Old Photo: Disney Dream Pool Deck
Cruise Memories
People enjoy the sun, the pools, and the Aquaduck on the pool deck of the Disney Dream, one of the ships of the Disney Cruise line, as seen during our 2015 Disney Cruise. This is another photo in the Old Photos series.
For reference, Mickey’s Pool is in the foreground. You can’t actually see Donald’s Pool, but it is slightly in the background behind the blue chairs. And the FunnelVision screen looms over everything. Apparently, it was in between movie times during this photo, because usually there is something playing on the screen. However, I like having the Disney Dream logo on there, just as a reminder of which ship we were on. You know, in case I happen to forget sometime in the future.
Because we have had two cruises in two years canceled now (thank you, COVID-19), I decided to go back and take a look at a photo from a previous cruise. It is hard to believe that this cruise was almost six years ago now, part of what I called at the time the Burnsland World Tour. Those were fun days.
Changing Times
I find it interesting how the last year has changed us. Or maybe it mainly just changed me. When I look at this photo, my first thoughts are, “Look at all of those people! So close together! And not a single mask in sight!”
At the time, we did not think anything at all about being around so many people in such close quarters. Yes, there is always the possibility of spreading germs on a cruise ship. That is why they have hand sanitizer stations everywhere, why there are signs everywhere encouraging you to wash your hands, and why they give you a wipe for your hands when you go into a restaurant.
Little did we know at that time how much things would change. And if you had told everyone on the cruise that in just a few years almost everything would shut down for a while, we all would have laughed at you. But here we are, still waiting for cruises to resume, getting our shots, and wearing our masks.
Times have certainly changed.
Bible Verse
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. - James 1:17
About the Photo
I have talked before about the challenges of taking photos in this area. That is compounded by the occasional difficulty I have of taking a level photo in the first place. But here, the problem is not entirely with me.
The main issue with this photo location is the Aquaduck. Yes, it is fun to take a ride on, but it throws off my photos just a bit. Due to the nature of the Aquaduck being a water slide, one side has to be higher than the other side. After all, gravity is what makes the slide work, just like with any slide. So in this photo, the left side of the slide is higher than the right side. That can play tricks on your eyes and make you think that this photo is not level, no matter how much I try to straighten it. And for the record, I did not take the photo level in the first place, but I did straighten it when I processed it.
Part of the purpose of sharing these Old Photos is to go back and take another look at photos I have shared before, using the newer processing tools that I have now. You can actually see an earlier version of this photo in the 2015 Disney Cruise Trip Report. This new version, processed in Luminar AI is actually not radically different from the original. But it has a slightly different feel to it. I used a little soft focus in this version to give it a little more of a dreamy feel to go along with the Disney Dream name. The new version is also a little lighter and brighter. And maybe just a bit straighter, too.
Of course, another purpose of the Old Photos is to have something to share, too. And to bring back some good memories. This was definitely a good memory, too.
Photo: A single Raw exposure, processed in Luminar AI. Read more about photography tips, photo software, camera gear, and more at Steve’s Photography Tips.
Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10
Lens: Olympus M.Zukio 25mm f1.8
Date: June 4, 2015
Location: At Sea on the Disney Dream
