Daily Photo Tour - Evening Blooms

Before choosing an image to post tonight, I did something I haven't done in some time. I decided to sift through all of my images from the last three years. I got about a quarter of the way through before I started to regret my decision. Who knew someone could take so many pictures. I found that most of them have already been used while the rest well, they're not even worth discussing. This is one I almost completely forgot about. It was taken almost two years ago now, but I still remember the evening I took it. Doing a balancing act with the railing because I had left my tripod behind yet again. This is not a mistake I make very often anymore. I've learned my lesson with the time I've spent in post making up for it. Nonetheless, it was fun trying to get this and I'm sure even more entertaining for Matthew to watch.

Daily Photo Tour - Sleeping Beauty Sunset From Fantasyland

I'd like to apologize if you've had a hard time with the site loading. We transferred domain name hosts and that caused a hiccup in our site linking through the web correctly. Everything should be back to normal by now. If pictures don't load for you, try refreshing the page a few times and that should do the trick. As for tonight's picture...

I am a firm believer that the backside of Sleeping Beauty Castle doesn't get the credit it deserves. There's so much detail. On the evening I took this, I was really taken by the way the sun just kissed the spires; it was very romantic and delicate, which is sort of how I view Fantasyland. There's a lot of love tucked into a very small, intricate space.

Daily Photo Tour - The Castle's Evening Glow

Every night as the sun goes down, Sleeping Beauty Castle undergoes a beautiful transformation. It's stone walls, tall spires, and pink facade magically fade into an amazing colorful array of elegance. If you're lucky, on a good evening you'll be able to watch the sun set, light up the sky, and see the magnificent glow bring the castle to life. It's almost as if the sunset magically radiates towards the castle. It's this glow of the castle that captivates me every visit.

Daily Photo Tour - The Beauty of Christmas

Christmastime is one of those times that has a way of making you stop and look inward to see how things are going. Sure there's the hustle and the bustle as well but with hope and warmth and love saturating so much around you it's hard not to find a moment to see how your life matches up to these virtuous themes. Disneyland is a perfect place to find such a moment. Mine was standing right here, at the entrance of Sleeping Beauty Castle, all aglow with her Christmas attire. Contrary to what that plentiful picture takers behind me must have thought, I was not trying to photo bomb their images. I just wanted to capture mine.

This year has taught me a great many things, the most important of which is to value the people around me. It's a common thread in Christmas cards, movies and music. Sounds easy enough and I thought it was a lesson I had already learned. But I realized that my actions weren't showing the people around them how much I care about them; how much they mean to me; how my life wouldn't be the same without them. I've allowed myself to become busy with things that when seen by the light of day, pale in comparison.

The thing is, it's an easy rut to fall into. The sun rises and it sets. Each new day brings about any number of mundane responsibilities that need tending to after which you grow tired. When such things have bogged you down, there are no spirits of Christmas past, present or future to visit you in the night and point you in the right direction. Should you recognize such things on your own, there's no angelic chorus that sings overhead. There's no big drama about it whatsoever. It's up to you to wake up every morning and decide that your actions will show the people you love how much you care about them, tired or not.

But, you know, the good thing is that as long as you have breath in your body, it's never too late. You can change. You can set out in a new direction and should you fall, you can learn to pick yourself back up again. The beauty of Christmas is not the things, the food or the time off but the loved ones we share them with.

Wishing you the most beautiful Christmas...

Daily Photo Tour - A Christmas Fantasy

I don't think there is anything more magical than Sleeping Beauty Castle all lit up this time of year. It's the first thing I see when I walk down Main Street and it fills me with the same sense of warmth and cheer year after year. My family used to come once a year for the holidays and it was such a wonderful time to get away from the craziness of life and spend some quality time together. No matter how many times I see this castle all dressed up for the holidays, I'm always reminded of those memories and I feel like I'm with them enjoying the holidays once more.

Daily Photo Tour - Bah, Humbug! Take the Snow Down

That's right, there is already snow on Sleeping Beauty Castle! Can you believe it? It may just be me, but I don't remember snow this early last year. And then, there are all these decorations going up around the park already! Things like, Christmas wreaths, lights, bulbs, ornaments. I've even heard Christmas music already! What an outrage! Who went and decided that Christmas was going to be lengthened to two months this year? This is ridiculous! Ummmmmm. No. This is utterly amazing. I could not disagree more with the "Bah humbug" that just preceded. In fact it was killing me to type those obscenities. I love Christmas. I love everything about it. The atmosphere, the warmth, the joy, the hope, and the love that is spread through the hearts of those that wake up this time of season, and realize what is most important. Get ready guys and gals, it's going be an amazing next couple of months.

Daily Photo Tour - Hope for the Holidays

It used to be that the rush from one holiday to the next would frustrate me but it seems that there's no avoiding it anymore. And honestly, I'm ready for Christmas. Changes in life are like a snowball rolling down a hill, gathering mass and momentum. There's no use in trying to stop change. You'll only end up cold and soggy.

The holidays always bring about this renewed sense of hopefulness and optimism. Not for things. Sales may abound but we all know deep down that stuff doesn't matter. What matters are the people around us in this vast world. The hope we feel this time of year is that which eagerly anticipates that people will be better, that we will be better, that patience, kindness and compassion would increase. These are the things that have the power to make life brighter.

That's the sort of thing I always think about when I'm at Disneyland during the holidays, especially in this spot. Walt was just a man but I think we can all agree that he made it a little easier to hope for the good in people and to dream the impossible. I'm ready for Christmas this year. I'm ready to make amazing memories with family and friends. I'm ready to see how I can be a blessing to others. I'm ready for change and I'm hopeful.

Daily Photo Tour - Inspiration at Closing Time

At the end of a long day at Disneyland I always love to sit back and reflect on the day. It's usually customary to find me sitting on a bench, just taking it all in (with some amazing beverage/food combination). Closing time is one of my favorite times to do this. Disneyland is a very thought provoking place. You can touch the sky with your hopes and dreams, and know that anything is possible. You can release all the worries of life and realize that whatever your heart desires is out there somewhere, just waiting for you to find it.

Have you ever wondered why Disneyland so inspiring, so magical? I'll tell you. It's the culmination of artists and dreamers that create. It's the people that have been inspired themselves that craft and design the inspiring places we visit when we go to Disneyland. The very fact that these people have a passion, and put there all into one thing, shows through at this amazing place. Disneyland has such an emotional affect on all of us because it is causing us to view things through the lens of passion. And without passion, life just doesn't feel the same. It can feel empty, and just down right depressing. That's because we were made to do something! Find your passion, whatever it might be, it will completely and utterly transform your life. I promise.

Daily Photo Tour - The Corridor of Goons

The Corridor of Goons is such a neat hidden gem inside Sleeping Beauty Castle. It seems only fitting to pay it homage during October when villains take over the Park.

Daily Photo Tour - A Cloudy Day at Sleeping Beauty Castle

Sleeping Beauty Castle has this innate ability to look good under any circumstance. In the pouring rain, on a cloudy day, and even on those gloomy mornings when the fog refuses to burn off. This was one of those days; overcast and cloudy. Although the lighting was not ideal for photography, her beauty managed to shine through all the same.

Daily Photo Tour - As Disneyland Wakes

I find myself in a rather peculiar mood today, in wandering thoughts on life. I feel I must make a disclaimer that the following characters are the product of fingers run away with themselves at the keyboard, lost in these thoughts. Please feel free to scroll past to the picture.

I am so grateful for reminders of what really matters in life. But I find the need for their frequency alarming. Each time I feel a renewed sense of gratitude I think, "This time it will stick. This time I won't lose sight." When the next reminder rolls around I'm always taken with surprise, "Did I really forget again?" I know it's different from person to person. Not everyone struggles with it and not everyone cares. I've had seasons without struggle and I've found I don't care much for apathy.

"What's the big deal with forgetting here and there?" you might wonder. For me it's important to keep my mind focused on the truly important stuff, because that's the stuff of life that keeps you honest. It keeps you grateful. It keeps your motives pure. I tend to live by a belief that Walt Disney voiced, saying "If you live right, things happen right." When things don't happen right I feel lost. I don't like feeling lost. That's usually my indicator that I've forgotten the important stuff.

Of course, when you're lost you have two options: Find your way or give up and stay lost. Since I don't like feeling lost I strive to find my way. When I do eventually find my way back to being focused on and grateful for the truly important stuff, I also find myself right here - wondering why I lose my way so much and need so many welcome reminders of what really matters.

You might also be wondering what in the world any of this has to do with this picture and I wouldn't blame you, if you decided to go ahead and read all of this. To answer the question, this picture contains two reminders for me: sunrise and Sleeping Beauty Castle. Sunrise reminds me of the joy of a new day ahead and that it begins with beauty. Sleeping Beauty Castle is the icon that probably best encompasses Disneyland, which reminds me that with enough audacity, courage and hard work, dreams do come true, no matter how big or small. So I'll keep on struggling to find my way, believing I can achieve my dreams, big and small. I hope you will too.

Daily Photo Tour - Twilight Tempest at the Castle

We were very fortunate to catch one of the most amazing storms we've ever experienced at the park one Saturday. It was one of those days that you find yourself running around like a crazy person, grabbing every shot you possibly can because storms like this happen so rarely. Towards the end of my frantic scurrying about, I found myself at the castle, just in time for the sweet spot of the sunset. Twilight set in with it's incredible blue sky and the remnants of daylight filled the clouds with a beautiful array of color.

Daily Photo Tour - The Beauty of Inspiration

Sleepy Beauty Castle has always been a constant source of inspiration for me. It's history and iconic legacy provide a real example of dreams coming to fruition. I cannot express to you how important that symbol of inspiration is for those of us who call ourselves dreamers. We are the crazy ones who think up the impractical, believe in the impossible, and wish for the stars. The beauty of inspiration is not so much in the tangible outcome of what is done because of it, but rather in the hope and security it provides while we pursue our dreams. Inspiration is the fuel for the dreamer. It wakes us up in the morning and gives us peace of mind while we sleep. It is what moves us and carries us on through opposition and failure. It is the direct representation of everyone else who has ever felt inspired before. If man is not inspired then he will roam the earth with desperation on his shoulders and hopelessness at the forefront of his mind. Inspiration is the catalyst to purpose and the stepping stone to really knowing what to live for.

Daily Photo Tour - The Bridge to Sleeping Beauty

I've learned over the course of this amazing journey of capturing pictures and posting them for you all to see, that the area surrounding Sleeping Beauty Castle means so much to so many people. If you're an unmarried man and your woman loves Disneyland, then listen carefully. Propose here! This may be one of the most popular spots in Disneyland to do so. I don't know what you guys think, but I think it's pretty breathtaking.

Daily Photo Tour - The Hidden Spire

Sleeping Beauty Castle never ceases to amaze me. I believe it is one of the most recognizable symbols of The Walt Disney Company. I love it's position in the park, and the many different angles it provides from so many areas. I find myself trying to incorporate Sleeping Beauty Castle in so many of my shots. It really never gets old. On a cool spring day last year I noticed one of the spires through the swaying branches of a tree. I couldn't resist to snap a few shots.

Daily Photo Tour -A Wish and a Dream

It's always an adventure being at Disneyland when it rains and on this day we experienced a somewhat rare occurrence for stormy days. The clouds began to break just in time for sunset and they filled with colors of yellow, pink and purple with patches of blue sky just barely peaking through. We were hanging around Sleeping Beauty Castle when this happened and I saw an angle I hadn't noticed before. The pathway of Snow White's Bridge leading to fantasyland with the Castle providing a beautiful backdrop. I especially love the way the rain brought out the rich hues of Snow White's Bridge and it's one of my favorite elements in this photo.

Daily Photo Tour - The Castle in Bloom

We were surprised to see the Tabebuia trees at the hub in bloom early this year. They don't usually last long so we were thrilled to have the opportunity to take advantage of them for the "One More Disney Day" event. We must have spent the better half of the morning taking pictures of these amazing trees, composing whatever we could around them. While searching for angles amongst the blooms I noticed the castle glowing in the morning light and grabbed one of my favorite shots of the day.

Daily Photo Tour -The Waking Beauty

Spending the night in Disneyland for the One More Day event was very much a dream come true. It was one night spent at the Park without that feeling of having to leave. Even better than that was seeing the sun come up in a place where magic is made for people, by people. Walt said that it takes people to make the magic happen. That's truer I think than any of us realize. This special time in Disneyland, when the sun wakes Sleeping Beauty Castle, is a time typically reserved for those very special people who make Disneyland magical. Watching night turn to day. Seeing the sun pour its golden light across Disneyland the way milk falls across cereal before filling a bowl. It was a wonderful, humbling experience to share in. Next time you're at the Park, give a Cast Member a high five and tell them how awesome they are.

Daily Photo Tour - When the Castle Glistens

When the sun is just above the horizon, the spires of Sleeping Beauty Castle glisten in radiant gold. It can be one of the prettiest spectacles at Disneyland. It's a sight that lasts for maybe a few minutes and then without hesitation or apology it's gone. If we make it to the Castle for this brief period of day, it's easy to miss taking a picture because you become so taken by it, first by the beauty and then by the fact that it's escaping so quickly.

Daily Photo Tour - The Beauty of the Spires

The other day I was looking at very old photos of Disneyland. I kept finding myself looking longer at the ones of Sleeping Beauty Castle. There is just something about this iconic piece of architecture that amazes me. I believe it is probably the history behind it, and the memories I've shared with it. I love looking at pictures of Walt Disney standing in front of the castle while it is being constructed. He looks so happy. He was such a kid.

It seems that over the years Disneyland has changed tremendously, and in some ways it hasn't changed at all. I find it so surreal to think that the castle in the pictures I've looked at is the same castle I see when I'm at the park. If there is anything closer to living a dream, it's stepping foot into Disneyland.