Walt Disney World Dolphin at Night

A look at the Walt Disney World Dolphin hotel at Walt Disney World in Florida¹ in the early evening hours. Except that in this view you cannot see either of the two large dolphin sculptures on top of the building. Take my word for it - they are still there.

Long-time Burnsland readers will know that we like to go for a walk around the Epcot Resorts when we are in Florida. Our 2024 Florida trip was no different. One difference, however, was that we did not actually make it to the Dolphin and Swan. It was getting late, and we were tired from our activities of the day, so we cut our walk a little short. Instead, we just took a look at the Michael Graves designed hotels from the bridge over the water. But I did take this photo, and I thought it turned out quite well.

So we almost visited the Walt Disney World Dolphin, and I have this photo to prove it!

Love Is Patient

Laura should be commended for putting up with me at times. For example, when we are on a trip like this one and I say, “Hey, let’s go visit the Epcot Resorts!” Spoiler alert: the resorts don’t really change that much from one year to the next. So we see many of the same things, and the pictures that I take start to look the same year after year. But I still suggest it, and she still goes along with me.

Sometimes, loving one another involves putting up with someone and all their peculiarities, and so loving someone sometimes means going along with them in what they like to do, and if they love you in return they will do the same for you.

And some of us have lots of peculiarities, too. Hopefully, none of them are detrimental to our well-being. Those are the kinds that should not be put up with, and if we love people with those kinds of issues, we should help them get the help that they need. It is important to know where to draw that line.

Bearing with one another in our peculiarities² helps to bring us closer together, which makes everything better.

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. - Ephesians 4:1-3

About the Photo

As you can probably tell, it was getting to be rather dark out when I took this photo. Fortunately, the rail of the bridge we were standing on helped to steady the camera, and it was easier than having to carry a tripod with me.

I set the ISO at 640, which is not all that high compared to what I had to use in the darkness of Mammoth Cave, and I used a shutter speed of 1/15 second. I had the 35mm prime lens opened wide at f/1.8, which is where I keep that lens set most of the time anyway. And then I “sweetened” it just a bit in both Raw Therapee and GIMP to brighten things up, reduce some noise, and get the colors adjusted accordingly.³

Photo: A single Raw exposure, processed in Raw Therapee and GIMP.
Camera: Sony Alpha A7 II
Lens: Rokinon 35mm f/1.8
Date: July 25, 2024
Location: Epcot Resorts, Walt Disney World, Florida