Photographing Sin City - Advice Needed

[skywa1ker]

I'll be attending a friend's wedding in Las Vegas in September and would like to get some decent pictures of the Strip while I'm there. Can anyone offer any advice regarding locations, equipment, settings etc?

[Andy]

Originally Posted by skywa1ker

I'll be attending a friend's wedding in Las Vegas in September and would like to get some decent pictures of the Strip while I'm there. Can anyone offer any advice regarding locations, equipment, settings etc?

Personally, I liked the view of the strip from the Eiffel tower at the comical Paris hotel... but with a dslr and large lens, you may strugle to get a clear shot through the cage.

The top of the Strat tower offers huge panoramic shots, but not really of the strip itself, if i remember correctly.

Everything is big and cramped in Vegas, so wide angle is order of the day.

The Rio (slightly off-strip) at night is very photogenic.

[sassan]

Andy's suggestions are good.

Travel light.
Tripod a must.
Wide angle lens.
To avoid crowd you may want to explore the area in late night or rather early hours of AM so be prepare to sleep enough in day and be a good nocturnal person and remember still you will be having a lot companions at those hours. The sin won't allow people to sleep.
My favorite locations are
-Treasure Island (The pyrotech show is very crowded usually, point and shot cameras may work best here).
-Venetian In and out (I have personally seen Seline Dion and husband several times here. She loves shopping and dining there). Be ready to bring out paparazzi in you, and don't worry if the encountered celebrity act as if they didn't like it. They live for that, only beware of their body guards, not good to encounter them...
-Mirage for the volcano show and inside for aquarium or paradise garden
-Cesar's palace with the Coming to live statues (In door)
These are all near each other.
-Bellagio resort for dancing fountains at nights and inside for the most beautiful changing with season garden that because of Valentine (If you get there soon, I suspect entirely red flowers).
-Paris across the street.
-Aladdin inside is nicer
Southern stripe:
-Excalibur at night from out side the crossing of Excalibur , NY NY and MGM at night gets very photogenic from over head pass or around the streets.
-Old city at night has its own charm (Far North).
If you have the fast setups, a helicopter tour would be a good one in the list at night that passes right at the middle of Luxors pyramid light, and during day same company has a good tour of Grand canyon.
No mater where you photograph and stay, don't forget to taste the "All you can eat" at Mandalay bay. You may think you are paying more but just take it from me, the food there is not found anywhere on the plant. You can get there by Monorail. Many other All you can eats are good too none close to this one.

Orleans hotel off the strip has a lot of interesting things to see, including hourly shows, pretty girls and you may actually get several beaded free necklaces while Mardi gra parade


If you are into electronic items or may need some camera things, make sure to visit newly build Fry's Electronic branch that is south of stripe farther. I have seen many people being impressed by Fry's more than any other thing and no mater how much you spend there, you are more likely to win there rather than in the casinos

During day time you may want to rent some of the local exotic Rent-a-cars and drive to near by Hoover dam.

Have fun.