While I was in Las Vegas for Photoshop World, I decided to stay an extra day and maybe see some sights or go to a show. I did both. I’ll post later with some shots from the strip, but on Saturday morning, I did a tour of Red Rock Canyon with Pink Jeep Tours. They picked me up at the Mandalay Bay, then stopped for two couples at another hotel, then off to the canyon. I was happy to find the tour lobby in the hotel, so I was read when they arrived.
There are tons of tours available through Pink Jeep and a host of other tour providers. The Grand Canyon is popular, but I decided against that. I visited the canyon a long time ago, and it really isn’t all that close to Vegas. That means a long bus ride there and a long bus ride back. But the worst thing for a photographer, we’d be visiting the canyon right in the middle of the day. I want to visit the canyon again, certainly, but I’d like to be there for sunrise and sunset, and on my own terms. So that will wait.
Red Rock Canyon is actually fairly close to Las Vegas. They offer morning and afternoon tours, and I opted for the morning tour hoping the light would be a bit more reasonable than midafternoon. A few hours earlier would have been better for the photos, but it wasn’t bad. Regardless, I was able to enjoy being out in the desert and away from the bright lights and clanging casinos. Did I mention the high temperature was 108F that day? Yeah, but it’s a dry heat! Actually, it was tolerable and probably a bit cooler than that being morning and being a bit higher in altitude the Vegas.
Debbie, our guide, told us this is a desert oak tree and said there are actually acorns that grow on these small trees. Sure enough, I saw a few acorns and was able to capture this one. I think it’s interesting that they grow upward. The leaves are small but do have that distinctive oak leaf look. Debbie mentioned that many folks mistake this plant for Holly.
As we traveled along the one-way road through the canyon area, I spotted this seemingly out-of-place vehicle. A sports car, an SUV, a family car – all would be expected. A white stretch limo just doesn’t look right in this picture! I doubt the driver of the limo explored the same unpaved road we did.
One of my take-aways from Photoshop World is embrace the light. This is something of a philosophy I want to become part of my photography, and it basically means take the light as it’s given, don’t complain, don’t stop shooting. Use it and make it your own. One couple from the tour climbed this rock and posed for Debbie to take their picture. I swung around so I was shooting mainly into the sun and captured this image. I’m pleased with it, and might never have tried without this new found thinking.
I hope I never stop learning or trying new ideas.
