Valley of Fire

kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
edited February 14, 2009 in Landscapes
Two days into a three day ski trip, my wimpy wife and kids got tired of skiing in a blizzard in southern Utah, so we left for home on Sunday morning. On the way home, I "took a wrong turn" somewhere between St. George and Las Vegas, and ended up in the Valley of Fire.

#1 The storm clouds added interest to the otherwise bland mid-afternoon light.
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#2
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#3
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#4 The kids had fun playing the in the endless red-rock caves.
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#5
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#6 Gotta remember to clip the lift ticket next time. :rolleyes
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#7 There are petroglyph's galore in the park.
IMG_5307.jpg

#8 If you stare at the rocks long enough, you start to see faces. :huh
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#9
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#10
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Valley of Fire turned out to be a great place to visit, and even the kids and wife liked it as well. It's now on my (ever growing) list of favorite places to revisit when I have more time to explore (read leave the wife and kids at home. :wink)

Thanks for looking.
-joel
Moderator of Landscapes forum
Link to my Smugmug site
«1

Comments

  • coscorrosacoscorrosa Registered Users Posts: 2,284 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2009
    Nice! #3 is my favorite, I also like the various color layers in #1.

    More impressive than that is you convinced the family to stick around while you took bracketed exposures of nearly every shot :D

    I'm going to have about 12 hours free in Las Vegas two weeks from now, and was thinking of the Valley of Fire, or maybe Death Valley, or maybe Bryce Canyon, or maybe the Grand Canyon (keep in mind, I have no idea how far these places are or if they're within my standard "5 hours each way" day trip range, but I'll figure it out sooner or later).

    Anyway, nice set. You did quite well considering you were there in the middle of the day.
    Ron Coscorrosa

    Photo Gallery | Blog | I'm Unemployed!
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited February 11, 2009
    coscorrosa wrote:
    Nice! #3 is my favorite, I also like the various color layers in #1.

    More impressive than that is you convinced the family to stick around while you took bracketed exposures of nearly every shot :D

    Thanks, Ron!! The bracketed shots were all hand-held speed bursts, so they take no more time to shoot than any other quick snapshot. I didn't even bring a tripod on this trip.
    I'm going to have about 12 hours free in Las Vegas two weeks from now, and was thinking of the Valley of Fire, or maybe Death Valley, or maybe Bryce Canyon, or maybe the Grand Canyon (keep in mind, I have no idea how far these places are or if they're within my standard "5 hours each way" day trip range, but I'll figure it out sooner or later).
    Wow, that's a toughie. You could definitely visit any of those places, or Zion as well. I'd save the Grand Canyon for another day.
    Anyway, nice set. You did quite well considering you were there in the middle of the day.

    Thanks again, Ron. You can see why I want to go back. Sunset and/or sunrise here would be amazing.

    Regards,
    -joel
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • wfellerwfeller Registered Users Posts: 2,625 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2009
    Nice shots- I've been out there a few times, I definately have to do some more exploring in the area.
    Anybody can do it.
  • clemensphoto'sclemensphoto's Registered Users Posts: 647 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2009
    Awesome scenery<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>!!! #1 fav.<img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/clap.gif&quot; border="0" alt="" > <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/clap.gif&quot; border="0" alt="" > <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/clap.gif&quot; border="0" alt="" >
    Ryan Clemens
    www.clemensphotography.us
    Canon 7D w/BG-E7 Vertical Grip, Canon 50D w/ BG-E2N Vertical Grip, Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L USM, Canon 18-55mm, Canon 580EX II Flash and other goodies.
    Ignorance is no excuss, so lets DGrin!
  • aj986saj986s Registered Users Posts: 1,100 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2009
    Beautiful series! We were there 2 years ago during a 3-week family vacation. We were in Vegas for several days, and trying to do some daytrips outside the city. Originally, I wanted to visit Death Valley, but the hotel talked us out of it because of a heat wave (130+ in Death Valley...eek7.gif ). Valley of Fire was suggested instead, still hot, but less so and we loved it!
    Tony P.
    Canon 50D, 30D and Digital Rebel (plus some old friends - FTB and AE1)
    Long-time amateur.....wishing for more time to play
    Autocross and Track junkie
    tonyp.smugmug.com
  • bryanj87bryanj87 Registered Users Posts: 859 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2009
    Nice shots! I was out there 2 years ago in 100 degree heat and got a bunch of lackluster shots. These are great!!!

    Ron-from what I remember, VoF is about an hour out of Las Vegas and Bryce is about 200 miles.
    bjbphotos.com | nepg
  • jeffmeyersjeffmeyers Registered Users Posts: 1,535 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2009
    What a great wrong turn! Wonderful captures. thumb.gif
    More Photography . . . Less Photoshop [. . . except when I do it]
    Jeff Meyers
  • CavalierPhotoCavalierPhoto Registered Users Posts: 233 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2009
    Good stuff. I like #9.

    Liz and I rolled through that area before the Utah shootout last year. We did a big loop from Vegas to VoF down to the Hoover Dam and then back to Vegas. Great day trip from Vegas.
    Chris V.

    www.cavalierphotographic.com

    Facebook , Google+
  • JRphoto22JRphoto22 Registered Users Posts: 3 Beginner grinner
    edited February 11, 2009
    What is it that Robert Frost said: I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference
    Looks like you made a great wrong turn. Nice pictures.
  • AbiciriderbackAbiciriderback Registered Users Posts: 191 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2009
    Very cool looks like it was a wrong turn for the better. Love #3 and the visibility of the road below very cool great colors and skies in all very nicely done

    Ray Still
  • coscorrosacoscorrosa Registered Users Posts: 2,284 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2009
    kdog wrote:
    Thanks, Ron!! The bracketed shots were all hand-held speed bursts, so they take no more time to shoot than any other quick snapshot. I didn't even bring a tripod on this trip.
    Ha! It's been so long since I've shot a landscape shot without a tripod that I forgot it was even possible. I do like your rapid fire bracketing method though, I used to use that technique for longish exposures (1/15th of a second) without bracketing. I called this my "poor man's tripod" technique. Once in awhile, one of the frames in the middle would actually be sharp.
    kdog wrote:
    Wow, that's a toughie. You could definitely visit any of those places, or Zion as well. I'd save the Grand Canyon for another day.
    Yeah, it looked like Grand Canyon was a bit of a stretch. Valley of Fire is probably the most likely though I may check out Death Valley after doing some research. 12 hours is definitely not enough time...
    Ron Coscorrosa

    Photo Gallery | Blog | I'm Unemployed!
  • TangoTango Registered Users Posts: 4,592 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2009
    nice stop, i love the extra hands poking up...haha kids..

    i really gotta get there soon, i havent been since childhood... what shame.

    i think you really scored with the clouds! and you did very very well with the avail light...!!!

    thumb.gif
    Aaron Nelson
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited February 11, 2009
    Thanks a bunch for the comments everybody. Glad you liked the shots!

    -joel
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited February 11, 2009
    CavalierPhoto wrote:
    Good stuff. I like #9.

    Liz and I rolled through that area before the Utah shootout last year. We did a big loop from Vegas to VoF down to the Hoover Dam and then back to Vegas. Great day trip from Vegas.
    Ron, are you listening? ear.gif This itinerary would work well for you. The Hoover Dam and the new construction for the highway overpass is an impressive sight to behold.
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited February 11, 2009
    coscorrosa wrote:
    Ha! It's been so long since I've shot a landscape shot without a tripod that I forgot it was even possible. I do like your rapid fire bracketing method though, I used to use that technique for longish exposures (1/15th of a second) without bracketing. I called this my "poor man's tripod" technique. Once in awhile, one of the frames in the middle would actually be sharp.

    The revelation for me was that shooting a burst with AEB enabled fires off exactly three bracketed shots. Nik showed me that neat trick on our Arches pre-shoot trip. Canon nailed that feature perfectly.
    Yeah, it looked like Grand Canyon was a bit of a stretch. Valley of Fire is probably the most likely though I may check out Death Valley after doing some research. 12 hours is definitely not enough time...

    Death Valley is only two hours from LV, versus one hour for VoF. So it's entirely doable. The larger problem with DV is it's so bloody huge, you'll need to come up with an itinerary of sights to see there once inside.

    -joel
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited February 11, 2009
    AaronNelson wrote:
    nice stop, i love the extra hands poking up...haha kids..

    i really gotta get there soon, i havent been since childhood... what shame.

    i think you really scored with the clouds! and you did very very well with the avail light...!!!

    thumb.gif
    Hey thanks, Aaron. I thought of you when we passed through St. George.

    Cheers,
    -joel
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • Cygnus StudiosCygnus Studios Registered Users Posts: 2,294 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2009
    Definitely one of the best stops in the desert. Great pics thumb.gif
    Steve

    Website
  • TangoTango Registered Users Posts: 4,592 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2009
    kdog wrote:
    Hey thanks, Aaron. I thought of you when we passed through St. George.

    Cheers,
    -joel

    your always welcome to stop and have a BBQ @ my place anytime....
    Aaron Nelson
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2009
    Great stuff, F-stop! thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited February 11, 2009
    AaronNelson wrote:
    your always welcome to stop and have a BBQ @ my place anytime....
    Thanks, Aaron. And you are most welcome at Chez Kdog anytime as well. thumb.gif
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited February 11, 2009
    Nikolai wrote:
    Great stuff, F-stop! thumb.gif

    Thanks, Aperture!! :D
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • IRUKANJIIRUKANJI Registered Users Posts: 10 Big grins
    edited February 12, 2009
    Noob question if you don't mind...
    Is bracketing where the camera takes three progressively closer (or more cropped in) shots?
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited February 12, 2009
    IRUKANJI wrote:
    Noob question if you don't mind...
    Is bracketing where the camera takes three progressively closer (or more cropped in) shots?
    It can be anything but normally it's 3 (or more) frames with the same aperture and different shutter speeds, i.e. different exposures of the same scene.
    There is also WB (white balace) bracketing, focus bracketing, etc.
    HTH
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • IRUKANJIIRUKANJI Registered Users Posts: 10 Big grins
    edited February 12, 2009
    I get it. Thanks!
    I've done that but didn't know it had a name. ne_nau.gif
  • aktseaktse Registered Users Posts: 1,928 Major grins
    edited February 12, 2009
    Nice detour!

    And I do see faces in #8!
    http://aktse.smugmug.com/
  • grimacegrimace Registered Users Posts: 1,537 Major grins
    edited February 12, 2009
    Beautiful looking set Joel!! It seems like you are all over the place these days!! :D
    -Adam
    www.adamstravelphotography.com

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  • coscorrosacoscorrosa Registered Users Posts: 2,284 Major grins
    edited February 12, 2009
    kdog wrote:
    Thanks, Aperture!! :D

    I know it's not cool to give yourself a nickname, it's generally something that has to be bestowed upon you by someone else, but if you would forgive my indulgence, if F-stop and Aperture are taken, can I be Err 99? Please??? If not, how about Long Exposure Noise Reduction? Mirror Lock Up? I'm flexible here....
    Ron Coscorrosa

    Photo Gallery | Blog | I'm Unemployed!
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited February 12, 2009
    aktse wrote:
    Nice detour!

    And I do see faces in #8!
    So it's not just me! wings.gif

    Thanks, April. thumb.gif
    -joel
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited February 12, 2009
    grimace wrote:
    Beautiful looking set Joel!! It seems like you are all over the place these days!! :D

    Thanks, Adam! I have an understanding wife. iloveyou.gif

    Cheers,
    -joel
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited February 12, 2009
    coscorrosa wrote:
    I know it's not cool to give yourself a nickname, it's generally something that has to be bestowed upon you by someone else, but if you would forgive my indulgence, if F-stop and Aperture are taken, can I be Err 99? Please??? If not, how about Long Exposure Noise Reduction? Mirror Lock Up? I'm flexible here....
    headscratch.gifne_nau.gif Very well. Your wish is granted. I dub thee "Err-99".pope.gifclap.gifclapclap.gif
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
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