Tomorrowland Instamatics
My stash of several hundred vintage Instamatics is dwindling, but the ones that I have left (maybe 40 images) range from what I consider "above average" to "really nice"! Today I am sharing the last of the "good but not great" scans. They all show the Tomorrowland lagoon area.
OK, this one is different. So different that I think it might be flipped backwards. But I'm not sure; even when I looked at it the other way it didn't seem quite right. What do you guys think? Anyway, I still enjoy the view of the lagoon with the intertwining freeway of the Autopia (and that long straightaway running across the water). I also enjoy the smog. *cough* *cough*
This one is divided neatly across the center; sky on top, Disneyland below. I see enough photos like this that it makes me think that old viewfinders must not have been very accurate as to what the lens actually captured. Or this was just "one of those pictures". Whatever the case, it is still a great view of the yellow Monorail, as well as the Peoplemover (possibly still not operational).
If the camera had been pointed any higher, we would have had a perfect blue gradient, and not much else. There are the new square Skyway buckets, rising up to pass through the Matterhorn. Which surprises me because I originally would have thought that this was taken from the Skyway. What else would have provided this elevated angle? The top of the Rocket Jets platform?
10 comments:
Mmm. Monorail Gold.
I think you were right in saying the first is is flipped left-for-right.
And boy oh boy is that second one a great shot of the Monorail I dream of making a model of one of these days. The window in the door is important...
Yep, the first pic is definitely flipped. And I think you are right about the last one being taken from the Rocket Jets platform.
Wow, 4 1/4 PeopleMover trains all in one shot! Seeing those cars makes me want them back, gosh darn it! Seeing the empty beam in Tomorrowland makes me feel the same way. Whaaaaa!
Major-
What have you got against the sky-? Personally, I think we should treat the sky better - you know - take the sky out to lunch; show it a good time-!
Although it's a tough call, flopping the second image and running through multiple Submarine images on Daveland for comparison, I think it's safe to say the image is flopped.
Thanks, Major.
The first image is definitely a horizontal flip. I love how the I-5 and Harbor crossover looks like it could be part of the Autopia.
It must be 1967 because there's the rail-less PeoleMover track and a Mark II Monorail Gold. I always liked the look of the rockwork around the monorail pylons from just above the waterline to the bottom of the lagoon.
If the third image was lowered a bit it would've been my favorite. I love the layered view that captures the "world on the move" with Autopia, Monorail, PeopleMover and Skyway.
Love the instamatics. Thanks, Major.
Patrick Devlin, yeah, I had the feeling something funny was going on. If I feel extra motivated, I might flop it back to the way it is supposed to be! If you ever make your Monorail model, I’d love to see progress reports.
TokyoMagic!, I know, it kills me that we will never get our Peoplemover back. For that, I can never forgive the Rocket Rods… or whoever the designers were that did such a poor job of thinking them through. It almost sounds like the ride would have closed eventually just from wear and tear on the track, if for no other reason.
Nanook, I like the sky just fine, but I don’t need too many pictures of it! Especially when I know that the Monorail, Peoplemover, Autopia (etc) are underneath it. Wait, you think the SECOND image is flopped too? That one looks OK to me.
K. Martinez, yes, I’m sure these are from ’67… as far as I can tell, the Peoplemover trains are riderless, for what that is worth. The framing of many photos (not just these Instamatics) often tends to include a lot of sky, I wonder if the viewfinders on cheaper cameras were not accurate compared to the image that reached the film?
Major-
Whoops-!! I meant the 'first' image. For shame.
The 2nd and 3rd shots are great Major! I love shots showing all the movement that used to occur in Tomorrowland, and you can't beat the Monorail, Skyway, Submarines, and PeopleMover!
I think the tendency of shooting half sky in amateur (really amateur) photography is just like the way that people are shot from the waist up, cutting off their feet: I think we tend to hold the camera level without thinking about it. It puts people's head at dead center and the horizon halfway up the frame.
Now I'm off to look at every amateur photo on the Internet to see if I'm right. Be right back...
How beautifully Blue the sky,
The glass is rising very high,
Continue fine I hope it may,
And yet it rained but yesterday,
Tomorrow it may pour again,
I hear the country wants some rain,
Yet people say, I know not why,
That we shall have a warm July.
Hi Major, great pics today. The last one is probably taken from the second floor deck of the Carousel of Progress.
An alternate location might be the second deck of the Space Mountain, but that didn't open till 1977, too early for this picture, or maybe from the elevated part of the PeopleMover as it passes between the buildings.
Fun pictures, thank you.
JG
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