An adventure into the wilderness is definitely a way to spend a summer vacation. When entering the area surrounding Grizzly River Run, I always am reminded of the amazing National Parks our country has to offer, and even closer to home here in California. I have never been to Yosemite, but plan on making the trip very soon. It's nights like these that keep me yearning for my own adventure into the unknown.
I've only really taken a hike at night a few times in my entire life. I prefer to hike during the day. There is less of a risk falling off steep mountain slopes or becoming fully engulfed in a river's rage. At least I think so? It is a pretty stunning sight to walk the heights of a mountain during a full moon. The entire wilderness is dimly lit in a spectacular illumination. It is scenes like this that remind me of the many adventures I've encountered without a well lit bridge offering me safe travels across a ravenous river. Thank you Disney.
Daily Photo Tour - Looking Towards New Territories
Grizzly River Run always reminds me how much of California I haven't explored. I have never seen the Sequoia's, never witnessed Yosemite, and have barely touched the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. I can't wait for the day to be able to take a camera into new territories! Well, new for me anyways!
This sign used to mark the entrance to Condor Flats but recently made its departure. One late afternoon on passing by, I was struck by the alignment of the streaking clouds with the condor and the plane. It really emphasized the idea of flight and immediately I was transported with the idea of soaring into the sunset.
Soarin' Over California is one of my favorite Adventures in DCA, especially on a hot day. There are so many neat things in the queue to keep your attention and of course the ride itself is incredible. It's a perfect respite from warm weather with the chilled air and the many refreshing scents blown your way. I'm not sure I could name a favorite scent though. Could you?
Life has a way of throwing curve balls our way and even though it's inevitable, it seems we're never really prepared. Opportunities for us to question what we're doing and why seem to spawn uncontrollably. Opportunities to listen to the doubting suspicion nagging at us from the inside, encouraging us to question things we were so sure about a week ago. Through these times I think the most important thing to remember is to be true to yourself. To know your course and to stick with it regardless of how things may appear. If you can do this, you can weather any storm with a confidence and tenacity that is not easily extinguished. This is where the true reward lies, in the journey.
Sometimes certain scenes just pop out to me, and for some reason the other night this little area of California Adventure really caught my eye. The large sweeping trees and glow from the lights looked so quaint in the crisp spring air, I had to stop. And for me, that is one of the most important parts of the photography process. If you see something you like, stop, get out your camera, and take that picture!
Almost after a few minutes of rigging up my tripod, a Disney security guard stopped me and asked me what I was doing. I told him I was shooting the entrance of Grizzly River Run. He immediately got very excited and asked if I was shooting HDR. Then I got excited. A Disney cast member who knows what HDR photography is? So cool! I showed him a few shots from the day, and he wished me luck in my endeavors. A very short, but meaningful conversation with a super nice cast member always leaves a lasting memory. This is what Disney is all about.
This is the model for the new "Storytellers" statue that will be placed in DCA for the opening of Buena Vista Street. It represents the start of Walt's story as he arrived in California. It serves as a reminder of where he began and how far he traveled in pursuit of his dream. I think beginnings are all too often overlooked. We see the success someone has acquired, but fail to realize the handwork, sweat and tears that went into making their dream a reality. Walt is the perfect example of that. In spite of facing financial ruin and creative infringement, he didn't give up. That to me is even more important than the success that followed. To have that much passion and tenacity for life is to truly live.
Welcome to our first episode in a new series we are starting called "Behind the Shot". Our goal with these videos is to share a behind the scenes look at how we capture the images we post here and what's going through our minds during the process. This Behind the Shot features Matt photographing one of his favorite spots in Disney California Adventure. We hope you enjoy this deeper look into what makes a tour guide tick.
The sun dipping behind the Soarin' structure is a really cinematic moment that almost feels like it should included in the ride itself. It's easy to forget that you're at Disneyland and start dreaming of flying into that sunset on your very own adventure. Just watch for passersby. They don't take too kindly to being run into, even if you're humming an epic theme song.
Grizzly Peak is kind of like the Sleeping Beauty Castle of California Adventure for me. It's that iconic piece of the magic puzzle that you always find yourself drawn to and that you can immediately identify and associate with Disney. It doesn't matter what time of day or night it is either. There is always something majestic about it. When we first started taking pictures around the Disneyland Resort for this crazy idea we had for a web site dedicated to Disney pictures, Grizzly Peak is what I tried to capture the most. I have probably racked up well over a thousand images of this man made mountain since. This was one of the first.
Tomorrow is my 25th Birthday. If I could have guessed where I would be when I turn 25, I definitely would not have answered correctly. But, as I get older I find that this is the case with a lot of "my" plans. Sometimes we envision the future, thinking that we will do this or do that. Sometimes we accomplish those things and sometimes we don't. I find it increasingly important though to keep from getting discouraged if we haven't accomplished our goals yet. It is more important to fully understand the circumstances we've faced, and to keep pressing on towards the goal. Tomorrow, the three of us leave for an amazing road trip to San Francisco. Instead of taking the normal route, we have decided to take Highway 1 along the California coast. Yes, we'll be taking the scenic route. 10 hours up the coast with our cameras, several Starbucks lattes, and each other should prove to be a wonderful weekend.
Daily Photo Tour - Details of Disney California Adventure
The richest rewards of the Disneyland Resort are certainly in the details. There is so much thoughtfulness and planning in each and every one of them. It's an adventure just finding them. We're really excited for all the details that are coming to Disney California Adventure and wanted to share some that are currently there.
While walking through the Disneyland Resort with my camera I'm always looking for two things, light and unique angles. It just makes me very happy to find a unique perspective on the parks. On an evening a little over a year ago we stopped near The Grizzly River Mill, on the trail that sneaks through the back side of the ride. I had never looked at the Mill from this angle and thought it was really cool to actually see the structure through the tree's and the grass. I'm a sucker for foliage. I don't get to see it much while living in the lush vegetated terrain of the desert. So when it finds its way around an awesome Disney attraction, I gotta make it work!
Off the beaten path in California Adventure's Golden State, you can get yourself into all sorts of trouble in a redwoods themed challenge trail. From climbing over things, to under them, to through, there's no lack in variety of ways to potentially hurt yourself. Of course you may just find yourself stuck inside one of those redwoods, which offers you this chilling challenge... okay maybe not. Finding a way out isn't all that rough, but you may not want to leave too soon. It's another peaceful place for some adventurous diversions.
Sometimes it's hard to decide what you want to do on vacation with such limited time to get away. Do you go to the beach? Do you go camping? Do you go to an amusement park? Do you travel somewhere exotic? You really don't have to decide if you go to the Disneyland Resort. It has a bit of everything from the beach feel of Paradise Pier to the exotic mystery of Adventureland to the great outdoors of the Golden State. It makes all that vacation planning a little easier and the experience makes for a magical, relaxing adventure.
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Daily Photo Tour - Grizzly River Nights
Imagine that you just woke from a peaceful dream. You are left awake with an emotion you've never felt before. Contentment and calm. No schedule, no deadlines, no screaming kids, and importantly, no stress. You sit up slowly in your squishy comfy bed. A blue glow from your balcony window illuminates the entire room. You ask yourself, "Am I still dreaming?" You somehow relinquish yourself from the amazing slumber and head to the window. A soft glow now vibrant on your face. You peek through the curtain like a child in wonderment. To your surprise a dream world is revealed. You are curious. You're up anyway, and your childlike inquisitiveness is in full control. Without shame, you slap on your Mickey Slippers and head out the door. You make it down the long bright hall, the light piercing your eyes. To your left you notice an enormous atrium. You take a step towards the railing and look down. You are immediately filled with a warmth and radiance that is only comparable to that of Christmas Magic. But this isn't Christmas. This is the Grand Californian Lobby. You're finally starting to wake up. You find an elevator and eagerly ride it down to the lobby floor. A serene and majestic atmosphere fills the place. The lobby ambassador greets you in a laughable manner. You quickly remember the wonderful attire you have chosen to wear on this excursion. You swiftly dodge that conversation and head around the corner, and finally outside. Reality is setting in. The moon radiates down light through the forest, while the quiet peacefulness of the moment surrounds you. You slowly walk up to the scene below. A hushed, constant sound of falling water is all you hear. Nothing else. And then, you begin to start dreaming again. This is what vacation is all about. This is a Grizzly River Night.
If you've noticed the photo settings missing from under our pictures, that's because we've stopped including them. It's not to hide anything or be mysterious though. It's simply a matter of web design and search engine optimization. So if you've been wondering, we're just trying to make it a little easier for Google to find our content.
Daily Photo Tour - The Grizzly Trail
I always enjoy meandering back here at the Grizzly Trail, especially on hot days. There are plenty of trees to provide adequate shade and if you take a few steps further, you can watch the roaring waterfall as the cool mist kisses your face. It's such a relaxing, peaceful spot. Except for the occasional scream or two from passengers plummeting down the Grizzly Rapids.
We were wandering around Grizzly River Run when I noticed this rugged looking desk situated in the queue for this ride. I had seen this a number of times before, but never took the time to get a shot of it. Since we were mulling about anyway, I decided to take a moment to take the picture. At first glance, you may not even realize this was taken at the Disneyland Resort. It really does make you feel as though you've just stumbled upon the work station of a Northern California park ranger.
I noticed the golden light hitting the facade of the Wine Country Trattoria at the Golden Valley Winery. I stopped, found a nice composition and decided to take a few shots. I really wasn't getting the shot that I had seen in my mind. The problem was a sneaky little umbrella that kept finding its way into the frame. So, being the determined (and annoying) individual that I am, I asked a couple of the cast members if it was okay if I moved the umbrella a little to the right. They gave me some awkward glances without any vocal communicaiton, and moved the umbrella for me! You gotta love the patience of those cast memebers! They must think we are pretty crazy sometimes!
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