Pictures first - trip report later! (Many BIG pictures!)

tvon,

I'm familiar with your FZ10 -- it has "image stabilization" that'll help you "hold it still" a bit longer than other cameras. I've had a couple of cameras with that technology, and the main thing to comprehend, if you haven't already, is that it only helps through a rather small range -- roughly around "half a second." The night images are much longer exposures than that, so you really do need to drag out a tripod in order to get stable shots.

The drill is pretty simple beyond that -- turn the flash off, and use the camera's "timer mode" to make it wait a few seconds before it shoots, so you can get your hands off of the camera.

I tried using the "highest number" aperture for a lot of shots -- that'll keep everything in focus to an extent, but will require even longer exposures.

Then comes the really hard part -- trying to figure out how long an exposure to use. My camera won't go over 1 second in any kind of "automatic" mode, so I had to go into the full "manual" mode. I'm not sure how your camera will work in that regard, but now is the time to practice, practice, practice! Keep an eye on what you've captured on your camera's LCD screen, and get to know how that screen compares to "reality." For instance, my camera's LCD screen is quite a bit "brighter" than a normal computer monitor -- shots that look "light enough" on the LCD turn out to be waaaay too dark on a computer monitor screen. So, get to know what to expect from what you see on that LCD screen.

Finally, just load up on memory cards, and take LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of shots! I took over 400 shots from the inside of the Stratosphere tower, all pointing down at the strip -- I wound up posting three of those shots here. The rest of my shooting wasn't quite so prolific, but I always go forth and take a lot of shots, and try to take quite a few at different exposure settings, in order to get a good cross-section of shots that might come out right. So, that's qute a bit of brute-force "trial and error" there, I suppose you could say!

I've mentioned more technical details a few pages back in this thread -- you might check those out, too. All in all, I hope this helps -- good luck!

 

Thank you for those beautiful pictures, thoots! You've really got me in the mood (not that I wasn't already). I'll be there in about 24 hrs!!!

 

Film question

I have a question for you Thoots. I use to have a nice 35mm camera but I don't take that many pictures any more, anyhoo I bought those disposable cameras from the store, it was a Kodak 35mm 800 film with flash that was suppose to capture dark places and inside pictures. However, none of my night pictures or inside pictures ever came out clear or at all and I had the flash on. I was so disappointed mainly because I do not get to Vegas every year but the store clerk told me that the 800 film was the best and I have always used the 400 film. What are your suggestions on this?

Thank you in advance.

 

Fabulous pics!!! My pictures never come out like this. I hope that you don't mind, but I snagged a few to create a calendar.

 

wow

Thoots,
i've seen plenty of vegas pics, and i gotta say yours are the best and most entertaining. Great photography and great running captions.

Thanks for sharing!

 

A quick clean-up here.....

Of course, thanks for the kind words, everyone!

As I mentioned in my other thread, so long as you're not "selling something for a profit," I've posted these pictures for you to enjoy, so by all means make your calendars, or use these otherwise as you please!

And, of course, we're talking with VegasKathy in the other thread about the disposable camera....

 

Awesome pics! Ma n, I actually feel like I'm in Vegas when I see these.

 

(posting this for a second time, forgive me im anxious)
Hey Thoots, im going to Vegas in 27 days and wanted to ask a pro some questions.

Can you please let me know which camera you think I should use? Im thinking of the S2 IS because its got 12x zoom, and a stabalizer and its Canon lol

 

From "the other" thread:

Well, maybe the pictures in this one will do a bit better. Check them out, if you haven't already!

 

these pictures are so beautiful. i changed my wallpaper seven times between this and your other thread. thanks so much for posting these!

 

wow that is truly awesome pictures!

 

Awesome Pics

Awesome Pics! I can't wait to get back, just looking at your shots is making the wait even harder........

 

There are probably the best pictures I've seen . I don't know how I missed them the frist time.

 

Those are positively gorgeous!

 

Thanks for bumping the pics. I don't think I saw them the first time around. So beautiful!

 

I just wanted to say a BIG Thank You for those pictures as well. They brought back some memories from my first trip 10 years ago. And certainly put some excitement in our upcoming trip. My DD was looking at them as well and enjoyed them and she, too can't wait to go.

 

Thanks for the awesome pics. NEver have I seen or taken pictures with such clarity.

LC

 

Greatest pics ever.

Is thoots still around?, I noticed he hasn't posted in awhile and 50-100 pics are missing from his additional thread.

Great eye and photogrophy.

 

Great pictures!! Thanks so much for sharing and making the countdown to my return a little easier.

I will admit that seeing the Frontier in shots from The STRAT made me a little sad b/c I'm going to miss that place. Lots of good times, good drinking, and good gambling went down in that establishment. Here's to the memories made @ The Frontier

 

did you get a tripod onto the Eiffel Tower? Do they allow it?