Vegas Buisness Trip

drdoak

I've got a four day Vegas trip coming up this week and thought I'd ask for some tips/tricks and such. I'm mostly going to be restricted to evenings for exploring, unfortunately the training usually goes until 5pm I think. Sunset is around 5:30 I think. If at all possible (class lets out way early) I'll make a dash for Red Rock Canyon, or the Valley of Fire but I don't know the chances of that. The day I fly out I've got a shot at a Hoover Dam tour. Other than that, I suspect I'll be limited to wandering the strip (sad for me, I love deserts). So, having never been there before, what are the general policies involving cameras out there? Any particular spots I should try for? How worried should I be to be wandering around with all that camera gear? I've got a small fiber tripod and a monopod. Should I bring either or might a 40D make do with a higher ISO. Less gear is good .

Thanks for the help!

dogwood

You can't use your camera inside casinos but on the street you're usually fine. There are thousands of people on the strip so for me personally, I've never once felt nervous for my safety. But those thousands of people also mean sidewalks get crowded. There's not much on the strip that hasn't been shot thousands of times, but the water show/fountains at the Bellagio are a tourist fav.

Also-- took me a few Vegas trips to realize this-- you'll probably want a car. There is free parking at all the casinos (and plenty of it). Just avoid driving the strip (there are parallel roads and back ways into most casino parking lots).

The top of the Stratosphere has an incredible view, though it's expensive and a bit of a pain (you have to walk through a mall, plus get your photo taken so they can try to sell it to you later, before you can even get on the elevator) but still cool.

There's the classic Vegas sign at the south end of the strip and tons of other stuff to see. The downtown area has some nice neon too.

As a desert lover though, next time you visit-- you have to visit Death Valley! It's the coolest (well, not temperature-wise) desert area I've visited (four times now and I still have lots I want to see). It's about a three hour drive from Vegas though, so really more of an overnight destination. Or several nights.

Have fun-- Vegas can be a cool town as long as you realize there's an entire city away from the strip!

ChatKat

Good Company
Well you won't be there alone. As a matter of fact, there are about 15,000 wedding and portrait photographers heading there as we speak. The WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) Tradeshow and conference will be there. 100's of photographers are going to Red Rock to shoot model brides as they are moving down the strip, doing Trash The Dress and generally creating as much mayhem as they can get away with. I will be one of them. We will all be at the MGM Grand but there are parties every night some at other venues hosted by various vendors.

drdoak

Masses of brides wandering the streets with paparazzi should be an interesting sight.

I've always wanted to hit death valley, but haven't had the chance yet. Probably should have done that while still living in CA. I suppose I'll just have to live with my 10 days in the Grand Canyon this April .

Do the hotels' have issue with cameras in the shopping areas as opposed to the casino floors? Or should I avoid photos indoors as a rule? Some previous Vegas posts mentioned a little difficulty with Stratosphere guards and cameras up top.

I assume the free parking is going to generally be in garages?

Just out of curiosity, do you get much of a sunset on the strip, or do the buildings block most of the good light?

Thanks again!

ChatKat

It all depends on the weather - The Strip runs North South and you can photograph the sunset from some of the pedestrian bridges that cross over the strip. There are a few spots you can wiggle into that won't have safety glass near Flamingo and Las Vegas Blvd where the Bellagio/Caesars is. Some hotels will let you photograph if you look like an a tourist. If you look pro, not so much.

You can photograph anything you want from the sidewalks by law but not for commercial use. I can't tell you about parking because it's actually easier to walk everywhere, use the monorail or take a cab. Parking is a hassle.

HTH

drdoak wrote:

Masses of brides wandering the streets with paparazzi should be an interesting sight.

I've always wanted to hit death valley, but haven't had the chance yet. Probably should have done that while still living in CA. I suppose I'll just have to live with my 10 days in the Grand Canyon this April .

Do the hotels' have issue with cameras in the shopping areas as opposed to the casino floors? Or should I avoid photos indoors as a rule? Some previous Vegas posts mentioned a little difficulty with Stratosphere guards and cameras up top.

I assume the free parking is going to generally be in garages?

Just out of curiosity, do you get much of a sunset on the strip, or do the buildings block most of the good light?

Thanks again!

dogwood

ChatKat wrote:

Some hotels will let you photograph if you look like an a tourist. If you look pro, not so much.

Compacts like the G10 are a sort of good alternative.

I went up the Stratosphere in fall of 2007 and asked a security guard specifically about DSLR cameras. He told me they had no restrictions on cameras. Think about it-- they make you walk like a half mile through a mall to get to the elevator entrance-- where are you going to leave your camera? And it's all tourists-- DSLRs are pretty common these days.

ChatKat wrote:

I can't tell you about parking because it's actually easier to walk everywhere, use the monorail or take a cab. Parking is a hassle.

This I respectfully disagree with. The strip is nine miles long, downtown is farther, and Red Rocks too. Cabs drive the strip to up their fees (the strip pretty much is always gridlocked) so they are expensive. The mono rail is very limited too. For example, it doesn't even come close to serving downtown.

Parking is so easy in Vegas. Every single casino on the strip has a massive, free, safe parking garage with plenty of parking. You can access most of them through side streets and avoid the gridlock of the strip.

The irony for me is that I'm actually an avid bicyclist and pedestrian. But I've tried that in Vegas and found the car still rules. It also enables you to easily get off the strip and get a sense of the "real" Vegas.

drdoak

dogwood wrote:

Compacts like the G10 are a sort of good alternative.

I suppose this will be a good test of the Stylus Tough 8000 I just bought for the Canyon trip. Looks exactly like the point and shoot it is . Not that I would mind having a G10 mind you...

Suppose we'll see what we see. I was also thinking about taking my Rebel XT w/ IR conversion, at least for the Dam. Concrete and a SW sky usually look good in IR. But then I have to use a bigger bag . Decisions, decisions. Here's to hoping training gets out early some days!

Are the lights on the fountains and such bright enough to get by with handheld at higher ISOs? I won't be able to open up more than f4 on most of my current lenses.

ChatKat

Pete is right

dogwood wrote:

Pete, last year there was so much traffic on the streets behind and around the strip - Harmon and Koval were stopped cold. It took my cab 1/2 an hour to get away from the strip to go to Swenson to get me to the airport.

If you are going off the strip, to Downtown or Red Rock or anywhere else, you can't use the monorail or walk - for that Pete is right. But I think a cab is cheaper than a rental car and easier to manuver if you are only going around the strip and toward downtown. Anywhere else, a car is needed.

I used to live there so I know my way around pretty well. A couple years ago the highlight of my visit (husband was there on business and I went to play) I took a helicopter to the Grand Canyon North Rim. It was incredible.

drdoak

I'll have the car one way or another, since work booked me on the strip, but training is enough of a ways off that I'm not walking. I always did hate traffic though, so I may avoid using it unless really necessary.

Does Vegas have normal rush 'hours,' or does 24hr the nature of the city dilute that some?

Thanks

ChatKat wrote:

Pete, last year there was so much traffic on the streets behind and around the strip - Harmon and Koval were stopped cold. It took my cab 1/2 an hour to get away from the strip to go to Swenson to get me to the airport.

If you are going off the strip, to Downtown or Red Rock or anywhere else, you can't use the monorail or walk - for that Pete is right. But I think a cab is cheaper than a rental car and easier to manuver if you are only going around the strip and toward downtown. Anywhere else, a car is needed.

I used to live there so I know my way around pretty well. A couple years ago the highlight of my visit (husband was there on business and I went to play) I took a helicopter to the Grand Canyon North Rim. It was incredible.

ChatKat

24 hours of Rush Hour
They do have Rush hour - all the time! Actually it's busy - a bit quieter in the morning near the strip since the action is in the evenings. It might be a bit quieter because of the economy. Vegas is hurting since most people go with disposable income.

drdoak wrote:

I'll have the car one way or another, since work booked me on the strip, but training is enough of a ways off that I'm not walking. I always did hate traffic though, so I may avoid using it unless really necessary.

Does Vegas have normal rush 'hours,' or does 24hr the nature of the city dilute that some?

Thanks