Las Vegas - Where to shoot? - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

01/04/2005 07:18:01 PM · #2

I'll be watching this thread carefully, as I'll be in Vegas in February for 5 days. I am sooooooo excited!

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

01/04/2005 07:20:33 PM · #3

I was there two weeks ago, and I love the water show at Bellagio, the lions in MGM, the volcano at Mirage...

When taking photos of the water show, start out at the main entrance to bellagio and walk down the ramp on your left. stop when paris is directly in front of you! You will get some great shots there!

When you are in front of Ceasar's (i think), get a photo of the casinos across the street (near Harrah's)... they are very colorful and bright!

Go up into the walkways from MGM to NYNY and from Excalibur to Tropicana. Get your lens between the fence and get good shots from there!

The main lobby to the hotel part of MGM is a beautiful marble sight to see! You can take photos there without getting yelled at.

If you are taking photos of people, put them in front of paris (from bellagio), put them in front of MGM to get a really great green building in the background. My fav spot for this is about 50 feet from the big gold iion out front, away from the strip (directly across from tropicana).

There is so much to see in vegas that you are likely to end up with many great photos! drunk people have red faces though, so make sure you compensate in photoshop or white balance :)

Good luck!

fsteddy

01/04/2005 07:30:04 PM · #4

There are many photo opps at The Venetian also. Don't miss the Pirate show at Treasure Island, this is also great for photos. I guess you could go almost anywhere and get some great shots. Night time shooting is fun but there are LOTS of people everywhere you go. Have fun! I do every time I go.

eruelas

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

01/04/2005 07:32:07 PM · #5

If you plan on going to the grand canyon, be careful with the tours, I went there on november and it was a 10 hour trip from hotel to hotel and we were only for 45 minutes total at the grand canyon, It is an spectacular view, but what can you do in 45 minutes?. That is something the tours wont tell you. Sorry if someone works there but it was a very bad experience for us. Too much to see in so little time.

Besides that, get on top of the stratosphere hotel, you will get a jaw droping view from there. Very Impresive. Good luck shooting.

And another tip I can give you, If you stay up until really really late, around 3:30 or 4 in the morning, the strip is almost empty, so you can take pictures of whatever you like without people messing your shot and you will be able to get the lights at the hotels for a while.

OH!!!, and go to the lobby of the bellagio, it is really cool and it has some really wierd/cool looking features around.

Best Regards

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

01/04/2005 07:32:32 PM · #6

If you do go to the pirate show, you will need to be really tall to get good photos without people's head's in the way. Go early and get a spot right on the water side! I had trouble getting good photos of the pirate show. My flash, though good,didn't really hit what i needed it to. Maybe try in the daytime if they have shows then... not sure.

I love the Venician, but found too many shops in the way of really great photography. I liked seeing the gondolas though. I love the outside of the Venician mostly :)

SDW

Canon EOS-60D

01/04/2005 07:32:55 PM · #7

I have not been to Las Vegas since 2000. Well take in all the Nice Hotel/Casino's on the strip. They don't mind you taking pictures inside as long as it's not in the casino areas. But don't overlook the obvious things. A little drive or tour to lake mead [black canyon], The Grand Canyon. And don't forget to get a picture of the allusive J-Terminal [the flights that take workers to area 51]. You will find it at McCarran airport. The plane's will be boing 737's white with no markings except a red stripe. Very secure-take a candid shot.

EDIT: Be careful if your ride the roller coaster at NewYork-NewYork I got off the ride with 2 herniated disk in my neck C4-5 and C5-6.

Message edited by author 2005-01-06 10:30:02.

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

01/04/2005 07:34:44 PM · #8

Oh yeah, the lobby of Bellagio is great (look up)! Go to the flower garden in the back. The smell is so nice!!! I can't imagine not being up all night in Vegas! Only problem is, you lose track of time and before you know it, it's daylight again and you missed all the great photo ops during the quiet time on the streets since you were inside playing nickel keno and drinking yourself silly!

Originally posted by eruelas:

TechnoShroom

Canon EOS-30D

01/04/2005 09:25:54 PM · #9

Las Vegas - Where to shoot?

This is THE place to shoot in Las Vegas! I go here every time I'm in Las Vegas.

insteps

Ricoh GR III

Fujifilm XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR

01/04/2005 09:56:58 PM · #10

Take a drive out to the valley of fire if you have a car. Very interesting rock formations and a great break from Vegas. I think it's about an hour from the strip. You should be able to find more information on the web.

Enjoy,
Henry

Beetle

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

01/04/2005 09:57:38 PM · #11

oh wow.... I'm getting even more excited after reading your posts.... thanks for all the ideas. I'll print this page out and take it with me.

Mark of SRQ

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II

01/04/2005 10:02:52 PM · #12

I'll be going to Vegas in March. 40th birthday present from my sister. Whoa . . .I just saw that 40 I typed . . . scary. Anyway, I was thinking the same thing: What to shoot? How cool to have this thread now.

Mark

soccerdad

Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8

01/04/2005 10:12:01 PM · #13

Anyone up for a get together around Suberbowl weekend?

FranziskaLang

Nikon D100

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Nikon

01/04/2005 10:43:33 PM · #14

The Voodoo Lounge in the Rio opens at 5pm. It's at the top of the Casino, the view across the Strip is wonderful. We were there last month and it was already a bit on the dark side to take photos, but if you make it up there right when they open you may get a couple of good shots. Plus, you can have a drink and enjoy the view.

If you have the chance to get out of Vegas, the Valley of Fire is about an hour's drive north, Red Rock Canyon is not so far, either. I don't have my photos posted from last month's trip yet, but click here for some (well, many) shots from a trip in February, including Red Rock Canyon.

Enjoy your trip!

rmtm333

Nikon D70

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

01/04/2005 10:49:40 PM · #15

Originally posted by TechnoShroom:

Las Vegas - Where to shoot?

This is THE place to shoot in Las Vegas! I go here every time I'm in Las Vegas.

I can't believe no one even acknowledged this comment...This is a bad joke, but I must admit I did laugh out loud...

Message edited by author 2005-01-04 22:49:55.

TechnoShroom

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

01/05/2005 01:40:56 AM · #16

Originally posted by rmtm333:

Originally posted by TechnoShroom:
Las Vegas - Where to shoot?

This is THE place to shoot in Las Vegas! I go here every time I'm in Las Vegas.

I can't believe no one even acknowledged this comment...This is a bad joke, but I must admit I did laugh out loud...

Joke or plug? A little of each actually. I love the shop. Everyone is great there. When you get bored of losing your money in the casinos and the Valley of Fire and Red Rock Canyon are hot enough to melt your camera right out of your hands this is the place to go. A super strong air-conditioning system and fully automatic weapons. No better way to spend the day.

Mick

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

01/05/2005 02:00:31 AM · #17

When you get tired of photographing glitz & glitter there's lots of beautiful scenery out in the Mojave. Maybe get a few shots of Sunrise\Frenchman Mountain at sunrise.

f-32

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM Lens

01/05/2005 02:15:07 AM · #18

My choices:
1. Valley of Fire - it's winter and should still be amazing to shoot!
2. Continue east (and north) from Valley of Fire and go to Zion's National Park. It's a little less than 2 hour drive, but is SO beautiful in winter!
3. Consider going over Boulder Dam and drive a little of old Route 66. (Kingman to Seligman has delightful eye candy - Oatman has wild burros wandering its street...) There are fascinating images in the little towns that kinda dried up and blew away. They show a slice of Americana that's almost completely gone.
4. In Vegas, visit the Liberace Museum - it is SO unique!
5. In Vegas, go to Flyaway Indoor Skydiving at 200 Convention Center Drive to see people fly/float inside the tunnel. Very few of these exist. //www.flyawayindoorskydiving.com/pfCoaching.asp

Have a great time... Las Vegas is a unique city! Shoot LOTS of pix - but be careful in casinos. They do NOT like photos taken there.

Havok

01/05/2005 03:49:55 AM · #19

If you're ever downtown at night there's the Fremont Street Experience.

dimitrii

Nikon D70

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

01/05/2005 04:24:12 AM · #20

Red Rock National Park (I think it's a National Park) is great, it's about 20 min off the main drag.

TechnoShroom

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

01/05/2005 04:36:14 AM · #21

Originally posted by dimitrii:

Red Rock National Park (I think it's a National Park) is great, it's about 20 min off the main drag.

It's a National Conservation Area. RRCNCA

stephlee

Canon PowerShot S110

02/02/2005 04:23:08 PM · #22

Originally posted by mirdonamy:

bellatrix

Nikon D2H

02/03/2005 04:51:19 PM · #23

This may be a lil late coming but grab a tripod and go to the Rio at night. Have someone direct you to the elevator to get to the Voodoo Lounge. Walk through the bar to the outside area. Bingo- 30 or whatever floors up, not a terrible amount of immediate light pollution and if anyone asks- you are shooting for PERSONAL use. Otherwise they will escort you off the roof of the hotel.
-bella

ps> I know someone else mentioned the Rio, but remember the personal use thing. I was told by the hotel photog to say that and she was right- they got weird when i showed up with a tripod for long exposures...

Message edited by author 2005-02-03 16:58:58.