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Exploring Night Photography: Disney, Ghosts, and DC in 1984

Bill Terry

This post is part of an ongoing project: scanning my old slides, prints, and negatives (late 1970’s to 2004) to digital.

From a 1984 Guild Presentation on time-lapse night photography, featuring Disney World, Ghosts, and Washington DC.

All the images are long exposures with a tripod-mounted camera. It was in long ago 1984: color slides, except as noted, with no digital manipulation or darkroom antics.

Night Show

A person wearing a light-colored t-shirt is smiling with a warm, neutral background. The word 'Disney' is artistically drawn in light, creating a playful and nostalgic atmosphere.
Disney

These title slides were created with long exposures during which a small flashlight was used to “write” the words. The writer then moved to stand behind her work. Lots of practice and patience required.

Moving into night

A panoramic view of a theme park landscape featuring a spherical structure under dramatic blue skies with scattered clouds.
A tranquil evening scene depicting a silhouette of a city skyline with intricate architecture against a cloudy sky reflecting on the water's surface.
A view of a castle in the distance, framed by buildings and a crowd of people, under a cloudy sky.
A vibrant sunset with orange and yellow hues reflecting on a calm body of water, silhouetted trees visible in the foreground.

Night Show

A nighttime display featuring vibrant fireworks and fountains over a body of water, reflecting bright colors and smoke in the dark sky.
A panoramic view of a nighttime water fountain show, featuring colorful lights illuminating the water jets and surrounding landscape.
Slides could not be cropped in a darkroom, or digitally as we do now. The trick was to dismount them from their cardboard frame. Then remount them using cardboard or cutouts to crop the image. Only parts of the image would display through the projector… it is so much easier now!
A panoramic night view of a lake with colorful fountains illuminated in pink and green lights, reflecting on the water surface, surrounded by trees and buildings in the background.
Fireworks display illuminating the night sky above a body of water, with reflections of lights in the water.
Fireworks display over water at night, with bright sparks and reflections on the surface.
A vibrant display of fireworks lighting up the night sky, reflected on the calm water below.
A vibrant night scene featuring fireworks illuminating the sky over a body of water, with a pink hue dominating the image.
“Cropped” slides
Fireworks display reflected on water at night, with vibrant colors and smoke.
Fireworks display over water at night, with bright pink and white bursts illuminating the sky and reflecting on the water surface.
A vibrant night scene featuring long exposure light trails, creating a dynamic and abstract representation of movement and illumination.
Deliberate camera shake… tap the tripod… to produce a visual experience.
Abstract image of red and orange light trails resembling a circular shape against a dark background, captured with long exposure.
A brightly lit parade float resembling a Cinderella carriage, surrounded by glowing lights, viewed at night.
I am particularly fond of this image. See the little boy silhouetted? Amazingly, he stood very still for the exposure.
A brightly lit parade float adorned with red and white lights, featuring a whimsical design, captured during a night event.

Traditional Disney buildings

A night view of a beautifully illuminated building reflected in water, surrounded by trees and lights, creating a serene atmosphere.
A nighttime view of a bustling street scene, featuring buildings adorned with decorative lights and a crowd of people enjoying the atmosphere.
More “cropped” slides
A nighttime photograph of a brightly lit castle, showing illuminated towers and architectural details against a dark sky.
A young person with medium-length hair is posing against a yellow background, looking slightly off-camera. In front of them, there is a light trail that spells out 'ghost' in an artistic manner.
Ghosts
Black and white photograph capturing two figures in motion near a baseball field, enclosed by a wire fence, with a blurred background.
These are black and white negatives converted to slides. There is only one person in this picture. During the extended exposure, he stood at the fence and quickly moved to a second position. The camera only caught the times the “ghosts” were still.
Black and white photograph showing multiple ghost-like figures of children at a baseball field, captured with long exposure. A chain-link fence is visible in the foreground.
Four people make up this picture. Two ghosts behind home plate are the same person. That’s me on the right: I started the time-lapse exposure and then ran to the fence.
Nighttime photograph capturing a baseball field with ghostly figures of players, taken with long exposure showing movement through a chain-link fence.
My notes said there are four people in this picture, moving around to create “ghosts.”
A long exposure photograph featuring a person partially visible, with light trails forming abstract shapes against a dark background.
Our nation’s capital
The United States Capitol building illuminated at night against a dark sky.
A nighttime view of a grand building with a dome, illuminated by lights, featuring a fountain in the foreground.
A tranquil evening scene featuring the Washington Monument reflected in a body of water under a vibrant pink and purple sky, with surrounding trees and lights adding to the ambiance.
A vibrant purple sunset reflected on water with silhouettes of trees and streetlights.
I like the lighting differences in these two images.
A nighttime view of a monument illuminated against a dark sky, reflecting in the water below.
Lincoln Memorial
A nighttime image of a classical architectural structure with large columns, illuminated by colorful lights, highlighting the entrance and statue inside.
Jefferson Memorial
Bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson with a backdrop of stone walls and inscriptions, illuminated in blue light.
The Washington Monument illuminated at night against a deep blue sky.
Washington Monument and White House
A long exposure night photograph showcasing a vibrant cityscape with illuminated buildings and light trails from moving vehicles, captured from a distance.
Highway to the bridge
A long exposure photograph showing the light-traced words 'The End' created by a person in dark ambient lighting.
The End

Special thanks to Ruth for “writing” the title slides.

Slides were scanned to digital on June 24, 2025

Click here to see full-size, no watermark, images at www.ImagesByBill.us

Thanks for visiting!

June 25, 2025

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2 responses to “Exploring Night Photography: Disney, Ghosts, and DC in 1984”

  1. Helen Worley Avatar
    Helen Worley

    Thanks, Bill
    These are elegant!

    Reply
    1. Bill Terry Avatar
      Bill Terry

      Thank you!

      Reply

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