Day 55, Spray Paint Street Artist

Day 55, Spray Paint Street Artist, originally uploaded by solostandfound.

I know what you are thinking, 'How long was he in Vegas?' It was only one day, but I shot few different things. This guy used spray paint to make these cool pictures. The crowd that was gathered around were fascinated by him. I was fascinated that this was his profession. How did he come to choose to make his living with spray paint?

How do any of us come to make choices that have such impact on our lives. I think that unfortunately, many of us are just swept along, only adjusting when real need pushes us. I did not set out to do what I do now. I just kind of evolved into this. It was a great job, and I like what I do. I will never be rich, but there are times where I wonder if I had planned a little if this is what I would be doing.

It seems to me, that is the most difficult thing to do for so many of us. To know our selves well enough at an age young enough to make choices that will lead to happiness latter on as a result of those choices. What is more, young people have the least emotional intelligence possible to learn to have foresight. There are no consequences and they are invincible.

So, that is what I really try to help my kids understand, if you are not in control of your emotions, they will control you. Watching American Idol (the first episodes every year) is one time that we get to have talks about how people are. There are so many people that are not checked in to reality. They really think they could be the next American Idol, and are crushed to hear that they can't even sing.

By the way, this guy really had some talent, If he is happy, that is great. I just wonder if he could have found an equal amount of happiness in art school, or with art as a hobby and a professional. I of course have no idea what his life is like, I just find it interesting to think about how he came to be a spray paint street artist.

Thanks for looking,
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Day 54, The Freemont Street Experience

Day 54, The Freemont Street Experience, originally uploaded by solostandfound.

Here it is, the Freemont Street Experience. It was a interesting. It was like Vegas and Disney had joined hands but not as nice. It was really 'Veagasy." The ultimate piece to the show, it was a commercial to gamble at the Freemont Street Casinos. I couldn't stop laughing that all of these people had come to see the show, and it was a commercial. I won't even say that it was a good commercial.

I know that you have to pay for things some how, and given the cost for a significant share of voice now days, this on a financial scale probably makes some sense, but to only use it for a commercial. They could probably increase their draw and profitability with just some new show every now and then. Something that was more compelling then the Atari style space graphics.

No one seemed to think that this was something to come back to. The crown just walked on a soon as it was over. I guess in Vegas, it takes a lot to wow some folks.

Thanks for looking
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Exposure:	0.2 sec (1/5)
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Day 53, More Freemont Street

Day 53, More Freemont Street, originally uploaded by solostandfound.

Freemont Street has the old Vegas hotels with the lights that started it all. I couldn't resist shoot the lights. Binion's Horseshoe Casino is one of the old dogs of Vegas. Around since 1951 started by Benny Binion. He arrived in Vegas when Bugsy Siegel opened the Flamingo in 1946. He became a partner in another of casino, but left to open the Horseshoe.
Binion's has contributed such things as the World Series of Poker and The National Finals Rodeo.

I just wanted to shoot the lights. And that is what I did. I love the shot a little down of the white neon lights. Close up, like many things, they just don't look so great. They are connections and they sit outside. They have dirt and the whole does not eat up the actual.

Thanks for looking.
EXIF Data

Camera:	Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure:	0.025 sec (1/40)
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Day 52, Freemont Street, Las Vegas

Day 52, Freemont Street, Las Vegas, originally uploaded by solostandfound.

I am going to cheat a little. I guess I am cheating a lot since I am posting catch up and putting these all in after the fact. But I am going to post a few from the short one day run to Vegas with my buddy Mike.

We went out to buy an Electra Townie from a guy on Craigslist. It is a cool bike, a Townie 8. Electra Bikes have become a bit of an obsession with me of late. I bought one last week. I got a townie 3 and it is red. A really cool red. My dad rode it and wants one now. So as I am looking for these on Craigslist to find one for him and my Mom (they want Townie 21s) I found this one that we came to buy. I will turn around and sell it on eBay. I really got that good of a deal on it. Hmm, I need to be shooting the bikes in the garage...

So I want to go to the strip to eat, but Mike wants to eat at place that he ate at last time he was out here. An Irish pub. At least I can get some corned beef and cabbage. I know, gross for many, but not for me. We used to have this every St Patrick's day when I was a kid.

So we are on Freemont Street, if you haven't been there, it is old Vegas with an overhead injection of new Vegas. They built a giant TV screen over the two block run that was Vegas. Here are a few shots from there. Have a look, more on this tomorrow.

Thanks for looking.

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Aperture:	f/4
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Exposure Bias:	0/3 EV