Lenaapple1974

Hello all! Time for another installment of my Florida trip from 2009. I almost feel it is obsolete now, especially since I started to take pictures a little differently over the last year, but to get to the parks I went to in 2010 - and will be going to in 2011, I must get through this trip first. For this year, I hope to show my improvements in my photos. I want to try and get the details. I have been able to keep to this in my every day photography, but alas, when I get to the parks, I still find myself speeding through to get the pictures of everything. I want to slow down, and take it ALL in. Let's see if I can do that. But first...let's get to the next update. Universal Studios. It is July 5th, 2009. My brother, and daughter Ameilia went with me. My husband does not really like this park. I guess to him once you have been on Jaws, that is it. My son sides with my husband! We went there the previous year though - so he did not feel the urge. It was a pretty nice day, although hot. Did I say hot? I meant HOT! Crowds were at a bare minimum. Now if only HRRR was open...BUT NO, IT WAS NOT! Not even testing. No love for Lena. On to the photos! This trip I tried to capture things in a broader way. I went into it saying, let's get the "streets", the signs, things like that. Looking back, I wish I went for more details - but hey, that means I go back sooner rather than later! We will be going back this year armed with the newer camera & lens (Nikon D90). I used my Nikon D40x with my kit lens (18-135mm) for most of the shots above. Next up: Aquatica, BGT and more USO! Further down the line: CP, KD, BGE & SFGAdv No love for Lena! HRRR was NOT testing. Damn Ring-a-ding-dingy-dings Back when the trains on site were big news Construction walls down, epic fail - fixed! Twister queue - no lines, no waiting! Upshot No flash, perfect timing for the attraction lighting Since Madonna's Bad Girl video, Christopher Walken is just a very creepy man to me. (Since 1993 for those who don't know) Everyone in the park must be on the Jaws line! MIB didn't even have a line! Negative on the lines! E.T. - no lines! I almost feel that this will be the next attraction to go. I never see a line here. So it is a must ride every time I go back. After E.T. we had to go, but finished the park a few days later. Our BBQ area, close to water...and a lovely sign! Some sky

I couldn't agree more. I was one of those people that couldn't wait and checked out Flickr... MORE PLEASE! lol. Thanks for sharing!!!! I am curious how you like the Tokina lens. I was thinking of bringing my Sigma 24-70mm (I have a D90) and Hanno encouraged me to bring my Tamron 70-300mm. I have had no luck with people shots on rides to date. But through the last year, I have learned a lot, and shoot mostly on Aperture priority. I actually am just starting to use the -/+ for some corrections, but am not sure how this will effect my final product yet. Your shots at f2.8 ... those are the type of shots I live for these days! (DROOOOL!) I am debating if I should bump up my saturation at all though. Since the parks are so vivid to begin with, I may not need to. I guess it will depend on the sky each day though. I have yet to get BLUE skies on my visits lately. As much as I like the diffused light, I am not shooting portraits. What watermark? Maybe I am just trained to look past them. I don't even see them after the first few. I personally like them all. We are all "artists" and take pictures how we envision them. Post process how we envision. [scratch this part...I quoted something earlier before I read the above, but I will leave it here. (I am still curious though, did you bump up saturation at all in post?)] AND OMG... all in RAW? I actually try not to shoot in RAW anymore, except under certain situations. So much time... I couldn't handle it at the rate I take pictures. Do you really process them allll (2300+) from RAW files? Props! Definitely keep the updates coming! I love all the details!!!! Did I mention I love all the details?

Which is better. Hmmm.... Cedar Point. Don't get me wrong - I love Great Adventure. It is my home park. It has amazing coasters. BUT, they are mostly B&M's. (Which I personally love_) So, it will depend on what your coveted rides are. Millennium Force or Nitro? IMO, Nitro is better than Magnum, and SFGAdv does not have a giga coaster... KK OR TTD? TTD has lap bars, but KK is taller. Other than that... it is the standard B&M's over at Great Adventure. They do have Superman:UF and El Toro (OMG EL TORO!), but Cedar Point has more variety, so that is why I say CP.

From what I saw because they would not all load on the current PC I am on (IPad) ...amazing photos! Off to FLickr I go because they loaded there! . OK, looking at them on FLickr...holy cow I am hooked! I am done with TPR for the night. Your photo stream will entertain me now! Lol

This thread came in the nick of time! I am actually planning my 2012 trip to So Cal! I do need advice, (which I will post the questions to in my trip thread eventually), but this will help with my research! I am super stoked that all these coasters will be coming our way in the next few years.

Just so you know, you took me away from watching American Idol when I saw there was an update. lol. Loved it! Well worth the change of scenario!

Nice! I guess there were no threats of lightning then! I do have to say, riding in the rain definitely gives you an added element of fun, although it can be quite painful. I hope I have similar luck when I am there in July. Just not the rain! In 2009, I went Fourth of July week, and there were almost no lines for everything! I am hoping people are just away doing other things that week again!

Nice changes! I am definitely glad that they decided to revamp the plans. While I love Tink, I think that was just too much. Little girls would have loved it, as well as some adults I know, but what about the families with little boys? This plan definitely suits a bigger scale. I cannot wait to see this plan become a reality! P.S. Thanks for that before and after comparison! I thoroughly enjoyed that!

And that tease was well worth the wait! That was a PTR of epic proportion! You circled the hunt like hyena's would their prey! So many wonderful angles!! This ride most certainly looks like it will be awesome fun!! Thank you for taking the time on that crappy day to check it out for us!

Sounds cool. I already have some of my pics up on RCDB.com. I must check what I have!

Tease!

I love this idea! Perfect for people like me who just have to know everything before going! (Or riding) Great stuff! Thank you for working hard and continuing to make this a top notch site!!

icks jaw up off the ground:: AMAZING! That was simply THE BEST PTR I have ever seen...really - EVER! Thank you so much for posting that! I was in Flickr, checking out your shutter speeds and such, because while I figured they were HDR, I was hoping they were not. lol. Yeah, I -just want to be lazy and have my pictures look that way unprocessed. I have no patience and have never tried HDR photos. I do have Lightroom 2m and CS3, but have not tried to work it out. How long does it take you to get all three images together and complete? For example, on a trip to the parks, I take an average of 1200+ pictures each trip. There is no way I am processing that many in HDR. Do you take lots of pictures when you are out and about?

Dave - OMG, that is the greatest thing I have heard all day! And Ice Bat can take pics. People have nothing better to do, so they complain. If they are not happy, they complain more. It gives them purpose. I have a platinum pass too!!! Where did this survey come from?! I didn't get one!! Oh wait - maybe I should actually read the emails that they send. I am off to watch this video now. I completely love the planning and building process for coasters. So much fun to follow!

This year most of my favorite pics were mostly not taken in parks...but I will share my fave in park pics anyhow. Renee, Big Mike and myself. We didn't get to spend much time together, but it is one of my favorite pictures of the day. Nitro in the sun The crowd from where I was standing in Coney Island while waiting for the Fireworks July 3rd A non theme park pic...but we sure queued long enough! Lady Gaga in rehearsal for the Today Show For the sky... Great Bear Hershey Park MF... <3 The mix of i305's color and the sky... WOW! People shots... Hanno is my inspiration. Next year I hope to practice more! KD - rainbow in the path (that is my dtr by the way) BGW Griffon was soooo much fun! SFGAdv fright fest. My dtr and her friends. MJ inspired This is in a park... Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.. One of my favorite shots of the year, so I could not leave it out. I had just gotten my macro lens (Sigma 105 f2.8) and I was having fun with the bees! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Funny you should mention Taco Bell Robb, because I used to manage one here in NY as my first job ever. The only two days we closed here were for Christmas, and Thanksgiving. Every other stinking holiday, we were open!! I didn't care back then though...It was before the family stuff. I love the way this looks! The theming is pretty cool. I am just hoping my chicken son, who is 15 and is an even bigger chicken than I was before my first real upside down coaster - will try this one. He does not like drops - so I am hoping that "drop" doesn't look too intimidating to him. This may be my one shot to get him on something! Oh, Griffon totally had excellent operations when I was there this year. As a matter of fact, each team moved the trains out very quickly. SFGAdv also had excellent dispatches and great teams this year - except for Rolling Thunder. I truly hope I do not have to experience any of that. Wishful thinking I suppose. (That Montu tour sounds like a grrreat idea!) Thank you everyone for all the updates!!!!!

Great shots! Thank you for posting! That is the camera I was debating on when I purchased my D40x. We went specifically at night to get night shots. I then got a D90 & two new lenses this year. I cannot wait to go back, especially at night because it has better low light capabilities. (my f1.8 & f2.8 lenses sure don't hurt!! lol) I just hope that WWHP isn't as crowded when I am there. I am not so sure I want to brave the crowds... I am going to be there from 6/30 through 7/9 next year. Last time we went the same week, and there were like no lines at all! Manta had the biggest line at about 20 minutes.

Definitely cool. No pun intended! Just how cold was it there? I have never seen anyone in a park in the snow like this! What on earth is that crown thing called? I still like the dragon..

Merry Christmas everyone! I got two lenses from my hubby.. (well, I got them early, but they were a combined birthday/Christmas present) -Sigma 24-70 f2.8 -Sigma 105 f2.8 -all the house stuff that I asked for from my MIL We don't do adults anymore otherwise since there are so many in the family to buy for, and still this is one of the best Christmases in awhile.

I think that the lockers are great. Well, for me, I always have an expensive camera, and I would totally hate it if it were stolen because someone decided to take my bag. But what about those hour lines, where it is hot...I want to hold my drink!! IMO, Nitro had the best set up. Cubbies that had a three way scenario for the three trains. ONLY your train can get the stuff from that cubby. No additional employees needed, and really no time to switch it out.

Knowing what he knows, Robb has to be laughing at everyone and all the speculation! I wonder if anyone has it right. Hopefully, we will find out soon! You go Robb!!

Someone called it earlier! I just saw the FB one...I did say it on there, but Dubai is my answer.

Here is a furby...since the other one didnt work!

There are so many things to do in California. I personally suggest driving if you can, because things are spread out. I am even hopping from one place to another via plane b/c the drive was insane. I am actually planning a trip for 2012. It will be my 20th anniversary of leaving, so I decided to go back! Since we are on the topic, here is what I plan on doing so far..if you have any questions, feel free to PM me, in case no one else wants to hear any more of my banter. Elissa & Robb will definitely know best though. They have been trip planning for so many people! I don't know how they do it, I barely want to do it for four! (Great job with everything guys! One day maybe I will get to go on one!) Fly into SanFran or the other airport up north to which the name currently eludes me. (Can anyone suggest a suite type hotel up here?) Drive up to Berringer to do a cool wine tour somewhere in this time. Alcatraz tour, Golden Gate Bridge and whatever else I can see in two days time. Fly to Anaheim and stay at the Marriott Towneplace Suites. We stay at the one in Hershey, and I love it! Granted the one in Hershey is only two years old...but I hope the standards are the same. Full kitchen, up to two bedrooms with a sofa sleeper. I love this place. (Unless someone can suggest a similar one in the area that is better). From then on it will be driving..I actually was going to switch hotels again, but I don't mind driving 45min or so to Hollywood. I was more worried about having to drive more than once to San Diego..which I don't think we are doing anyhow. SW, KBF, Universal Studios, SFMM, and possibly Legoland. Depends on everyone else, but I know Elissa heavily recommends it so I will be keeping that in mind. Not sure what the rest of the family will want to do, but I am fitting all of the above into my trip. I know I am forgetting one thing... OMG... yeah, duh! DL & DCA! haha! We will then fly home from the same airport we flew into SanFran, avoiding LAX at all costs! What is everyone's take on The SD Zoo? Is it just another Zoo? I live in NY, so we have the Bronx Zoo. If you know your what places you want to do, the best thing is to plan the days as you get closer to the trip. Just make sure everything is open when you will be there prior to booking. I usually plan my park days based on what is open later first. That will normally be the park I want to stay at longest. As it gets even closer, I factor in the parks with the weather. By the time I leave I know what park I am going to what days. Usually we do have multiple couples who want to go places we don't, so that factors in as well. I like to appease all. Edit: The transit stuff is so cool! Is there Transit from Anaheim to SeaWorld? That actually is one drive I didn't want to do. If it is a simple shuttle...I'd love to hear about it! Thanks!

Good point. Nitro's helix actually makes me hold on. The last few times I have ridden it only ... I felt kinda eh after. I wouldn't call it a grey out, but definitely would have been if we had to go around another turn!