Wednesday, August 01, 2012

Instamatic A-Go-Go

I think it's time for some more selections from a good old Kodak Instamatic camera. 

Here's a swell look at the Astro Jets and the Douglas Moonliner, probably from 1965-ish. The Astro jets has a nice little crowd waiting for a turn to spin and spin. This picture has great color!


I love this image of Tom Sawyer Island... not only is it bright and sunshiny, but it gives a wonderful sense of the place. Wander trails, explore caves, cross bridges, climb rocks, visit the log fort... TSI was interactive before that became a thing.


While waiting aboard the Disneyland Railroad at Main Street Station, you might just turn your head and see the futuristic Monorail passing by. In front of the ticket booths on the grassy area is a sign advertising Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color.


Some of you maybe have noticed the addition of watermarks; many of my photos have started showing up on a major Disney park website, and somebody else (a dishonest blogger - don't worry, it isn't anybody we like) has been adding their own watermarks to my pictures. Long story short: from now on I'm watermarking everything. Unscrupulous people will just crop them off, but at least it's something.

29 comments:

Nanook said...

Sorry to hear about the need to "police" your own images, but popularity can do that. It may not be much of a consolation, but at least your audience is growing. It would be nice to be given proper credit for all your work, but that's how it often goes sometimes.

I'm fairly certain I speak for many regulars of GDB when I say your commentaries are the equal of the wonderful and unique images you've dutifully posted lo these many years. Thank you for both the images and the often witty and urbane commentary that accompanies them-!

Graffer said...

I understand the need, but can the watermark be smaller and less obtrusive? It is very distracting.

Knott'sAfterDark said...

I always love to see older photos of the parking lot. Back then you could ride the Monorail right over a vintage car show!
I don't blame you about the watermarks!

K. Martinez said...

While I always liked the "clean" images you presented, I completely understand your decision to add the watermarks.

I'll back up Nanook by adding that besides your wonderful images, it’s your commentary and response to your readers that’s unmatched and elevates your blog above the standard. That can’t be duplicated.

Chiana_Chat said...

What Nanook and Graffer said.

It chaffs my hide some ungrateful person on some forum somewhere is responsible for a sign being stuck on the time machine's window.

Sorry. It's been a dumpy day and this is a cherished relief spot.

Sigh.

Well. I wonder what the percentages are of people who rocketed at lower or variable levels vs those who rocketed at full elevation only. Ah you know that could really be read the wrong way... *hides

Thufer said...

Oh, look at the shot of the parking lot. Never did high power tension lines and towers look so good.

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, I guess it was just a matter of time. Not sure how much popularity has to do with it (I don't think my readership has increased much), but I appreciate the kind words!

Graffer, I am playing around with how exactly to watermark the images (since these are the first examples). They are going to be distracting no matter what, I'm afraid… sorry.

Knott'sAfterDark, the parking lot photos are always popular, much to the surprise of many people!


K. Martinez, thank you!

Chiana, the whole exchange between me and the website in question was extremely frustrating, especially when I was told that my photos belonged to this other blogger, who also had the "full and legal copyright".

Thufer, it's funny, I thought that was the worst picture of the three, and yet it's the one that's getting all the comments. Shows what I know!

Rich T. said...

Sorry you need to watermark the pics, but it's a small inconvenience for us to pay for our daily dose of awesome pics and commentary! Thanks again for your wonderful site!

Alonzo P Hawk said...

Wow deja vu. Look at pic 3 and the ford pickup with camper shell in the background. Now go back to monday (stereo images) and similar or same truck. Must have been popular truck set up in the 60's if it's not the same. Anyone, nanook.

Anonymous said...

I had to watermark many a photo over the years at Hughes Aircraft. We found that using a watermark plug in (and locking the info) was the most effective. Even if one were to crop the photo, the file info still maintains the watermark.

CoxPilot

Tom said...

We can handle the watermark. The pictures and the commentary are still number one here. Thanks for keeping them coming!

outsidetheberm said...

Well, I guess we saw this day coming. As you know, Major, the same force you're dealing with led to our cut back in posting. Except we were faced with a double whammy at the time. You know the story.

Rest assured, however, that certain folks are on notice now. They do not have 'full and legal copyright' - regardless of what they think.

Hang in there, my friend. You will be far ahead in the end.

Gojira said...

Major I'm sorry you have to resort to that -- I recently had a yard flamingo stolen and then someone walked right up on our porch and took an outdoor lamp I had there. Walked right up on our property and took both items! The watermark doesn't bother me. I come here for the commentary and great photos. I know others have echoed the same sentiment that it just makes our day!

Mark

Major Pepperidge said...

Rich T., it's a slight pain, but i'm sure that most people will be OK with it after they are used to it!

Alonzo, I'll say (based on complete ignorance) that it's the same truck! Wouldn't that be trippy?

CoxPilot, I thought about using a watermark plugin, Photoshop enables the use of a digital watermark, but (for now, while I'm still mad about it) I want them to clearly show and to be in the way. Which is something I used to NEVER want.

Tom, thanks!

outsidetheberm, you have been very supportive, and I appreciate it very much!

Gojira, in the scheme of things, I guess it's not very important - I try to tell myself that anyway! But it is maddening, in my weaker moments.

Anonymous said...

Major, "what everybody said". Sorry to hear you are being ripped off.

I deal with a lot of copyright issues in my work and admittedly, these scans of "orphan" images are in a grey area, but it's sad to see non-commercial "orphans" reused without credit.

What kills me are the chumps on Flickr who scan a bunch of magazine ads for companies still in business, sometimes even for products that are still available, whose copyrights clearly belong to someone identifiable, and then the Flickr scanner has the cojones to claim "all rights reserved" to his theft of the copyrighted material.

Those guys are in the same category as your thieves.

Anyway, my sympathy and thanks for being you. My life is much better because of your efforts.

JG

Anonymous said...

The trucks are not quite the same, the Monday vehicle has a dark brown band on the camper shell and dark yellow fog lamps or turn signals.

The truck today has a shell that is mostly white or light colored, and no prominent yellow lamps.

A remarkable coincidence nonetheless.

JG

TokyoMagic! said...

I'm late to comment today, but I agree with what everyone has already stated! I never put a watermark on my images until I saw a couple of them pop up on other sites. I've even seen a couple of my pics used where the person cropped out my watermark!

Connie Moreno said...

Oh man, oh man. Yes, I love your pics and yes I LOVE your commentary but now you've got me worried. I wonder how many of my photos that I took with my own camera are being ripped off? Is there an easy way to watermark? I used to do it but it took FOREVER and that was one laptop ago when I had the software. I don't anymore :-(

Chiana_Chat said...

Connie, GIMP is a free open source image creator and editor like photoshop, which can do pretty much anything including watermarks. Runs on Linux, Mac or Windows.
Main site
http://www.gimp.org/
for Mac
http://www.gimp.org/macintosh/
for Windows
http://www.gimp.org/windows/

Nancy said...

Major, thanks for the decision to add the watermark rather than to stop posting your wonderful pictures and fun commentary for all to enjoy....

like that lovely photo of Monorail Blue....so cool to see a bit of Tomorrowland along with those cars not of the future in the parking lot! Perfect.

Major Pepperidge said...

JG, thanks… as I said earlier, i try to keep it in perspective and realize that in the grand scheme of things it isn't important. But it still bugs me! And you are right, it is a different truck!!

TokyoMagic!, I still expect to see my photos around, with the watermarks cropped off, but at least I will have the full version to prove that it originally belonged to me. Whatever good that does!

Connie, adding the watermarks is definitely an annoying additional step that I wish I didn't have to resort to.

Chiana, thank you, I know about GIMP but have never tried it (being a Photoshop user for so long). I've heard good things about it, and of course FREE is best of all!

Nancy, don't worry, I still have a bunch of photos to share with all of you.

Connie Moreno said...

Chiana, THANKS!!

Anonymous said...

Dang, I'd almost swear that my younger brother and I are in the top photo of the barrel bridge (just over the "blog" in blogspot) ... those kids look just like my brother and I in the mid-60s, plus the clothes are right too.

The Viewliner Limited said...

The beauty and memories that these images bring back to me are not lessened by a few letters from the alphabet Major. So watermark away my friend. All is appreciated !!!

Mr. Lambeau said...

Sorry to say, if that watermark is going to be that huge, I've lost interest.

Major Pepperidge said...

Anon, I wish we could somehow confirm that it really is (or isn't) you and your brother!

Viewliner, thank you!

Mr. Lambeau, ha ha! Bye!

LIllian Kurtz of Graveyard of Lost Ships said...

Greetings Major! First, just wanted to say thank you for all the awesome images you share.

Sadly, water-marking can be increasingly necessary, and I am sorry to hear you've had issues with non respectful users/bloggers.

I merely wished to say, I in past have posted images from your excellent blog over on my Disney tumblr page, but always giving credit and link back to your blog, as evidenced with these:

http://graveyardoflostships.tumblr.com/post/28638393696/1970s-disneyland-wardrobe-examples-fantasyland

http://graveyardoflostships.tumblr.com/post/23614100425/random-disneyland-views-in-1968-left-and-1959

I do hope this is all right, and if not, am glad to remove all such images at your request. Thank you again and hope this finds you well!

Major Pepperidge said...

Lillian, since you are nice enough to credit my blog when using the images, I am totally OK with it! Thank you for your courtesy, and I appreciate the nice words.

StoryBookLand said...

WOW!!! How delightfully typical... Arg! If I see 'em, I'll have to give 'em a cyber smack-down!

Don't be discouraged... Remember... we wouldn't have Mickey Mouse if Mr. Disney hadn't lost Oswald the Lucky Rabbit to Universal.

~Andrea