Disneyland is full of joy. Being able to take your family on vacation their is something to be remembered. If you're anything like me, relying 100% on my iphone to document this trip was not going to cut it. Danny has taken me to Disneyland almost every year that we've been together. I've learned the "do's" and "don'ts" of lugging around my Nikon to the happiest place on earth - both with and without kids. I've put together a few things to remember when planning and packing for your trip to help you enjoy your vacation without sacrificing your photographs. 

1. The Camera Bag. 

This last trip I broke in my new camera bag that I got specifically to turn into a diaper bag. (I did a blog post about it here) Regardless of what bag you go with, you want it to have a few key functions. 

          - Small enough to go on rides. The thought of not having my camera on me 24/7 while roaming the streets of Disney terrifies me. I know it's the happiest place on Earth, and I've thankfully been fortunate enough to never have had anything stolen while there, but I do not want to risk it with thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Disney is awesome in the fact that you can pretty much carry any (reasonably) sized bag on to the rides. (Being small enough to ride on rides also saves your back because it forces you to pack light.)

          - Rain fly and/or waterproof. This one honestly wasn't even on my radar until we spent almost an entire day outside in the pouring rain. Like standing water everywhere, you're shoes are permanent puddles and all hope of keeping your hair somewhat presentable goes out the window on your walk to the park. My pack came with a rain fly that had elastic around the boarder. Just slip it over my bag and my gear stayed nice and dry. 

          - Easy camera access. This also doubles for making it easy to slip the camera away. You want to be be able to whip that bad boy out to snap a picture or two and just as easily put it away. With my personality, if something is hard to get to (like my camera at the bottom of a bag that I have to take off in order to retrieve it) Then I won't use it as much. Pretty lazy, I know. But I've found ways to combat my laziness - like investing in a camera bag that has easy access to the goods. 

          - Room for snacks. This may seem like a "duh" thing to include, but my camera bags prior to this one were seriously lacking in the snack space department. The compartments weren't realistic for keeping all our "in-line treats," and I did not want to risk my cosmic brownies melting all over my lens. The bag I used this time has a bottom and top compartment that never touch. As in, it's like carrying two bags! One for my gear, one for my food! 

          - Bonus Tip; Pick a Neutral Color. This one is more of a suggestion. But neutrals like black and grey are the way to go. They don't stand out in pictures which makes it awesome if you don't have time to take off your bag before the photo is taken! Not to mention, no color casts! If I'm sporting the ever trendy red with white polka-dot Minnie Mouse backpack and neglect to take it off for every picture, I'm going to have red color casts reflecting on my skin - most likely my face and chin from the straps. It is a paaaain to edit out and an eye sore to look at. When in doubt, go for black! 

2. Know What Gear to Take.

     My usual "go-to" set up on my D750, battery grip and 35 mm or 50 mm lens. But remember how I'm lazy and have to make things incredibly easy for myself? My battery grip and 35 mm don't fit into my travel bag if they're both attached to my 750. (Read back to "small enough to go on rides") There is no way that I need to have my battery grip on in Disneyland. I just pack in a few spare batteries and call it good. The only thing the grip will do for me in Disney (besides make my camera look cooler) is take up space and add weight. The 35 mm is not as easy to part with for trips. Between that and my 50 mm, there is hardly anything else on my camera. I would (and have) taken just my 50 mm before, but it's tight and I feel like I never have enough room to back up to get the shots that I want.  But my secret trick up my sleeve is the "not so common" 28 mm! I can get the wide shots I need but with the travel space of a 50! My 28 mm stays on my camera the entire trip and I love it. I also love that it's small and inconspicuous - your average Joe wouldn't peg me for a "professional" and instead label me as a mom with a (realllly) nice camera. The less attention I bring to my gear and what I'm packing while traveling, the better. 

3. Take Pictures in the "In-Between" Moments.

     A lot of the memory making at Disney happens in lines. The "in-between" as I like to call it. Like eating, waiting for a show or parade, talking while waiting for the ride, etc. This is the perfect chance for pictures. (Usually) You've got a captive audience and frankly, there's not much else to do. Plus that's when the games and treats come out for us. And thanks to the easy access to your camera, you can pull that puppy out, snap a few and put it away all before you get passed the Stanley Statue while waiting for the Cars ride. I'm not saying don't get the classic posed images in front of the castle or holding your dole whip, but don't forget to document the little things. 

4. Have Your Camera Out On Rides.

     This one 100% depends on the ride you're on. There is no way I'm am risking the life of my camera to take pictures while on Space Mountain or the Incredicoaster. But for the more mellow rides like Dumbo or the Carousel I am all for it! That was one of the perks to being pregnant and riding the teacups. I either went with the babies who wanted to go slow with minimal spinning, or I had my own cup and stationed myself next to all the people in our group. The light situation on the rides should also help you figure out if camera's out is a good way to go. As cute as Jones' face was on the Pooh Bear ride, I knew I wouldn't be able to get a clear picture without flash (which is a big no no on Disney rides) so it was better to just sit and enjoy his cute little face. 

5. It's Ok to Use Your IPhone.

     Ever heard that cheesy saying that the best camera is the one you have with you? True. All of it. Sometimes things happen so fast and you don't have time to pull out the big guns. Or maybe you can't get to the zipper because you're on the ride? Or in our case below, Buzz Lightyear broke down 5 seconds in! It's ok! Don't beat yourself up about "the quality" or "being a real pro" blah blah blah. Sometimes it's just easier to use my Iphone than having to get my settings right and risk losing the moment. And while my Iphone will never come close to the capabilities and qualities of my DSLR, I'd rather have the memories than not take the picture because I'm being a "camera snob."

6. Take Advantage of the Disney Photo Pass.

     While we were in Disney we got the Max Pass. This was awesome in that we could link our tickets with the rest of the family and grab fast passes that way, but what I was most excited about was that the photo pass was included! It made it so nice when we met characters or saw short photo lines to just be able to hop in and all I had to do was worry about Jones smiling or looking the right direction. Time is money and I didn't want to waste time adjusting my settings for a dimly lit room when the Disney photogs were equipped with the proper gear and light set up. Given, some of Disney's photographers could do with a few composition lessons, generally speaking, they turned out way better than getting some rando to take them and you get prime photo real estate for the pictures. 

7. Be IN the Moment & Know When to Put the Camera Away.

     One of my biggest pet peeves in photography is when people neglect enjoying the experience in order to "get the shot." (I'll save you my rant about videoing fireworks and parades for another day.) As important as it is to know how to use your camera, you also need to know when to use your camera. I want my kids to have me be apart of their memories. Not watching from the sidelines behind a lens. I've talked a lot about having my camera easily accessible, mainly so I can get the shot, but also just as important, so I can put it away and be present. You're on vacation too, your family wants you to be present and in the moment. All the photographs in the world can't make up for time lost with your littles.