Sleeping Beauty Castle during the fireworks, framed by the Partners statue. Tripod + remote shutter, long exposure on the 14–24mm f/2.8G. Manual focus, no flash.
Why this fits Elder Holland
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: “Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead… Some blessings come soon, some come late… but they come.” Fireworks are a patience test. You compose in the dark, wait through false starts, and trust the next burst will fill the sky. That is discipleship in miniature: keep your place, stay steady, believe light is coming.
Pocket I’m keeping
When life feels like a long exposure with nothing on the sensor yet, don’t touch the tripod. Hold your ground. Keep praying, keep working, keep walking. The frame will fill.
BTS (how I made it)
Arrived early to anchor composition on Walt & Mickey leading to the castle and sky
Tripod low, remote shutter to avoid vibration; manual focus set before showtime
Long exposure to “draw” fans and heart-shapes in the air; no flash to keep ambient color
Wide at 14–18mm to include crowd, statue, castle, and sky in one story
Final reflection
Walt’s “dreams come true” meets Elder Holland’s “don’t you quit.” Courage starts the dream; covenant faith finishes it. Stay close to Christ and keep moving—light always finds the faithful.
Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland framed by morning roses and a still moat. Low-angle composition, layered foreground-to-background for color, structure, and reflection.
Intro
The castle is storybook stone, but the roses are living color. Faith is like that—rooted, seasonal, and bright against whatever feels immovable.
Excerpt
I framed this low in the rose bed to stack three layers: blooms, castle, and reflection. The flowers pull you in, the bridge and turrets anchor the middle, and the sky opens the scene. The castle gets most of the attention, but the roses do the inviting.
Notes from the Devotional
“Make Jesus the light of your life. And then by his light, see everything else.” — Elder Neal A. Maxwell When the Light is first, everything else makes sense.
Perspective
“Sometimes it is better to be left out than to be taken in… It is better for you to be alienated from the gang than to be alienated from God.” — Elder Maxwell Beauty is not popularity; it’s alignment. Choose the view that keeps you closest to the Light.
Practice (today, not someday)
“Obeying is one of the best ways of exploring.” — Elder Maxwell Honor park rules and guests. Work within limits: arrive early, stay off the beds, wait for gaps in foot traffic, and compose from the edge.
Final Reflection
“Trust the Lord for he sees your possibilities even when you do not.” — Elder Maxwell The bloom you notice is rarely the only one ready to open. In time, a whole garden appears.
Pocket I’m Keeping
“Be very careful about what you let come inside your storehouse of memories. Those memories will be there for a very long time.” — Elder Maxwell I want a storehouse full of color and peace—moments of quiet light with people I love.
Behind the Shot
• location: Sleeping Beauty Castle, Disneyland • approach: arrive early; look for still water in the moat for a clean reflection; use flowers as a foreground frame • composition: very low angle, flowers as leading foreground, bridge arches and turrets for structure, negative space in the sky • settings (starting point): 16–24 mm, f/8–f/11, base ISO, shutter as needed; confirm nearest bloom focus; keep verticals natural • etiquette: stay out of the beds; don’t block paths; be quick and kind with guests and cast
Pirates of the Caribbean, Disneyland — the dog with the keys. Captured from a moving boat, manual exposure, 24mm at f/2.8, high ISO, no flash allowed.
Intro
The pirates beg; the dog holds the keys. It’s funny—and it’s a mirror. The way out is often right in front of us, but we still have to earn it: patience, timing, and steady hands in the dark.
Excerpt
No flash, no tripod, no second chances—just a drifting boat, dim lantern light, and the moment you either catch or miss. I rode the attraction several times, dialed in manual settings, and waited for the boat to line up with the dog and the bars. The frame finally clicked when the scene, the motion, and my breathing all settled together.
Notes from the Devotional
“Righteousness has to become a matter of reflex.” — Elder Neal A. Maxwell When the light is low and everything moves, you don’t have time to analyze; you respond because you’ve practiced. That’s true for cameras and character.
Perspective
“Don’t be discouraged if, in your lifetime, you seem surrounded and outnumbered.” — Elder Maxwell Surrounded by bars? Sometimes the key is closer than it feels. Keep your eye on it—and keep reaching.
Practice (today, not someday)
“Obeying is one of the best ways of exploring.” — Elder Maxwell Honor the rules of the ride—no flash photography is allowed—then explore within those limits: open your aperture, raise ISO, steady your body, and work the timing on each pass.
Final Reflection
“Believe in yourself not only for what you now are but for what you have the power to become.” — Elder Maxwell Low light doesn’t mean no light. There’s enough light to grow if you learn how to see it.
Pocket I’m keeping
“Be very careful about what you let come inside your storehouse of memories.” — Elder Maxwell This frame reminds me to stock my mind with moments earned by patience and restraint, not shortcuts.
Behind the Shot
• location: Pirates of the Caribbean, Disneyland • camera: full-frame body, 24mm f/1.4G • settings: manual, f/2.8, high ISO, shutter fast enough to freeze boat bobble • constraints: moving boat, dim practicals, absolutely no flash allowed • approach: rode multiple times, pre-focused, timed shutter as boat paralleled the dog
Tips if you want this shot
flash is not allowed on this ride—respect the rules, the show, and other guests
use manual exposure; start around f/2.8, 1/125s, ISO 6400–12800 and adjust
stabilize with breath control and elbows tucked; shoot short bursts as the boat glides parallel
Sleeping Beauty Castle after closing, colors breathing against a quiet walkway. Handheld patience, not luck.
Story I didn’t grow up thinking “bucket list.” I just liked being with my family and carrying a camera. During my consulting years we were blessed with no-blockout annual passes to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. I only share that to explain why we have so many pictures there—and so many good memories. The park was our long walk after a long week.
I wasn’t chasing rides. Most nights I was chasing light. My kids and my wife did their favorites, and I did mine: “it’s a small world” for the melody I can’t shake and “Soarin’” for the way it makes your heart feel bigger than your chest. Between those two, I was usually off finding a quiet corner to photograph, waiting for the crowd to thin the way a tide pulls back.
We spent more than a few Christmas Eves at the Disneyland Hotel and Christmas Day in the park—again, not to show off, just to be together somewhere that made us smile. In other seasons, when I worked with an aerospace team and later in perinatal healthcare, our groups sometimes held Christmas parties at Disneyland. I’d still slip away for a few minutes, because the castle looks different every night, and the fireworks give you one more excuse to try again.
A lot of those photos are still on old memory cards from three cameras. I know—process them already. But there’s something honest about leaving a few dreams unwrapped. The parks taught me that: you don’t need a louder life; you need a longer patience.
Walt said, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” For me, courage looked like staying five minutes longer, carrying a tripod when my back complained, and coming back when the last shot failed. It’s a small practice, after all—but small things add up.
If you see Disney or temple photos here, that’s what they’re made of: family time, a stubborn camera strap, and the quiet belief that good light rewards people who are kind and who stay.
