This is about the most grip and rip thing I have shot. My visit to Vegas was not planned. I met my wife Linda in New Mexico to drive back to Washington with her and we stopped in Vegas along the way. We spent one night there and were on the road again early the next morning.

With the exception of the first shot, this is all handheld. The digital zoom in the first shot was inspired by a similar technique used by Phil Bloom in his Vegas piece.

Speaking of Phil Bloom, I met him quite by accident on the strip. He was surprised to see me for sure but it was good to finally meet. This piece is in stark contrast to the film Phil shot.

Enjoy it.

http://exposureroom.com/members/disjecta.aspx/assets/d7bbffbbfb6d4d56ba105b5fe41895fe/

some great shots and editing - wow, you just keep getting better.

Trish

Very cool, Steven. I like the colors in the shots. I loved opening it with the time lapse/zoom.

My only nitpick is the ending. I didn't feel like you took us out of the city as elegantly as you took us in. Another time lapse of dawn approaching or perhaps some rearview stuff as you left the city would IMHO have been a better finish.

Otherwise, great piece that gives a good slice of the vibe that is Vegas. Thanks for sharing.

-gb-

Thanks for the comments...

Greg, the ending is a metaphor for the temptations in the city (drinking/sex/etc.) and the trap it can become...the addiction = no escape, as it were, so leaving the city is not an option. :)

That probably sounds hokey but it's the reason I put the ominous music in there.

Very nice Steven, as always.

How did you get those trucking shots? Were they all a result of you standing on an escalator? A lot of them looked very smooth for being hand held.

Yep, either escalators or moving platforms.

I am a fan of your work Stephen, so please take this with a grain of salt.

While I did like the intro with the time lapse, I couldn't get past the fact that I was looking at a parking lot in the foreground. I'm sure this may have been from your hotel window, so can't harp on that too much.

The night shots were nice... though I've seen your composition stronger in other pieces. But again, I understand the handheld, run and gun, so comparing to your other work is kind of unfair.

The sad thing is that if it were anyone else, I would probably be all about it! I guess the best compliment is that you've set such a high precedence for yourself!

It's all good, Nicholas :)

Wonderful colors, Steven - was this your Panalook 2 preset?

Lonnie

Steven,

Did anyone have any problems with you filming the buildings or their casinos with a larger-than-consumer camera? I always seem to run into that issue carrying the A1 around.

Lonnie, yes this is the Panalook 2 setting...I pushed the colors and levels a little bit in post...this seems to work better than recording a more saturated image.

Ryan, I definitely got some hairy eyeball looks when I was walking through the areas with the slot machines. Mostly though, it wasn't a problem.

Greg, the ending is a metaphor for the temptations in the city (drinking/sex/etc.) and the trap it can become...the addiction = no escape, as it were, so leaving the city is not an option. :)

That probably sounds hokey but it's the reason I put the ominous music in there.

Totally missed that angle. I'll watch it again.

-gb-

I really like the videos you put out and have to agree with Tran. The opening was cool is the zoom something you do in post? Wish your hotel room had a better view, something that related to the story, maybe a shot looking down the strip or the Welcome to las vegas sign. If it was a story about danny gans it would have been perfect.

Still pretty good video for a spur of the moment run and gun. Wish I had your skills.

Ryan,

I had that issue many times while I was in Vegas during NAB. During the nights I wasn't bothered, but during the day I had many security people asking me to pack up and leave. I'd go across the road and start again but then someone would be there in no time.

Shooting people (I mean with a camera :)) is not so bad, but I've had a security guy follow me around watching me, almost waiting for me to aim my camera towards one of the structures.

Steven, now that would be a great video idea... all the dirty looks people have given you on your trips!

Shiv, I'm sure those security guards don't have anything better to do. I was nearly tackled when I raised my camera inside a casino.

Ryan,

Yea for them, if you've got a tripod and a "high powered" camera you're a professional and they don't want you taking videos :).

Great stuff, Steven. I shot a tape's worth of Vegas at night last month with my HV20. I had my XH-A1 with me, but I just kept leaving it in the hotel room because I felt self-conscious lugging it around in the casinos. And, I was led to believe that it wasn't kosher to shoot video on the casino floor.

Anyway, living as I do 2 1/2 hours north of the city that never sleeps, I think I'll go back down with my A1 and the Letus attached and spend a night taking some more shots of that most interesting of places. It really is a treasure trove of interesting sights -- alternately beautiful and tragic.