Vegas - Night Shots

First, let me say that I really don't like Las Vegas at all. No offense to the city and its residents, of course, but I can't stand smoke and noise for extended periods of time.

That said, I really surprised myself. All I took with me was my point-and-shoot camera, and I was really inspired. I took 365 pictures, and will probably post around 25 or so. That's not a bad ratio, given my discerning eye.

Over the next few days, I'll cover the following topics:

1) Vegas - Night Shots

2) Hotel

3) Spa

You may recall that I have been trying to refine my travel photography skills for some time. This is why I opted to focus on the property where I was staying, as well as the city at large.

Anyway, here are my favorite nighttime shots:







Let me tell you, it was HARD to take these pictures for many reasons:

1) Exposures - I had to make sure that the lights were not too bright, and the darks were not too dark.

2) People: I didn't want anyone in my pictures, so I had to find creative ways to make sure my pictures were people-free.

3) Blurring/noise: The slightest movement would have made these pictures very blurry and unusable.

4) I accidentally turned on the date/time stamp, and didn't realize it until after the fact. Ugh.

5) The third one was taken from my hotel room window. It's not easy to shoot from up there!

6) Without a wide-angle lens, it was hard to avoid the "leaning in" look that I don't like.

Here's why I thought I improved over previous attempts at nighttime photography:

1) They're crisper than my past ones

2) These were taken with a point-and-shoot, and therefore without the fancy "bells and whistles" of my DSLR. And, without a tripod.

3) The first one would have been great with a 30 second exposure, but it's still pretty cool.

Tips for you:

1) If you're taking pictures from your window, make sure the building lines are straight. Also, press your camera to the window itself, if you're using a point-and-shoot, or prop it somehow. Make sure you don't scratch anything, of course. If you're outside, try to set the camera down on a steady surface.

2) ISO 800 is your minimum to avoid blurring.

3) Tungsten white balance is what worked for me, but experiment.

4) Above all, do not point the camera upward. Your buildings will look slanted.

More to come! Have a great weekend! Till Monday!