as I have really come to enjoy doing it that way. Almost like I can take you all along too. Enjoy!

Fireworks of Glass is the largest permanent sculpture of blown glass by renowned artist Dale Chihuly. The 43-foot-tall tower rises above a glass ceiling.

The Tower

The Fireworks of Glass tower stands in the museum’s central atrium, where children and families can circle the ramps and explore it from all sides. Chihuly's artists blew and installed 3,200 pieces of glass on the tower. It comprises more than 3,200 individually blown, brilliantly colored, two- to four-foot-long pieces of smooth and twisted glass called Horns and Goosenecks.

The Ceiling

The Fireworks of Glass ceiling floats just under the tower. It is filled with 1,600 pieces of glass from Chihuly’s spectacular series, including Sea Tubes, Hornballs, Persians, and Putti in a variety of shapes and colors.

On the museum’s Lower Level children and families can look up and see the brilliantly colored glass forms in the ceiling.

Children and adults can also sit on a large, round, revolving platform, gaze at the ceiling overhead and discuss what they see.

Families can also create their own sculptures with colorful plastic-like shapes call polyvitro; and blow glass or explore the hot shop and the glassblowing process virtually.

Hands-On Exhibit

Below the ceiling is a hands-on exhibit area. Here, children and adults can sit on a large, round, revolving platform, gaze at the ceiling overhead and discuss what they see. Families can also create their own sculptures with colorful plastic-like shapes called polyvitro and blow glass virtually or explore the hot shop and the glassblowing process on two computer screens.
Sourced from:
www.childrensmuseum.org/fireworks-of-glass

Orange And Lime Niijima

2012-01-12T07:28:00.001-08:00

Orange And Lime Niijima, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This is a select individual Niijima Float from the Cheekwood Botanic Garden exhibition by Dale Chihuly. I really like the colors in this one, and I really like the rock garden around it radiating from it. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Chihuly In Panoramic

2012-01-10T18:08:00.001-08:00

Chihuly In Panoramic, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This is a 7x3 shot HDR panorama (21 total shots) I shot with my 50mm f/1.8 of the Chihuly chandelier that hangs in the main lobby of the Missouri Botanical Gardens. This is definitely one that I'd like to try again. This turned out well enough, but it bugs me that its just a bit off center. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Sometimes, Less Is More

2012-01-08T17:18:00.001-08:00

Sometimes, Less Is More, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This is inspired by one of my good Flickr friends, Kristen W., who has recently added some water drop photos of her own. I'm taking a queue from her and going with a little bit simpler shot for today. In trying to get different splashes and collisions, it's easy I think to lose sight of just how beautiful this stuff is. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Persian Glass on Glass

2012-01-06T06:13:00.001-08:00

Persian Glass on Glass, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Some more fun from the Cheekwood Botanic Garden Chihuly exhibit. These pieces are called persians and they were set up in these atrium windows, so I got some beautiful color coming through the window. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Blue Reeds On The Hillside

2012-01-05T06:24:00.001-08:00

Blue Reeds On The Hillside, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Another shot from the Cheekwood Botanic Garden Chihuly exhibit in Nashville Tennessee. One thing I've always liked about these garden shows is that even though these installations jump out at you when you first see them, they are relatively unassuming. They don't really seem too out of place, which goes to show to intense detail and thought that is put into these installations. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Overflowing

2012-01-04T06:26:00.001-08:00

Overflowing, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

To continue my Chihuly preparations, I have another perspective of the boat installation at the Cheekwood Botanic Garden in Nashville Tennessee. I really loved that all these warm colors were inside of the turquoise colored boat. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Glass Roots

2012-01-03T07:07:00.001-08:00

Glass Roots, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I wanted to get back to posting some Chihuly shots because out a week and a half, I get to shoot another Chihuly exhibit. I'm so excited to just be getting away for the weekend, but having the opportunity to see another Chihuly exhibit and shoot it is a plus. Jenea and I will be heading to Indianapolis, IN for the 14 and 15 to visit their Children's Museum to see the Fireworks in Glass exhibit. A nice big tower and glass ceiling to see and shoot. I can't wait to get back to my "glass roots" since it was Chihuly exhibits as well as Disney that got me into photography in the first place.

This particular shot is from the Missouri Botanical Garden in the main atrium. I love shooting this chandelier, as I'm sure you've all noticed. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

P.S. - If anyone lives in the area and can offer any suggestions of things to do or shoot in the Indianapolis area, please let me know. We need something to do on Saturday evening I believe. :)

New Color

2012-01-02T07:10:00.001-08:00

New Color, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Hey everyone! Happy New Year to al, glad to be back with another photo! For Christmas, I got some flash gels from Jenea that I've been having some fun experimenting with. It really makes me want another flash for this water drop stuff, but that I'll have to wait a bit for. This particular shot is pretty simple, yellow drop and base water, a white background behind the drop tray, and a true blue flash gel on my SB-700. Having to flashes with different colors on them would really have some epic results, so I can't wait for that. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Red Orbit

2011-12-28T18:54:00.001-08:00

Red Orbit, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This one was a pretty interesting an unexpected result when dropping water into heavy cream. I ended up with a column in the center and red drops in a sort of orbit around that column. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Gifts

2011-12-27T15:54:00.001-08:00

Gifts, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I think this is another one of those right of passage shots for any budding WDW photographer. I used my 50mm to get up close with a wide open depth of field. I wanted to go a little tighter with this one which is a bit rare for me. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Lobby Chandeliers

2011-12-26T18:00:00.001-08:00

Lobby Chandeliers, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I thought it was about time for another Disney shot. For as much fun I'm having with my water drop photography, I can't deny my real love for Disney photography. Shots like this one are the ones that real make me want to get back down as soon as possible. At the same time, there is so much of the country I've yet to experience so it's hard to balance to two. :) Not the worst dilemma to be in I know. I worked for a while on the color with this one, so please let me know what you all think. Any and all suggestions and comments are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas Water Drop

2011-12-24T12:38:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas Water Drop, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This is one of my favorite water drop shots that I've captured to date. I added a bit of heavy cream to my drop water so the green would show through really well while my drop water was deep rich clear red. I captured this and it reminded me of a Christmas tree a little bit so I figured it would be fitting to save until the weekend. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

I hope that everyone has a fantastic Holiday no matter what, and have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Seeing Saturn

2011-12-22T19:24:00.001-08:00

Seeing Saturn, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Leading up to my Christmas themed shot, I snapped this and caught the two drops as the collided and spread apart. It gave it a very Saturn feel. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Blue & Purple Ripples

2011-12-20T17:42:00.001-08:00

Blue & Purple Ripples, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Another from my series the other day. This one had some really cool ripples and waves in the collision surface. I shot some of my best water drop photos yet today and can't wait to share those with everyone closer to Christmas. :) Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

The Moment Of Impact

2011-12-18T18:25:00.001-08:00

The Moment Of Impact, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I thought this capture was quite interesting the other day. The red drop water into the blue base water combined with capturing the moment of collision impact was pretty amazing. I actually captured the color mixing and gives a glimpse to how the first drop changes. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Face The Camera

2011-12-15T18:31:00.001-08:00

Face The Camera, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This has to be my personal most favorite water drop shot yet! I was doing some more research for things I could use at home to make these drops a bit more interesting. I found that adding sugar to both the base and drop water in conjunction with keeping the water cold really helped in good results. Thickening the water was a big help and made collisions a bit easier to time out. This was my first shot of a facing collision, three separate color layers, and my lighting and focus with just about where I want it. I know I must sound like a broken record, but I'm having an absolute blast shooting this stuff. No matter who tries this or how many times it's been done, it's organic enough that every shot you get is something that no one else has ever captured. That's why I think I love shooting these little drops so much. :) Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Half & Half

2011-12-14T17:53:00.001-08:00

Half & Half, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I was really happy with the effect that the focus has in this one. Half in tack sharp focus, and half in bokeh. Then add a favorite color of mine in the turquoise.

I said earlier on Twitter, but I'll say it again here, I've definitely found something that I can shoot when the weather is cold or rainy. The more I do this water drop photography, the more I learn about it and how to make it better. If anyone else is trying this and needs any pointers, please don't hesitate to ask. :)

Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Flat Top

2011-12-13T17:28:00.001-08:00

Flat Top, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Working on my focus is an ongoing process with this water drop photography. I can say that the collisions are starting to come easier so I think that's progress. Can't wait to see where this goes. I've had so much time shooting these little drops. :) Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

My First Collision

2011-12-08T16:04:00.001-08:00

My First Collision, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I know this isn't the most tack sharp shot that I've gotten, but I'm really excited about it nevertheless. This is my first water drop collision. One water drop hits the water, ripples and stems back upward, and then the second drop collides with it. I still have a bit of practice to do with this stuff and look forward to trying much more. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Water Drop Setup

2011-12-08T16:03:00.001-08:00

Water Drop Setup, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This is my current make shift water drop photography setup. I'm using white poster board for flash reflectors, a black paint pan for a drop tray, and an eyedropper on an old tripod for my drop water. If anyone wants to know any more about how to do this, I would be more than happy to share any of my somewhat limited knowledge on the subject. :)

Aqua Crown

2011-12-06T16:55:00.001-08:00

Aqua Crown, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I some more experimentation with the water drops today and had some pretty interesting results. Not quite what I was looking to accomplish, but that I'm sure will come with some more practice. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Back With A Sign

2011-12-05T06:44:00.001-08:00

Back With A Sign, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Hey Everyone! Sorry I haven't been around here lately, the holidays of course are a bit busier at work and this past week has been a bit hectic. After the chaos of Black Friday, we found out our A/C was "stuck" on and that our furnace was full of ice. So while maintenance worked on figuring that out my car starts acting up. So between taking care of all that and catching up on some sleep I'm going to make a serious effort to get back to Flickr. I miss chatting with everyone and seeing all of your photos.

On to this shot. I took this right after our breakfast at Kona Cafe at the Polynesian. I have always loved to Poly and the area is covered in neat things to find. This is one of the building signs that of course is themed perfectly as well as that trashcan I caught in the background. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Glass On Glass

2011-11-29T17:25:00.001-08:00

Glass On Glass, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Here's a shot of the Climatron and Chihuly pieces reflecting on the lily pool. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Blue & Imagination

2011-11-28T17:28:00.001-08:00

Blue & Imagination, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This was taken at the start of blue hour in Epcot at the Imagination Pavilion. I've always loved that stretch of time in the parks where the evening is taking hold and the lights are just starting to come on. I took extra care to process this without making the HDR look "fake" Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

The Shop On The Corner - Uptown Jewelers

2011-11-27T16:41:00.001-08:00

The Shop On The Corner - Uptown Jewelers, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

The sky trying to clear over Uptown Jewelers on Main Street U.S.A. What really drew me to this shot was the flowers hanging from the balcony adding a splash of color to the scene. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Asian Textured Detail

2011-11-25T16:48:00.001-08:00

Asian Textured Detail, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

A quick shot in Asia on our way to the Maharajah Jungle Trek in Animal Kingdom. I think what really got me about these details was the rust and faded paint. The color was beautiful, but the textures really put it over the top. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Golden Morning

2011-11-22T06:36:00.001-08:00

Golden Morning, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

A quick shot in Adventureland on our way towards the Jungle Cruise. I'd have to say that the buildings throughout Adventureland are some of my favorite because they look as though they have people actually living in them. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Beautiful Little Drop

2011-11-21T06:48:00.001-08:00

Beautiful Little Drop, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Here's my second shot, yes pun intended, at water drop photography. This went exponentially better than the first try at it. I realized during this shoot that I still have an awful lot to learn about this and still a bit of investing to do in supplies to make this what I'd like it to be. I knew after my first try at this that I was going to be hooked. :) Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Monorail Monday - Contemporary Transportation

2011-11-18T06:05:00.001-08:00

Monorail Monday - Contemporary Transportation, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This is a shot I caught as we were walking up to the monorail on our grand circle tour of the Magic Kingdom resorts. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

It All Started With A Drop

2011-11-16T16:10:00.001-08:00

It All Started With A Drop, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

So last night in a moment of complete spontaneity, I decided I wanted to give water drop photography a try. Without a whole lot of research or prior knowledge, I set up a small make shift water drop studio in my kitchen and started experimenting. These four shots are the best out of the 200+ shots that I fired off. Since then, I've done quite a bit of research in the technique itself as well as the camera settings. I have a bit of a shopping list to fill to make my "studio" more conducive to a more solid final result, so you will be seeing some more of my little water drops in the future. I have a feeling this is going to give way to an obsession for me. LoL. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Grand Staircase

2011-11-15T16:21:00.001-08:00

Grand Staircase, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I shot I took on our monorail tour around the Magic Kingdom Resort loops. This is from the Grand Floridian inside the main lobby. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Monorail Monday - Pulling Away From Polynesian

2011-11-14T06:13:00.001-08:00

Monorail Monday - Pulling Away From Polynesian, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

First of all, I want to apologize, I haven't been the best Flickr friend. Unfortunately I still work in retail and the holiday season is starting in full force, so I've been quite busy. I am going to try my hardest to be on Flickr a little more, as it's something I really enjoy. This was taken right as we walked up to the monorail station at the Polynesian resort. The monorail was just pulling away from the station so shoot away I did. :) Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Neon Swirl

2011-11-10T18:12:00.001-08:00

Neon Swirl, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I figured a good WDW shot was in order for today. I happened upon this one and I thought it would be good, I've always liked the spinning neon effect. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Eye Catching Orchids

2011-11-09T16:49:00.001-08:00

Eye Catching Orchids, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Throughout the Climatron at the Missouri Botanical Garden, it's always fun to hunt down the orchids that can be found growing in various places along the walkway. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Pluto's Toy Palace

2011-11-07T17:40:00.001-08:00

Pluto's Toy Palace, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Just a pretty simple shot of Pluto's Toy Palace on Hollywood Blvd. in Disney's Hollywood Studios. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Golden Perspective

2011-11-07T06:18:00.001-08:00

Golden Perspective, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I took this one even entering the Magic Kingdom. Golden hour in the Magic Kingdom is a lot of fun so I couldn't resist those Main Street buildings bathed in gold. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Showtime Saturday - You Looking At Me?

2011-11-05T05:44:00.001-07:00

Showtime Saturday - You Looking At Me?, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

A shot I grabbed in the queue for the Safari at Animal Kingdom. Every time I look at it, it makes me laugh. It was almost as if he saw me put my camera to my eye. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Dancing Herons

2011-11-03T18:42:00.001-07:00

Dancing Herons, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I tried a little something new with the red herons inside the Climatron at Missouri Botanical Gardens. I used my ultra wide angle lens and was able to stretch down to the edge of the water to get this one. I was pretty happy with the results. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Waterfalls Under The Dome

2011-11-01T17:41:00.001-07:00

Waterfalls Under The Dome, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

One of the first great views inside Missouri Botanical Garden's Climatron greenhouse, is the two waterfalls and the great layers in the arrangement. This is a handheld HDR bracketed +2 0 -2. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Early Morning Backlight

2011-10-31T17:13:00.001-07:00

Early Morning Backlight, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Fall is in full swing here in St. Louis and the Missouri Botanical Garden were in perfect form. This particular tree was backlit by the morning sun and looking quite beautiful. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Home Town Spirit

2011-10-30T18:03:00.001-07:00

Home Town Spirit, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I was up at the Missouri Botanical Gardens on this past Friday, which was also Game 7 of the World Series. I noticed right away that the atrium fountain was dyed red in the spirit of the series. Who knew that the St. Louis Cardinals would come back 10 games to clinch the wild card and then go on to win the World Series of 2011! I can't say that without saying that we played a great team in the Texas Rangers, that was an awesome series. It's awesome to see and feel the energy in and around the city for our St. Louis Cardinals. Enjoy!

Ottoman Entrance

2011-10-26T18:24:00.001-07:00

Ottoman Entrance, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This is a shot I got from the Missouri Botanical Gardens of the entrance to the Ottoman Garden. The late afternoon sun offered an opportunity for a good handheld HDR sunflare shot. :) Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Looking Into France

2011-10-25T17:14:00.001-07:00

Looking Into France, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

A pretty basic shot from the France pavilion in World Showcase at Epcot. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

One For The Other

2011-10-24T19:21:00.001-07:00

One For The Other, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This was taken on a cloudy start to the Disney Photography Blog's Flower & Garden Meet. At first I didn't want to post it because of the blatant lack of a monorail in the frame. Of course I couldn't deny that great color I got from the flower beds and sky in this quick handheld HDR. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Pulling Into The Station

2011-10-23T18:01:00.001-07:00

Pulling Into The Station, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Snapping a photo of a monorail and then running up the ramp to catch it is quite difficult task with a good sized crowd around. lol. I tried a bit something different with the processing here, so please let me know what you all think. Any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Down To The Detail

2011-10-19T19:54:00.001-07:00

Down To The Detail, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Architectural detail even in the lighting abounds at all Disney resorts, none more apparent than at Animal Kingdom Lodge. I found myself taking quite a bit of lighting shots inside the resorts. I liked the soft warm glow that this one set off. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Any Time

2011-10-18T17:48:00.001-07:00

Any Time, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Any time that this clock says, is a good time in the Magic Kingdom. I love this clock on Main Street and the detail it has in it. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Pure Class

2011-10-17T17:08:00.001-07:00

Pure Class, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

No Disney photography Flickr page would be complete without a shot of the hood ornament on the Cadillac that sits on Sunset Blvd. in Disney's Hollywood Studios. Please let me know what you all think of my take on this. Any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Monorail Monday - Golden Hour Tronorail

2011-10-16T17:42:00.001-07:00

Monorail Monday - Golden Hour Tronorail, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Another shot I got of the passing Tronorail on our first night as we headed to San Angel in for the first meal of our trip. Shots like this really get me wanting to be back here for a trip. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Glowing Glass Arch

2011-10-13T18:13:00.001-07:00

Glowing Glass Arch, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Another angle of one of my favorite pieces at Missouri Botanical Garden to shoot. One of the pair of Chihuly Arches that border the rose garden really photograph well, and on this day the lighting was perfect. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Signs Of The Seasons

2011-10-12T17:47:00.001-07:00

Signs Of The Seasons, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I found out when I went to shoot these balloons that they were quite a bit more difficult to shoot than I had anticipated. The lighting is mixed and uneven, and I just didn't really see an angle I 100% liked. This is what I ended up with, but I will be going back with new ideas for better compositions. Please let me know what you all think on this one. Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated. Enjoy!

Lush Tropical Lobby

2011-10-11T17:15:00.001-07:00

Lush Tropical Lobby, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

A low and wide view of the beauty that is the lobby garden at the Polynesian Resort at Walt Disney World. The smell in the lobby from this fountain really brings back wonderful memories from our first two trips to the world when we stayed at the Polynesian. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Downtown Fun

2011-10-10T17:15:00.001-07:00

Downtown Fun, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This is another shot from Jenea and I's photowalk in downtown St. Louis on a beautiful Sunday morning. This is a shot from the City Garden, a sculpture park that is interactive and a lot of fun to shoot. The best part is that you can see the Arch from the park. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Architecture And Sky

2011-10-09T16:57:00.001-07:00

Architecture And Sky, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I know many would agree with me that the Germany pavilion in World Showcase is very beautiful and extremely fun to shoot. This of course was shot with my UWA lens as to try and capture as much of the pavilion in one shot as I could. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Interesting Orchids

2011-10-06T17:29:00.001-07:00

Interesting Orchids, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Taken at the 2011 Orchid Show at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

African Architecture

2011-10-05T18:49:00.001-07:00

African Architecture, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Just some architectural detail from Africa in Disney's Animal Kingdom. The texture in the building stood out very well against the blue sky. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Early Spring Animal Kingdom

2011-10-04T17:17:00.001-07:00

Early Spring Animal Kingdom, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Nothing super special about this shot, I posted a similar shot to this a while back, but I really liked the spring feel that this one has to it with those pink flowers in there. :) Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Fire In The Garden

2011-10-03T18:17:00.001-07:00

Fire In The Garden, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Just another shot from this years Orchid Show at the Missouri Botanical Garden. These fiery orchids really jumped out against the green background. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Hiding In A Forest

2011-10-03T18:16:00.001-07:00

Hiding In A Forest, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

One of my favorite spots at the Chihuly at Cheekwood exhibit was what Chihuly calls the Macchia Forest. These Macchia pieces are very large and arranged usually in a grove of plants or a museum type environment. I had a lot of fun shooting these and I like how the red pops in this one. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Happy 40th Birthday Walt Disney World

2011-09-30T17:09:00.001-07:00

Happy 40th Birthday Walt Disney World, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I know this is a bit early, but I have to work Saturday morning. I wanted to post a shot of Cinderella castle for today for Walt Disney World's 40th anniversary. I really hope that everyone has a great time who is gathering down in the world, and I can't wait to see what you all come back with! Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Fire And Points

2011-09-29T17:26:00.001-07:00

Fire And Points, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Another shot from the Chihuly at Cheekwood in Nashville that we attended last year. This is just a small section of the boat installation. I wanted to zero in on some of the shapes and points in this installation. Please let me know what you think as suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Close To The Moon

2011-09-28T17:47:00.001-07:00

Close To The Moon, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Another shot from the past today, this is from the Dale Chihuly exhibit at Cheekwood Botanical Garden. I kind of like that you can see the frame work of the sculpture through the glass in some places. The back lighting was really nice. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Some Sun Flare

2011-09-27T18:00:00.001-07:00

Some Sun Flare, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

At first, I'd passed this shot by because of the green flare over the waterfall, but as my processing skills grow, I was able to make it a little less noticeable and to bring out the background. This is from our trip last October to Gatlinburg Tennessee and Great Smokey Mountain National Park. I can't wait to go visit my sister-in-law and her family again for two reasons. One, to see her and her family including my four nephews and soon to be niece, and two, to go back and visit this wonderful park again and find some new waterfalls to shoot. :) Please let me know what you all think as this has to be the most intense sun flare I've ever captured. Any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Red Heron HDR

2011-09-26T18:27:00.001-07:00

Red Heron HDR, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Just a quick shot of some more Chihuly goodness at the Missouri Botanical Garden. I really love how these fit in so well with their surroundings. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Tamu Tamu

2011-09-25T19:27:00.001-07:00

Tamu Tamu, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Who knew that my love of Disney signs would lead to a shot of the Tamu Tamu sign in Harambe. As I've said before, the history and aging added to the areas in Animal Kingdom is amazing. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Perfect In Purple

2011-09-23T17:40:00.001-07:00

Perfect In Purple, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Another shot from the 2011 Orchid Show of some beautiful purple orchids I shot from directly underneath. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

My Favorite Cat At The Zoo

2011-09-22T18:30:00.001-07:00

My Favorite Cat At The Zoo, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

After posting the shot of the Amur Leopard, I wanted to share a shot of my absolute favorite cat at our zoo. This is one of our Snow Leopards that can often be found out in the open. On this day, I caught this one with her head up looking at her crowd. I love my 50mm f/1.8 when I'm around this Big Cat area. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Towering In The Clouds

2011-09-21T17:57:00.001-07:00

Towering In The Clouds, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This was a 3 bracket HDR that I took on our monorail resort tour that we took after a wonderful breakfast at Kona. To see Bay Lake Tower for the first time in person was fantastic. I was really loving the architecture and thought it fit in quite well with the Contemporary. Someday I will stay there, hopefully with a Magic Kingdom view. :) Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Detail Center

2011-09-20T18:15:00.001-07:00

Detail Center, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Another one of my favorite shots from the 2011 Orchid Show at Missouri Botanical Gardens. I had a lot of fun shooting with my 50mm that day, the flowers were perfect for that lens. :) Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

This Way To Splash

2011-09-19T17:38:00.001-07:00

This Way To Splash, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Now how could I resist a shot of the Splash Mountain sign as I'm a huge fan of all the Disney signs. I liked the shadows that were cast over the sign. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Magic Hour In Magic Kingdom

2011-09-18T17:54:00.001-07:00

Magic Hour In Magic Kingdom, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I've mentioned to a couple people over this past week about one of my favorite times of day to be in the parks, especially in the Magic Kingdom. When golden hour is just about over, and the lights are just becoming visible on the castle. It really makes for some amazing lighting and great photos. I grabbed this shot after I got setup for the Main Street Electrical Parade and Wishes. My family snagged this awesome spot right in the hub and it was a great spot. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Flowering Perfection

2011-09-16T17:39:00.001-07:00

Flowering Perfection, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This is a shot from this year's Orchid Show at the Missouri Botanical Garden. I don't know why I haven't posted any of these, as orchids are truly nature's perfection. I will start trying to randomly upload some more of these shots from the 2011 Orchid show. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Lights On The Water

2011-09-15T18:32:00.001-07:00

Lights On The Water, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This is a shot that I caught on our walk around Crescent Lake on the last night of our trip. I took this of the Dolphin from the walkway and was really liking the light reflection on the water. I worked for quite a while processing this one, so please let me know what you all think of it. I'm trying to improve my night time photography processing and don't have many night shots left, so any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Close To Beauty

2011-09-14T18:34:00.001-07:00

Close To Beauty, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This is a shot I grabbed a while back at our St. Louis Zoo. This Amur Leopard enclosure is usually empty when I visit, but on this day, he was out and roaming the rocks. The best part is that I could literally get about a foot from this guy when he would walk up to my side of the enclosure. I was quite surprised at how well my 50mm f/1.8 cut throw the wire mesh to capture this beautiful creature on the move. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Another Happy Gator

2011-09-13T17:56:00.001-07:00

Another Happy Gator, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Can you tell that I couldn't get enough of these joyful musical gators at Port Orleans French Quarter. As a musician, this resort and it's musical feel was something I really enjoyed! Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Flickrites Unite!

2011-09-12T19:13:00.001-07:00

Flickrites Unite!, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

So a little back story with this shot. This is one of my best friends and roommate Steve Wood. He plays one of the world's oldest wind instruments, the Didgeridoo. The store DidgeridooBreath.com is having a photo contest of sorts. Basically, the participants are to get a shot of them in an iconic or special place wearing their Didgeridoo Breath shirt. So this is what we came up with, what better icon of our fine city than the St. Louis Gateway Arch! We had a great sky and great weather to go out shooting.

To the winner of this contest goes a brand new, very nice, very expensive Didgeridoo. I would love to do my part in helping my friend win this because I know this is his passion. I know that if I were in a contest to win a camera, something I'm passionate about, he would do everything he could to help me. So now I'm asking you, all of you, to help Steve and me out by following the link below to the photo on Didgeridoo Breath's Facebook page, like the photo on their page, and that's it! The person with the most likes at the end on the contest wins! We only have a couple weeks left so we would both really appreciate any and all support!

Just follow this link to Didgeridoo Breath's Facebook page and my photo of Steve:
goo.gl/XCVKZ

My Favorite Place With My Favorite Person

2011-09-11T19:16:00.003-07:00

My Favorite Place With My Favorite Person, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Today, September 12, is my girlfriend and I's five year anniversary. I consider myself an extremely lucky person in that I've found someone that is absolutely perfect for me. We are never shy about having fun, we have fun together, and I wouldn't trade any part of the last five years for the world. This is a shot of Jenea and I on our last trip to Walt Disney World after we enjoy the company of some Flickr photogs at the WDW Photography (now Disney Photography Blog) meet. I can't wait to see what the future holds for me, and I'm so glad to know who I'll have by my side through it all. I love you Jenea! :)

Watches

2011-09-11T19:16:00.001-07:00

Watches, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I nice ultra wide angle shot of one of the wonderful buildings on Main Street U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom. I was really happy with all the detail in this particular building. Spending the morning with just Jenea shooting was one of my biggest highlights from our trip. Allow our trip with the family was incredibly fun, I can't wait to go with just Jenea. :) Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Watch The Water Flow

2011-09-10T18:51:00.001-07:00

Watch The Water Flow, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Just a quick shot from my favorite Missouri Botanical Garden in the Japanese Garden. This really made me yearn for wanting to get back out to Tennessee to Great Smokey Mountain National Park to shoot some more waterfalls. I was surprised about the water movement since I didn't even have my ND filter attached. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Detail To Discover

2011-09-09T17:24:00.001-07:00

Detail To Discover, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Ever since the first time I entered Animal Kingdom's Discovery Island, I've had so much fun discovering all of the fun little animal details throughout the area. I could have spent three times as much time in this area on our last trip, and still wouldn't have seen everything. I will definitely be going back to shoot here again. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Heading To The Inn

2011-09-08T18:15:00.001-07:00

Heading To The Inn, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This is a shot I setup and grabbed on the first night of our trip when we heading to the dinner of our trip at San Angel Inn. It was a great dinner in a beautiful setting. With this shot, I wanted to try and zero in more on the fountain, blurring the background a bit. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. :) Enjoy!

Legends Of Hollywood

2011-09-07T17:41:00.001-07:00

Legends Of Hollywood, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Not too much to say about this one. I grabbed this the evening of our 50's Prime Time Cafe ADR. The fading light made for good shooting, and I'm a big fan of all the neon detail in the studios, day or night. :) Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Fountain In Motion

2011-09-06T17:36:00.001-07:00

Fountain In Motion, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I went back and forth on whether or not to post this as I really didn't like the fact that the trees were blurred. It was a windy evening, like most of the evenings on our trip, so I can't help that. This was pretty tough to process, to maintain the darkness in the sky, to deep the shop windows in the background to avoid terribly blown highlights. Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Glass Flash Art

2011-09-05T18:45:00.001-07:00

Glass Flash Art, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

This is actually a redo of a shot that I snapped with my 50mm f/1.8 lens shortly after I got my camera. I absolutely love the Chihuly chandelier at the Missouri Botanical Garden, so when I got my flash, I knew this was a shot that I was to duplicate and fill in all the light. As I'm new to flash photography and the processing of flash shots, I'd really like to know what everyone thinks. Any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Golden Hour On The Lake

2011-09-04T16:53:00.001-07:00

Golden Hour On The Lake, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

Here is a view from our hotel room yesterday evening after we all got back from a great day on the lake. The sun was setting behind our hotel, so I got the shadow of the building in the shot, but I'll take that if it meant I'd have this view from my balcony. lol. Please let me know what you all think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Time On The Water

2011-09-02T06:08:00.001-07:00

Time On The Water, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I thought this shot would be fitting for my upcoming weekend. I've always really liked that there are gondolas outside the Italy pavilion in World Showcase Lagoon, so I couldn't resist snapping a couple shots of them. I will be spending my weekend on the water as well at the Lake of the Ozarks here in Missouri and can't wait. I will catch up on everyone's streams Sunday evening when I get back. :) Please let me know what you think as any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

A Celebration Of Liberty's Leaders

2011-08-31T17:25:00.001-07:00

A Celebration Of Liberty's Leaders, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

You all know me and the Disney signs and the Hall of Presidents is no different. I was actually anxious to see this on our last trip since I hadn't seen the update. This is a very moving show and the updates were a very nice addition. Please let me know what you all think as all suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Water, Sky, And Earth

2011-08-30T16:57:00.001-07:00

Water, Sky, And Earth, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

A shot from the Flame Tree BBQ seating area of Expedition Everest from across the water. Some great clouds allowed the blue sky to reflect off the water. Please let me know what you think as all suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Busch Stadium

2011-08-29T17:13:00.001-07:00

Busch Stadium, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

A little HDR action on our very own Busch Stadium here in St. Louis. Morning in downtown St. Louis is probably the best time to visit, and it's upsetting that I'm just now figuring this out. I can't wait to get back downtown again for some more exploring and shooting. :) Please let me know what you all think as all suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Enjoy!

Anandapur Food Truck

2011-08-28T17:23:00.001-07:00

Anandapur Food Truck, a photo by DisHippy on Flickr.

I wish that I had food trucks that looked like this one around my house. LoL. I really loved the decorative accents all over this vehicle and had to snap a photo of it. Trying to tone down the bright sun was a bit tough, so I would really appreciate any suggestions as they are always welcomed. :) Enjoy!