Nelson Ghost Town
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18 Hours of Location Access
9 Hours of Learning
2 Workshop Hosts
All Skill Levels Welcome
$1495 per person.
Add Goffs for $275.
A Night Photography Adventure
April 10, 11 and 12, 2025
Optional Bonus Night : Goffs, CA April 13
Nelson Ghost Town - What Is This Place?
Gas pumps, old cars, rickety buildings, soda machines, creepy dolls, crashed aircraft, and a phone booth.
Located 43 miles southeast of Las Vegas, Nelson Ghost Town is a privately owned, self contained collection of weirdness and wonder…and it’s growing.
The Spaniards called it El Dorado thanks to gold discovery which would eventually lead to one of Nevada's biggest mining booms of the time. These days, the mines remain and what little gold left untouched inside them isn't worth the cost it would take to extract.
Over the last several years, the property has become a stop over for tourists, adventure seekers and has occasionally served as the backdrop to movie and television productions. Thanks to the owner's self described "hoarding tendencies," unique and interesting subjects continue to get added to the grounds as he scours the southwest for anything and everything that he thinks belongs there.
While they welcome visitors during daylight hours, try as you might to shoot after dark and they will run you off quicker than a flash flood. The owners are rightfully protective of their jewel of the desert and as one of the signs says "You Better Not Be Here After Dark." That is, unless you have their blessing.
Our three night workshop gives us access to everything that Nelson has to offer and is set on both sides of a rarely travelled, dead end road a few miles from the Colorado River. You’ll be photographing this moonlit landscape with subjects ripe for light painting. This experience will be unlike any other and thanks to the property size, you'll have plenty of room to spread out and do your thing.
Special Guest
I am thrilled to welcome this workshop’s special guest and personal friend, Mr. Ken Lee.
Ken is an accomplished light painter and author who has been featured in National Geographic among others. Much of his work is instantly recognizable thanks to his unique style. Ken is also known for his incredible star trail compositions that incorporate cars, busses, buildings and landscapes from Joshua Tree to the Trona Pinnacles and beyond under moonlight and starlight.
In his own words:
"I am a night photographer. I drive long hours in a dusty car listening to weird music, stay out all night creating photos, get dirty, hang out with other creative sleep-deprived weirdos, see the stars drift across the sky, and always find the best taco stands.
I have been exploring the Southwestern United States as well as parts of the East Coast for over nine years, brandishing a camera, tripod, and colored flashlight. I especially love creating night photos of abandoned historical places, unique features, and beautiful landscapes. These are experiences that I absolutely cherish.
I also currently have several books of night photography of abandoned locales released, and more that I am working on with a publisher. My images have appeared in National Geographic Books, Omni Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Westways Magazine, and numerous other publications. I've also won numerous awards."
See Ken's work at www.kenleephotography,com.
What We'll Be Covering
- Ideal gear - what the pros are using and why.
- Low ISO long exposures vs high ISO short exposures – when and why?
- Star trail compositing.
- Shooting the moon/Shooting away from the moon and determining your aperture.
- Recording movement of light.
- Focusing in the dark.
- Light painting on any budget.
- Composition: Photographing at any height but eye level.
- Safety considerations.
- Relying on your talent, not your computer: Create “organic” photos using your eyes as your guide, not based on post production expectations.
- White Balance; capturing the silvery light of the moon, and squashing streetlights.
Have fun! I don’t like boring lectures, and you probably don’t either. This workshop is designed to give you insight and tips that will help you develop your own "after dark" style.
Host Hotel - TBA
Our host hotel will be in the greater Henderson area. More information will be provided to our attendees soon, but you are welcome to stay where you are most comfortable.
Travel / Logistics / Other Considerations
Travel (airfare, rental car) and accommodations are the responsibility of each attendee. The closest airport to our event is McCaran / Las Vegas and our presentations will be held at the Best Western Plus in Boulder City. There are many hotels in the area should you choose a different option.
Our shoot location is a 30 minute drive from our base hotel. The majority of the route is highway and is a fairly easy commute. Once you do It the first time, you'll have no problem doing it by memory the next!
Food and provisions are up to you. There are several restaurants in the area of the hotel but nothing in the immediate vicinity of the workshop location so you should plan on bringing food and drink in and out as needed. Remember, this is dry desert air so water is a must even at night.
There is a working bathroom on site and in most cases you should be able to receive a cellular signal on portions of the property.
Workshop Physical Difficulty Level :
Easy - easy/moderate. This workshop is perfect for anyone who wants an awesome experience but does not necessarily have a PHD in advanced hiking. This is a "drive up" location with easy access to your parked car when needed for gear or snacks. You will be walking on packed, desert sand. Part of the property includes a slight incline but most of the area is relatively flat. It also has a bathroom!
As always, you should be on the look out for cactus, wild life and sharp corners on the various subjects nearby. Temperatures could be anywhere between 50F-70F making for comfortable shooting conditions.
It is recommended you plan for "layered" clothing to help you keep shooting!
All though each night's shoot ends at either midnight or 1am, shoot only as late as you feel comfortable. We will talk about you once you leave.
Approximately 90 minutes south of Nelson is the little Route 66 town of Goffs. Here you will find a micro-community cared for by some of the nicest people you've ever met.
For photographers who appreciate the echoes of days gone by, there''s much to see here including the locally famous Mojave Road Bus, retired railroad infrastructure such as old signals, signs, a replica of the old train station and even a caboose converted to a living space. Throw in some old mining equipment, wind mills, gas pumps and old cars and you've got yourself a full night of photography with the distant sounds of passing freight trains setting the mood. And if you look hard enough you might find a rather large collection of gnomes located not far from an equally large collection of frogs!
Like Nelson, this is another "enclosed" property making it a "feel safe" environment. We've not only secured permission to photograph everything listed above but, should you choose, you can stay in one of the trailers located right on site! Imagine wrapping up your shoot, walking to your trailer and going to sleep. It's just that easy! Otherwise, Needles will be the closest town with hotels and is located approximately 30 minutes away.
Our visit will include a BBQ hang out followed by a "curfew-free" night of shooting. Photograph as late as you like!
The add on price for this location is $275 per person and includes access, dinner AND lodging on site (camper trailer.)
Bonus Night - Goffs, CA
How To Register
This event is limited to ten attendees. The enrollment is $1495 per person for the main Nelson Event with the option to upgrade to the additional Goffs Night. A deposit of $500 is due at sign up, with the remaining balance due January 10, 2025.
After reviewing our cancellation policy, please click the button below to be taken to the registration form. We look forward to seeing you!
Hi, I'm Tim and I'll be the workshop host! You can learn more about me in my bio.
My commitment to you is to offer a fun and educational experience in a positive atmosphere. As my friends hear me say, I don't shoot for NASA and that's my way of reminding you that night photography is art and appreciating these moments under the night sky is why we do this. If you're new to night photography, I hope you get the same feeling of wonder I experienced (and still do) when I attended my first few workshops. And if you've been doing this for a while, I hope meeting new people and seeing these locations continue to energize and push forward your creativity.
Use the contact form at the bottom of this page to send any questions you may have. Please be sure to include your phone number in case my response does not make it to you!
