Looking for stuff to photograph near Las Vegas

jstevewhite · 06-24-2011, 10:34 PM

Originally posted by stevelink

Dam nice shot, Jsteve!! Might I ask what lens and software you used? I'll be out that way soon as well. Thanks! steve@totalqualityphoto.com

Thanks! It was the DA* 50-135, in post I use LightRoom and Photoshop.

I love the 50-135. It's my favorite zoom of all that I've ever had, bar none. It's crisp and saturated like a prime, and plenty sharp.

Here's the ragged male Mallard that had seven or eight of those females following him around:

And another shot with the 50-135 (I used the 50-135 and the Sigma 10-20 almost exclusively out there)

jstevewhite · 06-28-2011, 09:57 AM

So here's my flickr set from Red Rock Canyon - I didn't get too far off the beaten path, though.

Red Rock Canyon - a set on Flickr

A few highlights:

Moon Over Jupiter · 06-28-2011, 04:04 PM

Hey, I know those yellow flowers, and shot them a month ago west of Vegas. (We flew to Vegas, drove to LA to house hunt - ugh - and then back to Vegas for a conference.) En route back to Vegas, we stopped in the Mojave and took a stroll and I took photos - just sharing so you can look back a month in their lifespan . . .

Close:

In clusters:

A wider shot, just a snapshot - but you can see the setting among the Joshua trees.

(My Geography major-Bio minor daughter told me not even to bother to come home without photos of the Joshua trees

LOL? Didja know . . . or, "MamaDidjaKnow" which is how I got to hear it . . . the Mojave is a unique geographical area in that its borders are defined not by political process of some sort, but rather by where the Joshua trees grow natively, and where they do not. And this is what excites her. Yes, I have raised geeks, it is true.

Also, I especially love the ducks

!

RioRico · 06-28-2011, 11:56 PM

The classic (but maybe dated) books are THE CALIFORNIA DESERTS and THE NORTH AMERICAN DESERTS by Edmund C. Jaeger. Us hardcore desert rats have carefully annotated our copies of his DESERT WILDFLOWERS and DESERT WILDLIFE. The Mohave is a wondrous region, not totally defined as habitation of Joshua Trees -- they live in middle elevations -- but that's close enough. (Us hardcore desert rats spell it as Mohave 'cause it's not a Spanish word. Neither is Navaho.)

If you drive through at 75mph with the windows up and the AC on, it's just "stinking desert". Walk slowly down a wash before dawn, senses tuned to all that's around you, and it's a whole different world, vibrant and luscious. It's also a different world at midday when the air temp is 145f and cactus blossoms burn through your eyeballs like Xray lasers. And it's a superb place to watch the interrelationships of life and location. I love it to death!

**mattb123** · 06-29-2011, 08:41 AM

Originally posted by RioRico

If you drive through at 75mph with the windows up and the AC on, it's just "stinking desert". Walk slowly down a wash before dawn, senses tuned to all that's around you, and it's a whole different world, vibrant and luscious. It's also a different world at midday when the air temp is 145f and cactus blossoms burn through your eyeballs like Xray lasers. And it's a superb place to watch the interrelationships of life and location. I love it to death!

Well said and I agree 100%! Although I find the high desert a little more tolerable heat-wise in the summer. But it's all so beautiful. A rugged yet fragile land of extremes. I never understood before I moved out of the Midwest.

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06-24-2011, 10:34 PM	#31
jstevewhite Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Midwest Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,407 Original Poster	Originally posted by stevelink Dam nice shot, Jsteve!! Might I ask what lens and software you used? I'll be out that way soon as well. Thanks! steve@totalqualityphoto.com Thanks! It was the DA* 50-135, in post I use LightRoom and Photoshop. I love the 50-135. It's my favorite zoom of all that I've ever had, bar none. It's crisp and saturated like a prime, and plenty sharp. Here's the ragged male Mallard that had seven or eight of those females following him around: And another shot with the 50-135 (I used the 50-135 and the Sigma 10-20 almost exclusively out there)

06-28-2011, 09:57 AM	#32
jstevewhite Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Midwest Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,407 Original Poster	So here's my flickr set from Red Rock Canyon - I didn't get too far off the beaten path, though. Red Rock Canyon - a set on Flickr A few highlights:

06-28-2011, 04:04 PM	#33
Moon Over Jupiter New Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cape Cod Photos: Albums Posts: 9	Hey, I know those yellow flowers, and shot them a month ago west of Vegas. (We flew to Vegas, drove to LA to house hunt - ugh - and then back to Vegas for a conference.) En route back to Vegas, we stopped in the Mojave and took a stroll and I took photos - just sharing so you can look back a month in their lifespan . . . Close: In clusters: A wider shot, just a snapshot - but you can see the setting among the Joshua trees. (My Geography major-Bio minor daughter told me not even to bother to come home without photos of the Joshua trees LOL? Didja know . . . or, "MamaDidjaKnow" which is how I got to hear it . . . the Mojave is a unique geographical area in that its borders are defined not by political process of some sort, but rather by where the Joshua trees grow natively, and where they do not. And this is what excites her. Yes, I have raised geeks, it is true. Also, I especially love the ducks !

06-28-2011, 11:56 PM	#34
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	The classic (but maybe dated) books are THE CALIFORNIA DESERTS and THE NORTH AMERICAN DESERTS by Edmund C. Jaeger. Us hardcore desert rats have carefully annotated our copies of his DESERT WILDFLOWERS and DESERT WILDLIFE. The Mohave is a wondrous region, not totally defined as habitation of Joshua Trees -- they live in middle elevations -- but that's close enough. (Us hardcore desert rats spell it as Mohave 'cause it's not a Spanish word. Neither is Navaho.) If you drive through at 75mph with the windows up and the AC on, it's just "stinking desert". Walk slowly down a wash before dawn, senses tuned to all that's around you, and it's a whole different world, vibrant and luscious. It's also a different world at midday when the air temp is 145f and cactus blossoms burn through your eyeballs like Xray lasers. And it's a superb place to watch the interrelationships of life and location. I love it to death!

06-29-2011, 08:41 AM	#35
mattb123 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Colorado High Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,872	Originally posted by RioRico If you drive through at 75mph with the windows up and the AC on, it's just "stinking desert". Walk slowly down a wash before dawn, senses tuned to all that's around you, and it's a whole different world, vibrant and luscious. It's also a different world at midday when the air temp is 145f and cactus blossoms burn through your eyeballs like Xray lasers. And it's a superb place to watch the interrelationships of life and location. I love it to death! Well said and I agree 100%! Although I find the high desert a little more tolerable heat-wise in the summer. But it's all so beautiful. A rugged yet fragile land of extremes. I never understood before I moved out of the Midwest.