Subsonic Radio

When Disney started PhotoPass years ago, I thought it was a great service. Disney was finally offering people the ability to get professional quality pictures on their vacation with everyone in your family in the picture. It was a great service and every year we always come back from our vacation, add the boarders, and buy the photo CD.

However, over the past six months I have noticed an increasing number of issues and it might be time to speak up as for me it has ruined pictures that could have been really amazing. I personally feel that a lot of the issues could be easily resolved with better training or better selectiveness for which CMs are taking the pictures. It really seems like a lot of the times that the CM is not interested in photography, just doesn't care, or maybe doesn't know what they are doing. Most of the issues that I have seen are things that could easily be corrected if the person would just take the two seconds to check their screen. Here are some issues I have had...

1. Other families pictures on my card (WDW)
2. Off centered pictures where members of my family end up getting cut off (both in WDW and DLR)
3. Overpowered and underpowered flash (both in WDW and DLR)
4. Magic shots that were not processed like when you put your palms out for tinker bell and not getting it. (DLR)

My experiences, really have made me wonder how good is the photopass service anymore and to me it really doesn't make the price worth it as the quality of the product (pictures) has fallen a lot. Anyone else notice this or am I just being very picky and selective on my pictures.

I was very disappointed in my photos from the Wild Africa Trek. Those were CM that were supposed to be trained as photopass photographers but I didn't find any photos on the CD that were that amazing. Even the stock photos that were included were fairly disappointing.
I can't say one way or another about the actual parks Photopass as we have never purchased it, but I would think for the amount of money you pay, you should get decent photographs. I do believe the quality has slipped some as I have heard other people complain about the pictures they receive. The magic shots especially would be disappointing as you now have a photo of you "holding" something that isn't there and it just looks weird
Is there a number that you can call and inquire about a percentage refund perhaps?

All I can tell you is talk to guest communications. You'll get a reply- maybe not what you want, but a reply nonetheless.

I'm not even looking for a refund or anything like that. I just want Disney to get CMs who are passionate about photography or to at least provide better training so issues like this can be prevented. Call is being placed to photopass tomorrow to try and address this, but I feel emailing guest comm. might be necessary as well.

As for getting a reply, I wrote to them to commend some CMs after our previous trip and NEVER got a reply. Sent the same message about a month later requesting a reply and got nothing as well. Soarin' you may guarantee I'll get an actual reply but I will not hold my breath.

So for photopass issues pertaining to both DLR and WDW what would be the appropriate email address?

All I can say is that they probably pay these people $10/hour with no benefits, you get what you pay for.

I agree with Wizz. For the pay rate, you're not going to get the best photographers that money can buy...

mindflipper wrote:I agree with Wizz. For the pay rate, you're not going to get the best photographers that money can buy...

But they should at least give it some effort. And there isn't a good reason why the magic touches wouldn't have been put into Len's photos.

Wizzard419 wrote:All I can say is that they probably pay these people $10/hour with no benefits, you get what you pay for.

PhotoPass isn't professional, agreed. You want professional, shell out the big bucks and book a pro package. They still do a pretty gosh darn good job for amateurs. I considered that position for a time.

And people don't have to use the service if they don't want to...

Soarin08 wrote:
PhotoPass isn't professional, agreed. You want professional, shell out the big bucks and book a pro package. They still do a pretty gosh darn good job for amateurs. I considered that position for a time.

And people don't have to use the service if they don't want to...

I understand what Wizz is saying and I definitely think that can be the explanation for why the quality of the product has suffered. However, Disney never says PhotoPass is NOT professional. They actually advertise it on the contrary: "We provide professional photo capture services at the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in Florida and California." That is quoted from their facebook page. "Getting started is easy! Our friendly, professionally trained photographers are all over the Parks and will provide you a Disney's PhotoPass card." I am not saying that I want professional, I am just saying I want the basic concepts handled like centered images that don't cut off family members, and flashes to be used accordingly. I seriously don't think this is asking for too much given the prices you are paying. The photo CD is the best deal and that is still $70 for Disneyland. It's around $170 for WDW. There should be absolutely no need to have to pay more for a pro package if they offer this "professional" service.

So I contacted photopass via the contact us email requesting a call and got nothing. I contacted them by phone and was at least promised that my magic shot would be corrected by tonight. It wasn't...

Considering there is no legal standard to what "Professional photography" is, that is more an issue with marketing than the staff that work it. They also may be trained by professional photogs, doesn't mean they are any good at it. I can "teach" a duck to play chess, doesn't mean he will understand it.

They also are unliekly to have their income affected by if you buy the photos, so they have zero incentive to try.

Wizzard419 wrote:Considering there is no legal standard to what "Professional photography" is, that is more an issue with marketing than the staff that work it. They also may be trained by professional photogs, doesn't mean they are any good at it. I can "teach" a duck to play chess, doesn't mean he will understand it.

They also are unliekly to have their income affected by if you buy the photos, so they have zero incentive to try.

Very true when dissecting it, but still there could be something better.

Finally got the magic added to the magic shot after a second call and talk with a supervisor at the digital imaging number. I also was able to get Disney to attempt to photoshop the pictures where the flash was overpowering.

Not to be a double post, but I've been working feverishly on getting my photopass pictures done from our most recent visit. This year I have seen better overall quality. HOWEVER, I am missing a lot of pictures. This did occur on three separate instances. I've already called and located the missing pictures from one of the three. I'll be calling Friday morning to hopefully locate the rest.

From what I have heard this is a common problem and has been occurring more frequently in recent months.

Len90 wrote:Not to be a double post, but I've been working feverishly on getting my photopass pictures done from our most recent visit. This year I have seen better overall quality. HOWEVER, I am missing a lot of pictures. This did occur on three separate instances. I've already called and located the missing pictures from one of the three. I'll be calling Friday morning to hopefully locate the rest.

From what I have heard this is a common problem and has been occurring more frequently in recent months.

Why aren't the pictures showing up? Are they forgetting to upload them to the correct account?

Amy wrote: Why aren't the pictures showing up? Are they forgetting to upload them to the correct account?

It could be many different issues. I personally think it would have to be the card scanners malfunctioning.

I'd just rather take my own photos than mess with PhotoPass. (appropriate name)