Breakin' the law! .... To get "the shot"

I'm pretty good at knowing my rights as a photographer.  The law is trying to keep us professionals from shooting at almost everywhere on earth.  Government buildings (which is understandable but they usually have some cool architecture), State Parks (I don't get why?), Public Streets, no tripods in cities etc.  But photographers are fighting back and we are winning our rights back to shoot!  

So when we were on our way to the Hoover Dam at night I was pretty dam excited!  As we approached the entrance of the Dam we ran into a road block.  It felt like we were going through customs.  Homeland security standing there with AK-47's and police dogs.  The one man had told us "Do NOT stop on or around the Dam at all".  We had to proceed to the visitor parking overlook and take photos from there.

Here is a shot from the legal spot where we were allowed to take photos from....

I set my camera on a railing, took my 5 exposures I need to make it an HDR.  I was happy with it.  We stood around and enjoyed the view on the very chilly night and I really couldn't let myself leave without getting a front shot of the Dam.  As I sat from this spot I looked across the way.  See where the road bends and goes up the hill near the bridge that's nicely lit?  That's where I needed to be to take a shot.  So we got in the car and I said to my friend Ryan and the girls to pull over and let me out so I can take the shot!

As we got to the spot in the road there were signs everywhere saying "Do NOT stop", "Do NOT get out of your vehicles".  As soon as I saw those I said "Forget it, let's go back to Vegas".  Well my friend Ryan is more of a risk taker and he said "jump out, take the shot, I'll keep driving and make a U-turn and you can jump back in the car!"  Sounds perfect!

I jumped out of the car, found a railing to take 5 exposures for an HDR photo.  While the camera is taking it's exposures I notice that Ryan and the girls kept going and didn't make their U-turn!  They had to go all the way around the dam again! (mind you it's about a mile long and only 25mph.

I was stranded!  My camera was still taking the long exposures it needed to take so I called Ryan to tell him to hurry because it was only a matter of time before homeland security was going to make their rounds and I had absolutely no where to hide!

As soon as I hung up the phone what do you know, a spotlight was shining on me with a voice from a microphone telling me to approach the vehicle nice and slow.  My camera was not done taking the last, most important long exposure it needs to make a photo a true HDR.  I grabbed the camera and walked to the vehicle thinking that I am going to jail.  

After a few "what are you doing here, where is your vehicle etc. questions they just told me to get in Ryan's car when he returns and get out of there!

I was standing there waiting for my friends return and what do they do?  They drove past me!!! I ran to them and got in the car and returned safe and sound to Las Vegas.  We all had a good laugh about it.  The things I'll do to get the shot...... 

Here's the shot I took.  It's not a true HDR because my longest exposure was interrupted! :-)  It's a frontal shot of the Hoover Dam at night which I guess is now a "Limited" shot seeing that if anyone else wants a shot like this they have to break the law to do so!  Enjoy!