Looking for Las Vegas picture taking tips

[hungt23]

I am going to Las Vegas for the week of June 24. I just bought a Canon Digital Rebel XT with a Tamron len. I am a newbie so I am looking for picture taking tips from all the experts in this forum. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Kevin

[babybluetx23]

TRIPOD! hehhe You WILL need a tripod considering most of the shots you will want are at night. Can you elaborate more on the lens? Which Tamron? I would also get to know your camera. Know your settings if you dont already. Learn how to turn up the ISO on your camera. Learn how to change the Settings for your exposure. Pardon me if I am telling you things you already know, but most of vegas will be night shots and you really need to know EVERY aspect of your camera for that.

[L Stegall]

A book I highly recommend for someone starting out is Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. It will really help you understand how to use your camera for starters and it is written in plain English, not technical jargon. He also has a good book on understanding composition. Those will give you a good start on things. I agree that a tripod would be an essential tool if you want to take shots at night, and really, isn't night photography what Vegas is just made for?

[hungt23]

I know very little so anything will help.
Here is my len info: Tamron AF Aspherical LD 28-200 1:3.8-5.6(??)

Another question, when you set up for a night picture, does the flash suppose to go off?
See how little I know?


Thanks.

[babybluetx23]

Another thing that may help you that I KNOW helped me out a LOT when I FIRST started out is go out at night with your gear and a tripod, turn the camera over to manual, and then PLAY around with your Exposure. Play with the ISO, Play with the exposure time, Just play around, WRITE DOWN what you do that way you know what you did to cause the effect you like and what you dont like. Make notes, they WILL help you later! hehehe TRUST ME! I carry a journal in my camera bag and a pen. I also went to radiantvista.com and listen to the podcast on creative journaling. It helped me out. I hope some of this helped you!

[babybluetx23]

Usually the flash isnt SUPPOSE to go off IF you are in Manual Mode. You HAVE to be in manual mode. If you are NOT in manual mode, but insted on the green square, then yes. That is Auto mode on the camera. Auto mode does what the camera THINKS you want and THINKS what the best settings for you are. But usually it is wrong.

[rferguson]

I wont go into any technical tips....but i will recommend that you visit a few key places.
For daytime shooting go to the Luxor and shoot the pyramid and the sphinx before sunset or at sunrise.
Walk down the strip and shoot the tourists walking around and all the cool signs. (they make great black and whites)
The vegas strip really comes to life at night. Go to the Eiffel tower if you can ($15 a person i think) and shoot the strip from up there. (it's really spectacular)
Take a tripod and shoot the erupting volcano at the Mirage it goes off every 30 minutes, and don't forget the water fountain show at the Bellagio.
If weather permits they have a cool pirate show at Treasure Island (all these things are free)
Don't miss the old downtown strip...the beer and slot machines are cheaper, there are live bands playing for free and the Golden Gate Diner is pretty darn cool if you eat at the bar :) They also have a really cool light show every hour I think. Check it out!

If you don't have a car, don't waste your money on the monorail, get a multipass on the Duece, it's cheaper and it can get you anywhere you need to be and will save your feet!

Vegas Baby Yeah!!

[Night Owl]

Beware taking shots inside the casinos, as they're pretty anal about photography. I was warned on more than one occasion. The "I'm a tourist. I didn't know." excuse worked for me then.

[backhousemedia]

If you take a lot and the don't turn out very good, just remember...

..what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

[Jay Henley]

If you want to get away from the city for some landscape shots, there is Red Rock Canyon about twenty minutes west of town.

[L Stegall]

Yes, there is lots of spectacular scenery outside the neon lights and the city! Red Rock Canyon, the Hoover Dam are just a few. Early, early morning and late afternoon, even till dark are the best times for great light. Mid-day bright sun is just so harsh. And, as mentioned above, the older stuff not on the Strip is pretty cool too (although I haven't been in a few years). Your flash isn't going to be effective at very long distances AND typically, the on-camera flash is pretty harsh and defeats the purpose of cool night photography. If you have your camera set in the auto modes other than sports, then it will flash. So, you may want to try the creative modes (meaning either M for Manual, TV or AV, short for either time value or aperture value - trust me, those terms are explained in detail in what I've recommended). Again, I think that Bryan Peterson's book is a great intro into all these terms and how to get a good exposure. Also, Rick Sammon has written some great books (I know he has one specifically about the Rebel). I'd get one or both of them, start reading and practicing with your camera now. For the kind of dramatic night shots you probably envision, a tripod and a cable release will be critical tools. You want a sturdy tripod because you'll want to hold your camera very steady for long exposures.

[hungt23]

Awesome tips, everybody. Greatly appreciated. I got about a month to study up. I'll post the pictures (if I got any good ones) when I come back.

[SaundraU]

We just spent 3 full days down there and I would say monopod versus tripod - so many people walking around at night esp when you are looking to go - jostling will be an issue.

What out for pick pockets esp at the free shows as that is a HUGE issue. My fiance stood behind me and kept an eagle eye out when I was shooting.

Many of the casinos have areas you can shoot for free - ie the butterfly garden and plant show, flower displays, indoor exhibits, displays, etc as long as you stay away from the gaming areas.

Skip the Secret Garden and Dolphin Exhibit - not worth the money at all, also the aquarium at Mandalay Bay is nice but very hard to get an shots w/o reflection of light or people in the glass - to crowded so I'd say skip that one for the price.

Defiantly do as many of the free exhibits - the lions at the MGM, the 9-11 display outside of New York, New York, Fountains at the Bellagio.

Also the Zoo. You'll need a car to get there or a taxi and you'll think you are in a crappy part of town but this 3 acre park provided us with 3 great hours of photos, close ups w/ animals I've never seen, and a great big smile. It was worth the 3 dollars.

If you like bird photography the Henderson Bird Sanctuary is free but requires a car or taxi to get there. That one is 20 something acres and very nice too but you'll need a LONG lens.

Oh the inside of the Venetian has some cool architecture and live statues.

Freemont Street (old strip) is a must!

[Clint_Smith]

Second the Tripod. I have some great stuff from the Strip I shot on slide film several years ago. Would not have been possible without a tripod. However, You have to decide if you are there to shoot the pretty lights or have fun with all the stuff on the strip. Because it is hard lugging around a tripod to the shows, and you may get turned away if you have a camera bag/tripod when you go.