Valley of Fire

Valley of Fire

                  'In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks'.......John Muir

 Spent some time in Vegas this year and manged to get out to Valley of Fire which is about 50 miles northeast of downtown. This particular structure caught my eye - at first glance I was attracted by the faces in the rocks to the right - per-historic comes to mind. On a second look it appeared to be some sort of two-headed animal resting - note the long tail.....I have always wondered why nature provides this visual treat, and, for one, I am happy to enjoy the view.

Las Vegas - Neon Boneyard

Shark Attack - Neon Boneyard

This one always reminded me of a shark attack......Great place for shooting - Neon Boneyard in Las Vegas.

Viennese Waltz - Dancing with the Stars

The Viennese Waltz, Dancing with the Stars

One of the my favorite moments in the Dancing with the Stars show at The New Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas is the Viennese Waltz with Ryan Di Lello and Iveta Lukosiute. This particular Waltz starts out in extremely low light which makes if very frustrating trying to make a photographic image. Add that to the light being dappled, and well, there were obstacles to overcome. I have photographed this dance approximately 20 times now, and, the image posted today is the first one that truly captured how I feel when watching Ryan and Iveta dance.

There are a few other magical moments in this Waltz but you will really need to be there to enjoy those moments - can't give too much away....

Dancing with the Stars will be at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas through July 7th....

The image was post processed using NIK software, Lightroom 4 and Photoshop CS6.


PS: This is not an HDR image. It is a single exposure.

Valley of Fire - the Cabins

The Cabins - Valley of Fire

Another image from my day trip through the Valley of Fire State Park a few weeks back. All sorts of oddities, nooks and crannies in thios valley not to mention a few vistas that take your breath away. Unfortunately my visit was at the wrong time of day - the light is much better in the morning and, of course, at sunset.

These cabins were constructed in 1935 soon after Valley of Fire became a state park. Made of sandstone they were used for many many years by travelers visiting the park. They are now being preserved as a reminder of the work done by Thomas W Miller, the first state Park Commission Chairman. Almost 9,000 people visited the newly opened park in 1936. today over 200,000 visitors enjoy the Valley of Fire each and every year.

Dancing with the Stars, Lindy Hop

The Lindy Hop

Still in Vegas and still making images of Dancing with the Star at the fabulous Tropicana Hotel.

The Lindy Hop was probably started in Harlem, circa 1920/30's. Based on tap, jazz and Charleston the Lindy Hop eventually evolved into the jitterbug which became somewhat famous during the heyday of American Bandstand...

If you happen to be in Vegas stop by and say hello.......The show will be at The Tropicana until July 7....

Lake Powell

Lake Powell

Last Tuesday I stopped by Lake Powell on the way to the Valley of Fire....Arrived at the Lake about 3PM and had to deal with very hazy light but really enjoyed the juxtaposition of the water against the sky and mountains. Made a few exposures before moving on and today finally was able to find a few minutes to process.

Valley of Fire, Nevada

Valley of Fire, Nevada

'The poetry of the earth is never dead'.......John Keats

Las Vegas,Red Rock Canyon

Red Rock Canyon, Panoramic 

Stopped off at Red Rock Canyon on the way back to Vegas on Sunday and caught some decent light. This post is a three image stitch using my Canon 5DMKII and photoshopCS5 (have not had the chance to play with 6 yet). 

Death Valley, Rhyolite Ghost Town

Rhyolite Ghost Rider Sculpture 1984

Rhyolite is a ghost town in the Bulfrog Hills about 120 miles NW of Las Vegas, near the town of Beaty, Nevada. Rhyolite was founded in 1905 as one of several mining camps during the gold rush. Somewhere around 1907 Rhyolite had electric lights, water mains, telephones, newspapers, a hospital, a school, an opera house and a stock exchange. It is estimated that between 3500 and 5000 people lived there. It collapsed very quickly and by 1920 was a ghost town.

This sculpture posted today is one of many at the Goldwell Open Air Museum, the most distinctive being a re-creation of The Last supper. Well worth a visit if you are ever in Death Valley...

Jerry Jerry Jerry

Jerry with Poplyfe

Jerry Springer is the host of the show I am working on in Las Vegas.....The last show is today so I thought why not post a few images of Jerry....He is fun to work with.....and, of course, very funny.

Jerry with Australian Jack Vidgen

OK, off to find a place to watch the New York Giants-Miami Dolphins......

Jerry with Anna Graceman

America's Got Talent

Anna Graceman

First show played last night at The Colosseum at Caesar's....went very well....Two more to go - Saturday and Sunday. So much really good talent on this show - here are a few more images from last night....Two more days and off to Whidbey Island...but who is counting...

Michael Grimm - David Barry

Jaden Wiggins - Poplyfe

Dillon Ingram - Poplyfe

Dylan Wiggins - Poplyfe

Las Vegas - Red Rock National Park

Red Rock National Park, Las Vegas

“Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world"............John Muir

Neon Boneyard

Neon Boneyard, Las Vegas

So many choices on how to present these Boneyard images - horizontal-vertical etc....I keep moving them around looking for what feels best. This one felt right in this position this morning.

Have to run off to class - in Main this week in a compositing class.

Captured with a Canon 5DMKII, 85MM lens

Shark Attack

Shark Attack, Neon Boneyard

Grungey shark attack at the Neon Boneyard in Las Vegas. So much to find in these old relics of Vegas past...

Captured with a Canon 5DMKII, 85MM Lens

Boneyard Re-Visit

Neon Boneyard - Las Vegas - iPhone4

Yesterday was long day in Indianapolis. Taught an iPhone class (12 participants) at the Renaissance Fine Art and Design Gallery in Carmel, Indiana. Already have started planning a two day event where we can go out and capture some images so the class can take their creativity to the next level.

Seems reasonable to post an iPhone image today that I worked on in the class....

Boneyard 2

Homage to Picasso

Sorting through some images from the Neon Boneyard this morning and came across today's post. I am always in awe of what one can find in urban decay.

This image was captured as a horizontal but upon further review ended up as a vertical...

Neon Boneyard

Neon Boneyard,  Las Vegas

Drove back to Vegas today and went to the Neon Boneyard aka Neon Museum. The Boneyard restores and maintains old neonsigns and from the older casinos and various establishments around Las Vegas.

There are over 150 of these old signs at the Boneyard including places such as  The Golden Nugget, Desert Inn and Caesar's Palace.

Quite the experience being able to photograph these classic old signs - the color is fabulous.

Rhyolite

Rhyolite, Nevada

                          

Red Rocks

Red Rocks National Park, Las Vegas, Nevada

Arrived Vegas yesterday, rented a car and headed out to Death Valley for a couple of days. Bought a new camera, an Alpa SW, and thought I would take it out for a test drive in the desert. Since I had to be in Vegas on Thursday this seemed a perfect short adventure.

On the way out of Vegas saw a signpost for Red Rock National Park and headed off in that direction. Never really knew there was a National Park so close to Vegas. Another one crossed off the bucket list.

Lots to learn about this camera still but here is the first image. More the camera in tomorrow's blog - have to run and off and catch the sunrise at Zabriske Point.

Everglades

Moon Setting, Mangroves,  Chokoloskee Bay, Everglades

Funny story on this image. I drove down to the Everglades last year to go swamp walking with a photographer named Clyde Butcher. Went a day or so early and rented a boat with a guide to investigate a few of the 10,000 islands in Chokoloskee Bay.

First morning we get out there before sunrise and upon arrival at this location the guide tells me to get out of the boat and prepare for sunrise - 'the best images are made standing out on the oyster bed' he says. I was planning to shoot from the boat but soon realized he was right about getting out on the oyster bed. Very difficult to get a crisp sharp image on a moving boat in low light - lesson learned.

Needless to say I got over the fear and over the next few days found myself walking in swamps and waist high water in the bay - camera in hand. Never saw one alligator or Anaconda....