Monday, August 26, 2013

Picture Perfect: A Guide For the Amateur Photographer



Disneyland is a wonderland for photographers, both amateur and professional. For the novice photographer, it can often be overwhelming attempting to figure out what will make the best image. Composition, lighting, subject...what's a guest to do? In November 1960, one particular Disneyland guest captured a sign that offered help: The Kodak Picture Spot.



Here are two sample photos from the same period that duplicated the suggested compositions by Kodak:





In 2008, I managed to shoot the Kodak picture spot which had obviously been updated.



Still makes a good photo!



With the Kodak Sponsorship going kaput, most likely these signs will disappear (or possibly already have). Hopefully, the powers that be will put something up in its place that will continue to aid the amateur. In the meantime, you can always look at the vintage signs for guidance!



See more Disneyland Kodak Picture Spot photos on my Kodak web page.

2 comments:

K. Martinez said...

The Kodak Picture Spot signs with the silhouette were the coolest.

I rarely if ever took photos of Disneyland when visiting, however I've bought lots of postcards throughout the years.

Anonymous said...

I used to love the little silhouette signs and marveled how the compositions were so appropriate.

As an adult, I realized that the vistas must have been carefully studied and designed to be so picturesque. Still, it was difficult to make a bad picture from one of those pre-selected vantages.

The downside is that there are so many photos from the same vantages, any hint of an original angle is highly sought after.

JG