The Fountains of Bellagio are a modern centerpiece of the fabulous Las Vegas Strip. Weather permitting, the free water show runs at designated times from noon until midnight daily and is a wonderfully scenic photo opportunity. Although the staged scene would seem to be a simple exposure, it takes finesse to make the average become impressive.
Fountains of Bellagio | ©2011 David Allio
Although the Fountains at Bellagio are presented during the day, they seem most impressive after sunset. My favorite time is twilight – after the sun has dropped behind the main hotel and casino structure but before the final glow disappears from the western horizon.
Contrary to instinct, the best photographs do not always come during the peak moments of the show when the water cannons burst high in the air. In addition to obscuring the surroundings, there is rarely symmetry or balance when the jets blast the finale. Visually, the more appealing photographs usually occur earlier in the show as the spray is choreographed to the music.
This photograph was created using a Nikon D3 equipped with an AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm 1:2.8G ED lens set at 14mm. The ultra wide angle allowed City Center and Caesars Palace to frame the composition on the left and right. The aperture was f/5 with a shutter speed of 1/8th of a second and a film speed of 1000 ISO. The camera rested atop one of the speakers along Las Vegas Boulevard.
Finally and significantly, the camera preset white balance of incandescent was selected. This is significant after sunset because the proper white balance setting allows the water to correctly appear white. Otherwise, the water appears muddy due to the warm color cast of the underwater spotlights. A deeper blue sky is a bonus.
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