My first impressions of “Disneyland A Photographers Dream” – iBook

Disneyland A Photographers Dream

Mike Pierce created an iBook featuring over 600 pictures he has taken at Disneyland. The book checks in at just under 300 pages and is most analogues to the souvenir photo books you can find at the parks. The biggest difference between this one and Disney’s is the scale. This book looks only at Disneyland, not the rest of the resort (with the exception of Electrical Parade at Disney California Adventure) and is substantially longer and dives deeper into several attractions than what you would find in the park. For example Pirates of the Caribbean spans over 30 pages including more than 60 pictures. Throughout the book Mike shares some general information, history, or other nuggets from the area being photographed. He also intermixes some information on how he took the pictures. The narrative is ok, but the real reason you would want the book is for the pictures. He has taken the time to select, crop, and edit/correct the shots. The color and detail on his Pirates pictures were incredible.

If you are looking for a digital set of pictures that can be viewed offline to relive a visit to the park, share a visit with someone, or if you are like me just to see the park through someone else’s eyes you may find this book interesting. This book is a highlight tour of Disneyland. It is not a guidebook, how to book, or history piece. As I flipped through the pictures and read the text the question that kept popping to mind is I would like to know more about how the picture came to be. In the last section Mike does give a couple examples but being the geek that I am I would have liked to have seen this explored more vs the more traditional guide/info presented.

I had an opportunity to talk with Mike and this book is going to continue to evolve. He plans to continue adding images and updates, the latest occurred on January 1st and featured an additional 34 pages of pictures and some text updates. These updates will be included with purchase, so you do not have to buy additional versions of the same book. He is also looking to expand with a second book focusing on Disney California Adventure. There is also a Kindle version of the book available, it is not as refined as the iBook yet, but it will continue to evolve too. He is also exploring a print book. Mike looks forward to hearing feedback from those who purchase the book.