Postcard from Las Vegas

For me, Las Vegas is good for two things these days...drinking Manhattans and taking night photographs. I stopped gambling years ago and there are very few floor shows that interest me. So, I would rather sit with a good friend and drink a quality Manhattan and catch up. 

Now, I am fussy about Manhattans as I make the best one ever found on the planet. I seldom order them at bars or restaurants because few bartenders know how to do it right. But, I found a couple of places in Vegas that do one heck of a good job. 

All this is to say that I am worn out with this city that never sleeps. I have been here countless times, mostly for trade shows, so there is not much I have not seen. And I always feel like someone is trying to lift my wallet to get more money out of me. So, I never go unless absolutely necessary.

But, as for photography, I love wandering up and down Las Vegas Blvd at night photographing the amazing sites that make up this unique city. You may have seen some of my other night photos here before. I've also had some fun photographing on old Fremont Street with my camera in the day. But night, is still my favorite time to shoot.

Fortunately, I use one of the best lenses on the market for anti-shake so I can shoot in low light without image blur...not always true, but most of the time it works. Of course I could use a tripod, but that is quite a challenge on busy Las Vegas Blvd. But, we do what we must to get the quality photo.

This, of course, is Caesar's Palace, an older facility that has been remodeled a few times to stay up with some of the new spectacular casinos like, Paris, New York New York, the Bellagio, Venice and others. This photo is a great example of a photo has a foreground, middle ground, and background. Your eye moves smoothly from each section to the next, just like it is supposed to. Having the red underwater lights in the very front of the photo is the first thing your eye seeks, and from there it is an easy flow to throughout the entire image. 

Sorry for the photo lesson here...I do that sometimes.  So best to just sit back and enjoy this night shot of a Las Vegas landmark. Better yet, sip on a Manhattan and see how the photo gets even better.   

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

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