Sleeping Beauty’s Castle has to be the trickiest place for me to photograph, but if you’re having a Disneyland Engagement, it’s a must. A lot of people write me and ask how I make the Disneyland castle area look so empty and beautiful. It’s tough. There are always so many people around trying to capture the same photograph, and you have to time it right with the sun. I’m limited with my photography equipment on Disneyland engagements, and as a rule I’ never stop traffic or disrupt the other guests at the park for a photo. I’ve picked up a few tricks here and there, so I’m going to share them today with you!
1) The absolute most important thing about a photo at the castle, is patience. So many times I’ll have a couple standing in a pose, waiting for a lull in the crowd and then I’ll madly run my shutter to get as many photos as I can in the two seconds that I have. That’s what I did in this moment for Catherine and Rod’s engagement session. This photo was also taken first thing in the morning when the park opened, so the crowds weren’t too large yet, and the lighting was perfect.
This family photograph was taken in the morning, but it was pretty crowded. We just had to be very patient and wait for a moment where there wasn’t anyone walking by.
2) If the crowds are just too much, I’ll have the couple hold really still and capture people moving in the image around them. I love this perspective. For Richard and Gina, I felt like I captured a moment of connection between them, in the middle of a busy crowd.
We did the same for Lacey and Paco! The lighting at the castle wasn’t ideal, but it still made for a beautiful moment.
3) After I take a photo in front of the castle, I’ll usually go around the castle to different areas to photograph. It’s less crowded, and Sleeping Beauty’s Castle is romantic and detailed. There are many areas around the castle that are gorgeous, and the foliage and moat add to that beauty.
4) Another way to include Sleeping Beauty’s Castle into a photography session, is to use perspective to have it distant in the background. This creates the feeling that you’re looking towards the castle, and makes for a pretty cool effect.
5) The lighting after about 10:00, is actually better behind the castle. Everything is shaded!
6) But of course, the absolute best way to have a perfect photo of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, is to have a wedding morning castle session. You have the entire castle to yourself for an hour, with no guests around. It’s always the most amazing experience.
Great tips and even greater photos! 🙂