I am not sure what it is about Spaceship Earth, but I really enjoy taking photos of the attraction. Maybe it is the curve of the geodesic sphere, the texture of the triangles or the monorail circles around it as it arrives at EPCOT. Like most things in Disney it is amazing how different Spaceship Earth looks during the day versus the night.

This photo is of Spaceship Earth taken across the World Showcase Lagoon. It is amazing that the fireworks barges brought out in a mere few hours  to the middle of the lagoon to present “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth”. The show uses fireworks, pyrotechnics, laser lights, fountains, and fire to create a visual production on the park’s World Showcase Lagoon.

It was a beautiful clear sky, but that was a problem, it was too clear, not a single cloud in the sky. I took this opportunity to add the cloud effect in post production in Photoshop.

As intricate and visually impressive as it is, there’s a lot more to Spaceship Earth than meets the eye. Knowing that it would become the flagship attraction of Epcot and set the tone for the park as a whole, Disney Imagineers assembled some of the world’s greatest talents.

The all-star roster includes Academy Award® winner Judi Dench and 10-time Emmy® winner Bruce Boughton, who conducted a 63-piece orchestra and 24-voice choir for his musical score. If you listen closely, you’ll notice that the music for each scene features styles and instruments appropriate to the era, transitioning seamlessly into the next—no small feat.

And Ray Bradbury, author of the novel Fahrenheit 451 and an avid Disney fan, helped design the 180-foot-tall Epcot ball as well as pen the attraction’s original storyline. With such a legacy, it’s no wonder that Spaceship Earth has earned such signature status.

Source: Walt Disney World

  • Aperture: ƒ/8
  • Focal length: 135mm
  • ISO: 100
  • Shutter speed: 1/500s