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06-17-2011, 01:52 PM   #1
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Looking for stuff to photograph near Las Vegas

I'll be traveling to Vegas on business next week, and I'd like to get out of the city and shoot some. Anyone have recommendations for good natural scenery locations within, say, 45 minutes? Desert, mountains... Stuff to see. I did the Dam last time they sent me there, so I'm looking for other ideas.

I'm going to do one evening on the Strip with camera in hand (thinking about the Sigma 10-20), but I'd like to see something else this time, too.

If this doesn't belong in general photography, please forgive me and point me where it would go

06-17-2011, 02:16 PM   #2
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If you can get out to Red Rock Canyon on the west of town you should find some things to see particularly the Calico Hill.
06-17-2011, 02:32 PM   #3
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I will be hitting Red Rock for the first time, in about 10 days. However, about 45 minutes to an hour north of Las Vegas is Valley of Fire state park which really should not be missed. Take water :-)

Elephant Rock.


Atlatl Rock.


White Domes trail.




06-17-2011, 03:20 PM   #4
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You mean Las Vegas NV? Las Vegas NM is much quieter and more interesting. Costs less, too.

06-17-2011, 03:47 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by RioRico Quote
You mean Las Vegas NV? Las Vegas NM is much quieter and more interesting. Costs less, too.
Yeah, NV. I'm not footing the bill, the company is. I can't stand Vegas (NV), honestly.
06-17-2011, 03:57 PM   #6
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The Hoover Dam!
06-17-2011, 04:21 PM   #7
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For a short ride I give +1 or +2 to Red Rock canyon. This is considered a do not miss while there type of thing.

For a longer trek the ride to Hoover Dam will provide a lot of photo opportunities. I do not recall how long we spent doing the out and back. For me it was a full day.

06-17-2011, 05:37 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by Colbyt Quote
For a short ride I give +1 or +2 to Red Rock canyon. This is considered a do not miss while there type of thing.
Add my vote for RR Canyon. Bring a tripod.

06-17-2011, 06:07 PM   #9
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Find some of the sign bone yards! Maybe Crazyhorse II. j/k
06-17-2011, 08:57 PM - 1 Like   #10
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Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, Hoover Dam, Charleston Mountains, neon-sign junkyards and museums, casino shots (day and night), these are all pretty obvious. Any guidebook will point out the Kodak, er I mean Pentax Moment spots. Instead, do this: Find a desert wash / gully. Be there before dawn. Watch the colours and shadows change. Be there again at sunset. When you drive by at 100 kph, it's all just stinking desert. Walk slowly at twilight and it's alive. Don't forget the tripod.
06-17-2011, 09:36 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by RioRico Quote
Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, Hoover Dam, Charleston Mountains, neon-sign junkyards and museums, casino shots (day and night), these are all pretty obvious. Any guidebook will point out the Kodak, er I mean Pentax Moment spots. Instead, do this: Find a desert wash / gully. Be there before dawn. Watch the colours and shadows change. Be there again at sunset. When you drive by at 100 kph, it's all just stinking desert. Walk slowly at twilight and it's alive. Don't forget the tripod.
My intention was to hit the area before sunset and stake out the place I thought might offer the best magic hour images. It's not a photo safari, unfortunately, so I don't think I can make dawn *and* dusk (It's a business trip; I just don't think I wanna hobnob with all the business types down on the Strip for more than one evening while there) although I considered trying for 'em both. Since I'm going to have two evenings, I was hoping to narrow down the range I have to scope for spots to hang out during the dusk.

Probably won't have a tripod (don't have any that are plane friendly unless I check a bag - I'd do that if I were going just to photograph, but since I'll spend most of my time in a small conference room with other geek-types it's less imperative), but I can noise-stack a pile of handheld high-iso images with a similar effect. I'm only going to have three, maybe four lenses with me, and the one body, and four batteries, so my shooting is somewhat constrained by that (although I have the AAA pack for the battery grip if I need it).
06-17-2011, 09:37 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by woof Quote
Add my vote for RR Canyon. Bring a tripod.
Nice image! Prolly no tripod, though. Gotta check a bag to get any of my tripods through security.
06-17-2011, 09:45 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by a a i b Quote
The Hoover Dam!
Did the whole dam thing last time I was out there This is a jpg from a stitched 32mpixel panorama:


06-18-2011, 11:03 AM   #14
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There's other stuff to do in Vegas besides poker and craps? Serious-ly, I'd just photograph my ever-growing stack at the craps table.
06-19-2011, 01:00 AM   #15
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Last time I went to Vegas, my intention was to spend zero time and money in the casinos - I'm glad I did it. Red Rock is only a 20 minute drive down the strip and is a great place to see sunrises. When I went, there was an organization (I think it was friends of red rock or something like that) where they would host a guided hike at no charge. That was one of my highlights on that trip.

Another place that I really enjoyed was a place called the Springs Reserve. There's a great desert garden and some interesting architecture. They also have quite a few exhibits on resource conservation that I found pretty interesting. If you'd like, feel free to check out my Flickr set of this place: the springs reserve in las vegas
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