Mell Kilpatrick was a very ambitions person and dedicated to always getting the perfect photos of Disneyland. He particularly enjoyed taking aerial photos of Disneyland, which also included film footage.

With Mell using a small vintage film camera which weighed about five pounds, he would hang out of a light plane standing on its wing to get the perfect shot of the park’s growth. Much of Mell’s footage has been lost. Yet knowing that Disneyland has a extensive collection of his photos and film footage is a cherished gift for all to enjoy. Even though Mell wasn’t Disneyland official photographer, he took thousands of images for Disneyland which they are still using.

Mell had a one-on-one relationship with the man himself, Walt Disney. With Walt Disney and personnel using Mell’s own darkroom to develop their photos, I guess you can say Mell was on-hand to experience the first images ever taken of Disneyland.

As a result of their relationship, Walt Disney opened the park to Mell. Walt knew he had an eye for the perfect images to capture the construction and the memorable moments of the Park’s history. No other photographer has been so blessed by loving the man he worked for, the job he did and the history he captured.