Nevada Photo Destinations
Let me help you to find a great location in Nevada for your next photography adventure. I will list many lesser known destinations, as well as the famous “Icon Locations” for photography. I will provide photos (Lots of Photos), location information, consisting of what there is to photograph as well as other information about the destination. I will give costs, maps, directions, contact information, and other essential information for a successful photo trip. I will only post for locations that I have personally photographed to insure a quality guide to the best places for photography in Nevada.
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view. Click on a pushpin for more information about the Photographic Destination, then click on the title to go to the location page.
Nevada Photo Destinations
Nevada Destinations
Rhyolite Nevada
Rhyolite is a mining ghost town located just outside the entrance to Death Valley National Park, and one of the most photographed ghost towns in the western United States. The Rhyolite townsite is maintained by the Bureau of Land Management and contains many ruins and a house made from bottles.
What to Photograph:
The ruins of the old buildings, many of which were made of stone, including the 8 room school, a few banks, stores, railroad depot, and a jail.
The Tom Kelly Bottle House was completed in 1906, built from nearly 30,000 beer and liquor bottles collected from the 53 saloons in Rhyloite.
The Goldwell Open Air Museum is a unique attraction of sculptures created by Belgium Artists.
Best Time for Photographers:
Just about anytime can be good for photography here, of course midday light can be very high contrast and hard to work with and the use of HDR photography can be the solution. The ghost town and the Goldwell Open Air Museum are both open to visitors 24 hours a day making this a great location for night sky photography.
Where it is:
Rhyolite is located 4 miles west of the town of Beatty, Nevada on HWY 374, heading toward the East entrance to Death Valley National Park.
Maps:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.
Interactive map of Rhyolite
Click Here
Cost:
Both the Goldwell Open Air Museum and the Rhyolite Township are open to the public with no fees.
Facilities:
Hey this is a Ghost Town, there are none!
Links:
Rhyolitesite.com A very extensive site on the history of the town.
http://www.rhyolitenevada.com/ Another great site on the history.
Beatty Nevada Chamber of Commerce
Location Contact Information:
Address:
Battle Mountain District Office
50 Bastian Road
Battle Mountain NV 89820
Phone:
775-635-4000
Email:
bmfoweb@blm.gov
Organization:
BLM – Bureau of Land Management
Nearest City or Town:
Beatty Nevada
Beatty has a population of approximately 1,000 people. 4 miles from the Ghost town of Rhyolite, NV and The Gateway to Death Valley National Park, located only 7 miles away.
Tips for the Photographer:
Equipment:
You can get great photos with just about any equipment, even cell phones. The buildings are pretty well spread out and you can get a near or far away as needed for the photo you desire. A polarizing filter for enhancing the sky is a great asset.
For night shots a tripod and cable release are essential, and two flashlights, one to see with, and a more powerful light for illuminating the buildings.
Photography Tips:
Composition is the key to good photos here, use the elements of line and shape. As with any old photography site texture is a very important element. To capture texture you need to use side lighting, and since you can move around freely, you can find an angle that will emphasize the textural elements.
If you have a great sky with lots of clouds it can add drama to the photo. If on the other hand you have a clear sky, try to keep it out of the photo.
Old buildings and ghost towns are an excellent location for black and white photography as well. I always recommend shooting in color and converting to black and white in post process to give more control over the image, plus you have both color and black and white images.
Weather:
Click for weather forecast
Rhyolite Photo Gallery
Click Here for full page gallery
More Photographic Destinations in Nevada:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view. Click on a pushpin for more information about the Photographic Destination, then click on the title to go to the location page.
Click Here for Photographic Destinations by State
All the information in this post was believed to be accurate at the time it was published. Please be sure to double check with the location before relying on this information as everything changes over time, especially hours, prices, and whether the location is still open.
Great Places for Great Photos
Let me help you to find a great location for your next photography adventure. I will list many lesser-known destinations, as well as the famous "Icon Locations" for photography. I will provide photos (Lots of Photos), location information, consisting of what there is to photograph as well as other information about the destination. I will give costs, maps, directions, contact information, and other essential information for a successful photo trip. I will only post for locations that I have personally photographed to ensure a quality guide to great locations for photography.
If you know of great places that are not posted, please send me the details, I may just decide that is a place I need to go!
Greg Disch is a freelance photographer located in Arkansas. Greg specializes in nature, scenic, wildlife, and other outdoor subjects in Arkansas and other areas of the country. Most of the images on this site are available for sale as prints, personal use, or rights managed stock photos.
Greg offers both classroom instruction and in the field hands on photographic workshops. Classroom sessions are normally held in Fort Smith Arkansas, but arrangements can be made to bring a class to your group.
All classes and workshops have small class sizes designed to provide an optimum student to instructor ratio, where you can get the personal attention, you need. Most classes and workshops are limited to a maximum of six participants and will be held with a minimum of only two.
If you are looking for a wonderful opportunity to get personal individual instruction, I do private workshops and classes at a location of your choice, whether doing a location photo shoot, coming to your home or business, traveling across the country on a road trip, or at my classroom. This is a fantastic way to learn digital workflow and be sure that your computer equipment is properly configured for optimum performance. [...]Read more...
Valley of Fire State Park
Fire Wave
One of the most photographed places in the Valley of Fire, the Fire Wave is a series of rings in the red sandstone. Past the visitor center you will come across the 1.5 mile fire wave trail that brings you to the swooping outlines of the fire wave.
Valley of Fire State Park
World-renowned for its 40,000 acres of bright red Aztec sandstone outcrops nestled in gray and tan limestone, Valley of Fire State Park contains ancient, petrified trees and petroglyphs dating back more than 2,000 years. The state park derives its name from red sandstone formations, the Aztec Sandstone, which formed from shifting sand dunes 150 million years ago. These features, which are the centerpiece of the park’s attractions, often appear to be on fire when reflecting the sun’s rays. It is Nevada’s oldest state park and was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1968.
A Visitor Center provides exhibits on the geology, ecology, prehistory and history of the park and nearby region. The park also hosts an Annual Atlatl Competition in which participants test their skills with replicas of ancient spears. Open year round, the park has numerous campsites equipped with shaded tables, grills and water, as well as many intriguing trails to tempt hikers.
Where it is:
Valley of Fire is located 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas, at an elevation between 1,320–3,009 feet. It abuts the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on the east at the Virgin River confluence.
From the Las Vegas Strip: Take the I-15 North approximately 35-40 miles. Take Exit 75 and head East toward Valley of Fire/Lake Mead. Drive approximately 17 miles on Valley of Fire to the West Entrance Station.
You can also take the more scenic route and see Lake Mead as well: Take the I-15 North to Lake Mead Blvd. Turn Right and head East to Lakeshore Road (NV-166). Turn Right onto Northshore Drive (NV-167) and follow Northshore to the east entrance to Valley of Fire.
Fire Wave Trail is a newer trail in Valley of Fire State Park that does not appear on some older park maps. Begin from Parking Lot #3, the final parking area on White Does Road before it ends by White Domes Trail. Follow the clearly marked trail to the Fire Wave.
Maps:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.
GPS:
Trailhead coordinates: 36.4882, -114.52875 (36° 29′ 17.51″N 114° 31′ 43.50″W)
Cost:
Day use entrance fee: $10.00 per vehicle
Bike in: $2.00 per bike
Camping: $20.00 per night + $10.00 for sites with utility hook ups
Hours:
The park is open from sunrise to sunset unless camping in campgrounds or a group camping area. After sunset, activity is limited to those areas.
Open seven days a week, 365 days a year.
The visitor center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Facilities:
Shaded areas with restrooms are located at Atlatl Rock, Seven Sisters, the Cabins, near Mouse’s Tank Trailhead and White Domes.
Drones:
Use of drones is prohibited in Nevada State Parks unless in an area designated for that use by a park supervisor or by issuance of a special use permit for use of a unmanned aircraft. All applicable FAA regulations apply.
Location Contact Information:
702-397-2088
vofsp@parks.nv.gov
Valley of Fire State Park
P.O. Box 515
Overton, NV 89040
Valley of Fire State Park Photo Gallery
Click Here for full page gallery
More Photographic Destinations in Nevada
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view. Click on a pushpin for more information about the Photographic Destination, then click on the title to go to the location page.
Click Here for Photographic Destinations by State
All the information in this post was believed to be accurate at the time it was published. Please be sure to double check with the location before relying on this information as everything changes over time, especially hours, prices, and whether the location is still open.
Great Places for Great Photos
Let me help you to find a great location for your next photography adventure. I will list many lesser-known destinations, as well as the famous "Icon Locations" for photography. I will provide photos (Lots of Photos), location information, consisting of what there is to photograph as well as other information about the destination. I will give costs, maps, directions, contact information, and other essential information for a successful photo trip. I will only post for locations that I have personally photographed to ensure a quality guide to great locations for photography.
If you know of great places that are not posted, please send me the details, I may just decide that is a place I need to go!
Greg Disch is a freelance photographer located in Arkansas. Greg specializes in nature, scenic, wildlife, and other outdoor subjects in Arkansas and other areas of the country. Most of the images on this site are available for sale as prints, personal use, or rights managed stock photos.
Greg offers both classroom instruction and in the field hands on photographic workshops. Classroom sessions are normally held in Fort Smith Arkansas, but arrangements can be made to bring a class to your group.
All classes and workshops have small class sizes designed to provide an optimum student to instructor ratio, where you can get the personal attention, you need. Most classes and workshops are limited to a maximum of six participants and will be held with a minimum of only two.
If you are looking for a wonderful opportunity to get personal individual instruction, I do private workshops and classes at a location of your choice, whether doing a location photo shoot, coming to your home or business, traveling across the country on a road trip, or at my classroom. This is a fantastic way to learn digital workflow and be sure that your computer equipment is properly configured for optimum performance. [...]Read more...
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