Back from Death Valley/Grand Canyon...

mcwildcard · 4 Jul 2008 at 18:49

Got some shots, but visability is quite hazy atm due to the nearby wildfires, so was using a circular polarizing filter to cut through it as best as I could.
Nothing super stunning, most need PP, but thought I'd give a few of my favourites a show anyway...
(resized from 9MP)

Vegas:

Hoover Dam:

Death Valley driving:

Rhyolite (en route to Death Valley):

Cont...

mcwildcard · 4 Jul 2008 at 18:50

Grand Canyon from the South rim:

mcwildcard · 4 Jul 2008 at 18:50

Grand Canyon by 'copter (through window):

beermonster · 5 Jul 2008 at 00:30

very nice , i managed to visit the canyon 2 years ago, the pictures don't really give an indication of scale, its quite literally breathtaking. The death valley road is one ive always wanted to drive, nowhere else like it on earth.

J1234 · 5 Jul 2008 at 00:41

Nice photos

How hot was it in Death Valley?

gadgets · 5 Jul 2008 at 10:52

some of the first ones are overexposed can you stop them down a bit?

mcwildcard · 5 Jul 2008 at 13:00

beermonster said:
very nice , i managed to visit the canyon 2 years ago, the pictures don't really give an indication of scale, its quite literally breathtaking.

Totally, I don't see how any method of photography or filming could ever give a true 'feel' for the immensely vast scale of the Canyon.

FailUB said:
How hot was it in Death Valley?

It hit 120F according to the temp thingy on the car dashboard.
Thing is, unlike anywhere I've ever experienced, it wasn't the sun which was most punishing, it was the wind. We had two coming at us, one which had come over the Nevada desert and the other which had come over the Arizona desert, both were incredibly hot. It was exactly like the wave of heat you get when you open the oven in the middle of cooking something, utterly punishing.
The wind is supposed to be refreshing when it's hot, but you absolutely dread it in Death Valley!!

gadgets said:
some of the first ones are overexposed can you stop them down a bit?

Yeah, the Rhyolite store one in particular is overexposed, it was my fault for being too lazy to fiddle about with the settings in that heat. I'm pretty rubbish at PP, but if anyone wants to have a go, just let me know and I'll supply the full sized image for manipulation.

Greenlizard0 · 5 Jul 2008 at 13:07

Lol it sounds like you did exactly the same holiday as me two christmas' ago. Good fun it was. The Grand Canyon shots are awesome.

kingkarl · 5 Jul 2008 at 20:14

Hi mcwildcard

I am going for a month in august , Hawaii , LA , San Fran , Yosemite and Vegas.
So looking forward to week in Hawaii and visiting Pearl Harbour , when you went to the canyon did you do west rim where that glass walkway extends over edge ?
Just bought a brand new TZ5 and hoping to get holiday shots of a lifetime of golden gate , alcatraz , canyon etc.

mcwildcard · 5 Jul 2008 at 22:55

kingkarl said:
Hi mcwildcard

I am going for a month in august , Hawaii , LA , San Fran , Yosemite and Vegas.
So looking forward to week in Hawaii and visiting Pearl Harbour , when you went to the canyon did you do west rim where that glass walkway extends over edge ?
Just bought a brand new TZ5 and hoping to get holiday shots of a lifetime of golden gate , alcatraz , canyon etc.

Sounds like a hell of a month!
I didn't do the West Rim tour, the Canyon is way too big to manage more than one rim in a day, so I didn't get to do the walkway. I don't think you can do the 'copter stuff from the West Rim either, and that was my main aim.
If you're going from Vegas, use this company, they're generally the cheapest and their service is really good. Plus if you do want to do the walkway, then they give you the wristbands beforehand, so you don't have to queue up when you get there.
http://www.papillon.com/