Juniper Tree over Lovell Canyon

Lovell Canyon, Nevada

February 28, 2015

NIkon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 35 mm: ISO 200: 1/80 sec.: f/16

Driving into Lovell Canyon, I spotted this lone Juniper tree overlooking the valley.

Storm brewing over Mount Wilson

Las Vegas, Nevada

February 28, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 100 mm: ISO 200: 1/80 sec.: f/16

I was headed over the mountain to shoot guns and I saw the sun peeking through the storm clouds so I stopped to shoot this 4 image panorama.

Storm Clouds over Red Rock

Las Vegas Nevada

February 7, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 46 mm: ISO 400: 1/160 sec.: f/9

We started hiking back to the car from First Creek Canyon right before these big storm clouds started rolling in.  We thought for sure we would get wet, but we made it back to the car with no rain and I was able to get this photo from the parking lot.

Desert Oasis

Las Vegas, Nevada

February 7, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 25 mm: ISO 200: 1/30: f/11

Here is a view of the little oasis that doesn't include the mini waterfall.  This tree is where I took the first photo from that was two posts ago.

Desert Pool

Las Vegas, Nevada

February 7, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 18 mm: ISO 200: 1/40 sec.: f/8

My last post showed this "waterfall" from my vantage point in the tree just to the left of it.  After we left the top, we found a way down to the bottom to get this view.

A Nevada Waterfall

Las Vegas, Nevada

February 7, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 20 mm: ISO 200: 1/40 sec.: f/7.10

Needless to say, the creek at First Creek Canyon trail is not very big, but the fact that there is water at all is pretty impressive.  On the hike back to the car, we stumbled upon this little waterfall that was maybe 10 feet high.

Hollow Red Rock

Las Vegas, Nevada

February 7, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 27 mm: ISO 200: 1/40 sec.: f/11

Hiking back from First Creek Canyon, my brother and I stumbled upon this really cool rock.  The whole inside was hollowed out and big enough that a person could easily curl up in there and take a nap or hide from the wind.

Rock Striations

Las Vegas, Nevada

February 7, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 85 mm: ISO 200: 1/125 sec.: f/5.30

One thing I do love about the desert is all the cool rock patterns.  This is a big rock along the First Creek Canyon Trail at Red Rock Canyon.

Mt. Wilson from its Base

Las Vegas, Nevada

February 7, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 18 mm: ISO 200: 1/100 sec.: f/8

The Cholla cactus and dead tree made for a decent foreground at the base of Mount Wilson.

Watering Hole

Las Vegas, Nevada

February 7, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 18 mm: ISO 100: 1/40 sec.:f/11

When my brother was in town and wanted to go for a hike, I headed back out to First Canyon Trail.  This time I was able to explore a little more and found some good spots.  Mt. Wilson is in the background here.

Blue Lights and the Bellagio

Las Vegas, Nevada

February 5, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 18 mm: ISO 100: 5.0 sec.: f/10

I have liked this view for a long time and shot it a couple times before, but this was the first time I saw the blue lights.

The Paris Hotel

Las Vegas, Nevada

February 5, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 23 mm: ISO 400: 1/50 sec.:f/5.0

This was taken from the Bellagio parking lot.  Looking at it now, I wish I wouldn't have done the vignette.

Bellagio Fountains

Las Vegas, Nevada

February 5, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 18 mm: ISO 100: 2.50 sec.: f/9

My mom came into town to help with the new baby and she had never seen the Bellagio Fountains.  Since they are so easy to get to, we took my older daughter down and enjoyed a nice evening watching a few fountain shows and exploring the Bellagio.  Unfortunately, the shows were not great this night and a lot smaller than ones I have seen in the past.

Sunrise over Frenchman Mountains

Las Vegas, Nevada

January 31, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 270 mm: ISO 100: 1/20 sec.: f/8

My last shot from Exploration Peak was the sunrise over the mountains.  I loved the clouds wisping through the Mountains and that is where the best color ended up.

Las Vegas Strip

Las Vegas, Nevada

January 31, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 270 mm: ISO 100: .60 sec.: f/6.30

Prior to the sunrise, I took a pano of the strip lights.

Sunrise from Exploration Peak

Las Vegas, Nevada

January 31, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 240 mm: ISO 100: .30 sec.: f/14

I got up early to go hiking in Red Rock Canyon, but decided I wasn't feeling up for it so I just went down the street to Exploration Peak and hiked up to the top to wait for the sunrise. Again, my bad luck struck again and I had a pretty dull sunrise, plus it was a little too far for my lens to reach so the buildings aren't nearly as sharp as I would hope.

The Wilson Range

Las Vegas, Nevada

January 10, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 20 mm: ISO 400: 1/400 sec.: f/11

My last shot from this hike, although there will be more from this trail soon as I did another hike there recently.

Mt Wilson #2

Las Vegas, Nevada

January 10, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 18 mm: ISO 400: 1/400 sec.: f/11

Yet another shot of Mt. Wilson taken from the First Creek Canyon Trail.

Water at First Creek Canyon #2

Las Vegas, Nevada

January 10, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 18 mm: ISO 400: 1/200 sec.: f/10

You know I have lived in the desert too long when the sight of this little water excited me.  I have done a lot of hiking around Vegas and this is the first place I have found more than a small rain water basin.  This was a legitimate running creek.

Mt. Wilson

Las Vegas, Nevada

January 10, 2015

Nikon D3100: Tamron 18-270 at 20 mm: ISO 400: 1/400 sec.: f/11

Another shot of Mt. Wilson from the First Creek Canyon Trail.  Although it didn't come across prominantly in the photo, I was attracted to the charred log in the foreground.