Red Orbit

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!