I decided to upgrade my Canon XTi to a Canon 40D … So I took the 40D out to the Las Vegas Strip last Wednesday night …

 Las Vegas Blvd and Flamingo Road … The World Famous Las Vegas Strip!! 

The Paris Balloon ... The Paris Balloon in front of the Paris Hotel 

The Paris ... The Paris Fountain in front of Paris Hotel!!  

Our Eiffel Tower ... The Vegas Eiffel Tower in front of the Paris Hotel 

The Fountain at Bellagio ... The Fountain at Bellagio!!    

More of the Bellagio Fountain ... The Fountain at Bellagio!!    

Caesar’s Palace … Ceasars Palace on the Strip!! 

The 'Jubilee Show' at Ballys ... No 'Ands', 'Ifs' or 'Butts' the Best "Old Vegas" show on the strip!! 

 

Thank you for looking!! ...

Your comments and critique are always welcome!!

My last post about 'Rails' was missing the 'Rails' ... Before there were 'rails' ...   So Ralph here are some real 'Rails' ... Some Desert 'Rails' from Arizona ...

A Bend in the 'Rail' ... Desert Rails 2   ... East Bound 'Rail' ... Desert Rails 3   ... 45 Miles per hour ... Desert Train 1   ... 45 Miles per hour 5 feet away ... Desert Train 2   ... Pretend Rails ... Desert Rails 1 ... Vegas Style

 

 

Ralph ... This may be a 'stretch' on your Challenge ... But how about ... Before there were 'Rails' ...  

I hope that this isn't going to be to easy ... You guys are pretty good!! ... So here goes: What the heck is it?

What is it? 

 

Several days ago in the Photography Discussion Forum I posted a link to an article on …

... “How to Write a Critique of a Photograph" ...

One of the greatest things from this article is the fact that you don't have to be an expert in photography to write your critique … you just right how you feel about the image!!

A number of the people who looked at this article felt that it should be made available to everyone … so here goes …

This is the link:  

http://www.myshutterspace.com/group/constructivecriticism/forum/topic/show?id=1177697%3ATopic%3A156345

There is a PDF file at the end of the article that is easier to read and can be downloaded to your computer.

I hope you find this article as helpful as I did …

I have also included some images that I have converted with the use of the Orton Effect to give you something to practice on … Zion National Park ... Zion National Park  ... Bridge in Zion National Park 

 

Red Rock Canyon is located about 30 minutes West of the Las Vegas Strip ... 

My local Camera Club believes that any photo taken outdoors between roughly 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM is not worth taking because of the quality of light ... and they judge images based on that ... 

So I ventured out to Red Rock Canyon last week at 5:30 AM ... All of the attached images were taken prior to 8:00 AM ... I will let you be the "judge" as to how they look!! ...

Your comments, suggestions and ... yes criticism ... are very much appreciated!!  ... 

Thank you for looking!!

Red Rock Canyon 

 

A lot of us seem to be having Camera Club Contests ... Well once again I'm no exception ... My Camera Club's Theme this month is "Opposites" ... (All entrys will be electronically projected) ... This is going to be my entry ...  

Stop & Go ... Walk & Don't Walk ... Opposites For Sure!! ... Well after many hours I was never able to load my image into this story ... But it is the same as the thumb and is also in my dashboard ... Sorry to make this so much trouble ...

I will also be entering two additional images .. Creative Category  ... Electric Owl in Flight    (One of my smoke images ...) ... and Unclassified Category ... Mojave Shed Orton     (I choose this category because there was so much manipulation done to this image it didn't match anything else ...)  Both of these images I have posted before ... This time with some changes ...

Any criticism or comments that you care to make would be very much appreciated …  I still have a week to make any changes to the images  …  Thank you for looking … and commenting!!

My monthly Camera Club Photo Competition is coming up in a week ... I’m going to enter the attached photo in the “Commercial” Category ... "Commercial" Category is defined as: “A photograph whose purpose is to sell a product or concept.”

What do you think … Good or Bad!! … Could this photo sell RONDIAZ Pineapple Rum?? … RONDIAZ RUM ... You may not be able to see it … But there is a recipe for a Pineapple Rum Cooler on the right side of the photo ... This shot was composed and shot on my dinning room table ...

Thank you for your comments, suggestions and any criticism … you may have … Thank you for looking!!

These are the last of my pictures of wildflowers from my trip to the Mojave Desert  …

So please enjoy just a few pictures of Mojave Desert Wildflowers …

Desert Wildflowers Pt 2

Of course your comments, suggestions and critique are always welcome ... Thank you for looking ...

As this shot was taken in the middle of the Mojave Desert ... I guess I was so worried about seeing snakes ... I didn't see this little guy creep into my shot ... Mojave Desert Beavertail Macro ...

Your comments are always welcome ... thank you for looking!!

About an hour drive South of Las Vegas (in California) is the Mojave Desert National Preserve … As there were a lot of winter rains last year, the wildflowers are abundant.

Along with members of my local camera club, in early April I ventured into the Mojave Desert to take pictures of Desert Wildflowers … (I HATE SNAKES!! ... so I did this with some trepidation … the only snake I saw was a huge Diamondback Rattlesnake in the road as I was leaving ... needless to say that ended my picture taking)

So please enjoy a few pictures of Mojave Desert Wildflowers …

Of course your comments, suggestions and critique are always welcome ... Thank you for looking ...

Mojave Desert Preserve Wildflowers April 2008

... for introducing me to 'The Orton Effect' … the following is my first attempt at utilizing 'The Orton Effect' … I know for some of you this is not your favorite effect ... but your honest opinion, suggestions or criticism would be appreciated … thank you for looking!!

Zion Aspens with Orton Effect

Mojave Beaver Tail with Orton Effect

Mojave Barn with Orton Effect & Ink Lines

Mojave Shed with Orton Effect & Ink Lines

Red Rock Canyon with Orton Effect & Ink Lines

Not being able to get any good bug shots … Finally after days of trying I got what might be two pretty good shots of some bees … They love the ‘Indian Hawthorn’ in my front yard … I tried a tripod but they moved around to fast, so I had to hand hold my 100mm Macro Lens - which made matters worse … But here are ... Bee_1 ... and ... Bee_2

The flower was next to the Hawthorn … Orange_Flower

Thanks for looking … as always your comments, suggestions and criticism are appreciated.

The pictures you are about to see may contain SNOW!! ... Those who may find this upsetting should turn away now. ... However, if you consider the location of the snow … the outskirts of Las Vegas … you may want to look further …

Not many travel brochures start with … "Ski Las Vegas" … but yes, within just a short 45 minute drive Northwest from Las Vegas you can ski ... it’s not Tahoe … but it is skiing!

As I have gotten older, I’ve developed a comfort level that excludes skiing, so its’ been awhile since I have been to the ski area.

So at the suggestion of … ORBITOFORTH … that I take you up to Mt Charleston, I decided to take a trip to Mt Charleston/Lee Canyon ski and snowboard area and check it out. ... As there has not been much snow lately, the snow pack was starting to get a little sparse. ... In spite of that, there were 3 chair lifts going and a number of skiers.

So here then are a few of the shots I took on Monday, March 31 …

Chair Lift One ...  IMG_0005a

Trees at the Edge of a Run ...  IMG_0016a_copy

Getting a 'Lift' ... IMG_0017a

The Slops ... IMG_0032a

End of a Run ... IMG_0035a

Majestic Mountains ... IMG_0042a

Getting some AIR ... IMG_0063a

More Slopes ... IMG_0072a

Mt Charleston ... IMG_0083a

After the Skiing is Done ... Mt Charleston Lodge is just down the road ... IMG_0084a

Thank you for looking ... Any comments, suggestions or criticism are always welcome ...

Just outside Las Vegas … about 45 miles North … is Valley of Fire, a Nevada State Park.

These pictures are going to be somewhat of a change of pace from what we normally see at Photographica ... I hope you enjoy them ...

As always ... Any comments, suggestions or criticism are welcome … Thank you for looking …

Valley_of_Fire_2
Valley_of_Fire_3
Valley_of_Fire_Arch
Valley_Panorama1
Petroglyphs