Alan Rappa's photostream  

Here's another blast from the past, circa 2004. This photo cracks me up as it was taken during the early morning 'Sunrise Safari' at Disney's Animal Kingdom. I think the driver's and guest's expressions really drive home that whole 'sunrise' feeling. I did a bit of recovery in Lightroom to bring down some of the highlights but only just a little as I liked the fact that it drove home the point of the sun coming up.

The Sunrise Safari has ruined me for the normal Kilmanjaro Safari. Not because it was bad, but because it was so good. The safari moved slow through the Savannah with our personal guide taking time to go into detail about the animals and Savannah itself. Best part, our Safari vehicle made numerous, lengthy 'photo stops' where we were allowed to stand up and compose our shots before moving on. Try that on the regular safari sometime.

Best of all, the Sunrise Safari was followed by the best breakfast I have ever had on property. It was an overflowing assortment of delicious treats served at Tusker House. The banana french toast is something I recall with legendary status to this day.

Shot with my first DSLR, my trusty ol' Canon 10D in JPEG mode (was a late bloomer when it comes to RAW shooting).

Ahhh... the memories...

thanks for looking, and I have to say after catching up on some of your photostreams yesterday I am completely blown away. Everyone's photography has gone through the roof since I've been out of the loop. Kudos to all!

oh yeah, and once again - the original version of this photo, uploaded in 2004, has gotten 4 views to date. This re-edit passed that in under a minute. thanks for that :)

With my first WDW trip of 2012 only 10 days away I got inspired to fire up my Disney Lightroom catalog and have at it. I've been an absolutely horrible Flickr friend for months now, and I apologize to everyone for that. It started with being busy at work, and then after a while it just felt too difficult to get back into the groove.

With an upcoming trip to WDW in February, and a cruise aboard the Disney Fantasy in March I think I will be absolutely rejuvenated when it comes to sharing & commenting on Disney pics. Right now I'm dealing with all that 'pre-trip-butterflies' feeling I'm sure you can all relate to. Eager to get back to WDW with my camera in two long with the many fantastic tips I've picked up from the lot of you.

Hope to put them to come use over the next few months and come back with some winners.

This shot above was the first that jumped out at me today as I was reviewing my pics. It is indeed a blast from the past, shot in September of 2003 shortly after Mission Space opened if I am not mistaken. It's an oldie, shot with my Canon 10D in JPEG mode - but I love it regardless.

As a sci-fi buff and Disney fan I always appreciate it when the two come together. And what better way to illustrate that love than with a shot of Space Mickey walking on the moon (or mars?).

Thanks for stopping by, and thanks for being a way better Flickr Friend than I have been lately. I promise to fix that starting NOW!

3-2-1 BLASTOFF!

Have a great day

-Alan

ps - on a side note - I had originally updated a version of this image back in 2003(deleted it after uploading this re-edit). To date, it has gotten 8 views. This new version has passed that in 5 minutes :)

The Marina at the Atlantis is host to numerous shops & restaurants for vacationers to visit. I'm not there for the souvenirs though, I'm there for the beautiful blue skies and swaying palm trees that make such a relaxing & picturesque backdrop.

Add a little Caribbean music, and I'm in heaven.

ps - I just renewed my Flickr account, so probably a good time to start uploading and commenting again :)

I remember trying to bang this shots out as fast as possible while my battery gauge urgently flashed in my face. Lesson learned - always check to make sure your batteries are charged before setting out for a night of shooting.

While the view of the Royal Towers from this bridge is impressive, I doubt it can compare to the view you get from the Bridge Suite which stretching between the towers in the center of this photo. Then again, at $25,000 a night - that view better be pretty damn spectacular.

While I may not have the cash for a mere 10 minutes in that Bridge Suite I am still very grateful for the views I can afford.

Thanks for looking, have a very happy Thanksgiving and be sure to enjoy the view wherever you are.

Jumping into your yacht and setting sail for the Bahamas. What a life that has to be. Unfortunately, all I can do is admire the boats from the dock as the 'good life' still manages to evade me.

I have to thank my VERY patient (and at the time, very hungry) wife for putting up with me while I lugged my gear around the resort for these shots. We followed up this shot by eating two of the biggest steaks I have ever seen in my life at the Seafire Steakhouse. We could have easily ordered one steak, split it - and would have had plenty left over for yet another meal. It's no yacht, but hell - it's not so bad either :)

Thanks for looking & have a great Thanksgiving!

PS - anyone hitting WDW in February?

Oh yeah, The blown highlights in this shot really bug me. I have a underexposed version that I was thinking of using to mask back in the highlights, but even in that shot they are pretty hot. That'll teach me to pay more attention when shooting, and to review my shots before packing it up for the night.