SpectroMagic Long Exposure

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WDWFigment

Member
We just returned from seven fun days at the Walt Disney World Resort. I will discuss the trip itself in an upcoming trip report, but for now, here is this shot.

This is a shot that I have had envisioned since during studying for finals in May (I think of any reason I can to daydream while studying). At the time, I was absolutely ecstatic about the shot. I thought it had never been tried before, as I had never seen a shot like it. That did, however, get me a little worried, as usually when I think of a shot that I have never seen, it: a) can't be done, or b) has been done, and I just haven't seen it, or forgot I have seen it. Although I later saw discussion about this type of shot (which was a little deflating since I thought my idea was unique!), I still have yet to see a Spectro long exposure, although I doubt I'm the only one ever to have done it...

Given that I had been waiting so long to get this shot (and since it was at the "top" of my list), I wanted to get it as quickly as possible. However tripod issues and large crowds postponed it until the last night. Concerned that we wouldn't get the spot we needed at the Main Street Train Station, we waited an hour and a half in advance for this spot. It was actually pretty fun waiting there, and we even managed to 'sneak' some fine cuisine from Cosmic Ray's over for the wait. I captured several similar shots of the parade, but this is the best, in my opinion.

Anyway, here it is:

Clicking the picture takes you to its Flickr page, where there is EXIF, etc.
 
Very cool idea...love the light streaks. ; I wonder if it couldn't be equalized a bit - bring up the shadows for a little more detail on the buildings and such without compromising the parade lights...just to help put it in context a bit more...

Just thinking out loud.
 
Very nice, Tom. ; Now I'm thinking, where else would a shot like that be possible? ; Another idea for Pixelmania, perhaps?
 
"Tim" said:
that is rather unique... ; how long was the shutter?
Click to expand...

103 seconds.

"zackiedawg" said:
Very cool idea...love the light streaks. ; I wonder if it couldn't be equalized a bit - bring up the shadows for a little more detail on the buildings and such without compromising the parade lights...just to help put it in context a bit more...

Just thinking out loud.
Click to expand...

Prior to this edit, I went through with an exposure brush (more or less) and brightened the buildings, but I didn't like the way that looked. ; I like the emphasis on the parade with only faint hints of Main Street. ; Do they leave the holiday lights (on Main St.) on during Spectro at Christmas? ; Maybe that would provide enough additional light to make the buildings look better?
 
I think the suggestion to brighten up the buildings may have come from the fact that this technique seems to be loved in cityscapes where the lights are provided by the cars streaking along the streets. So the buildings tend to be a bit more illuminated. ; I could see how trying to brighten up the buildings in Tom's picture would look weird or "not right" because that's not what we are used to seeing. ;

What would be interesting, I think, is if someone could tripod up on one of the roofs. ; Then, I think the spectro floats would send off enough light to illuminate the people and cast an interesting effect. ; But, unless you know a VP somewhere over the Magic Kingdom, I doubt you'd be able to get on a roof. ; And if you did have that pull, I'd be setting up a tripod on that patio on the backside of Cinderella Castle overlooking Fantasyland
 
True - I'm not thinking so much of this particular setting, just of the desire to see more detail around the streaked lights - more of a 'city style' shot than a light abstract. ; And by no means was I thinking 'better' or 'worse' - just proposing an idea out loud.

It's still cool either way. ; Might be interesting with Christmas lights, if it can run during those. ; I suppose it would require stopping down quite a bit to keep from blowing out the lights.
 
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