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Las Vegas at night is one of the great photographic subjects in the world. The neon, the scale, the density of artificial light — handled correctly, the results are extraordinary. Here's how to do it properly.
Golden Hour and Blue Hour
The 20–30 minutes after sunset (blue hour) is the optimal time to photograph the Strip. The sky retains enough ambient light to balance the neon and LED signs, creating a depth that pure night photography lacks. Set up at the Bellagio fountain bridge or the pedestrian overpass at Flamingo and Las Vegas Blvd by 8:15pm in June.
Best Vantage Points
- Pedestrian bridge at Las Vegas Blvd and Flamingo — The classic Strip compression shot
- Parking garage at the Fashion Show Mall — Strip panorama from 4 stories up, free
- The Cosmopolitan terrace — Bellagio fountains in foreground, Strip to the south
- Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay — 64th floor view of the entire southern Strip
- The STRAT observation deck — Only way to photograph the full Strip length
Camera Settings
- Use a tripod — even 1/15 second shots of moving crowds require stability
- ISO 400–1600 is usually sufficient; Las Vegas is extremely bright at night
- Long exposure (4–8 seconds) for light trail effects on Las Vegas Blvd
- Shoot RAW to manage the extreme contrast range between neon and shadows