Nelson Ghost Town
SOLD OUT - Join The Waitlist
18 Hours of Location Access
9 Hours of Learning
2 Workshop Hosts
All Skill Levels Welcome
$1595 per person (Reserve with deposit.)
Add Goffs for just $300
NEW! Dark Sky Edition
October 16, 17 and 18, 2025
Optional Bonus Night : Goffs, CA October 19th
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.
Special Guest
I am thrilled to once again 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.
Some of What We'll Be Covering
- Setting your gear up for success after dark.
-High ISO Photography
- Star trail compositing.
- Stacking and tracking.
- High ISO Processing Workflows.
- Night Time HDR processing.
- Light Painting
- Compositing for night : How to consider the sky.
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.
Travel and Logistics:
Las Vegas is the closest airport to both Nelson Ghost Town and Goffs. We recommend you fly in and out of Las Vegas.
You will need a rental car to participate in the event. Any car will be appropriate. We will not be off-roading.
Our daytime sessions will be held at a facility in the Boulder / Henderson area (exact address TBA soon.) This is about a 35 minute drive to Nelson.
Air Travel (airfare, rental car) and accommodations are the responsibility of each attendee.
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. And best of all, it's a Bortle 2! In other words, the stars here are amazing!
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 $300 per person and includes access, dinner AND lodging on site (basic camper trailer.)
Bonus Night - Goffs, CA
October 19, 2025
How To Register
We are sold out but you can jump on our Waitlist here.
This event is limited to ten attendees. The enrollment is $1595 per person for the main Nelson Event with the option to upgrade to the additional Goffs Night. A low deposit of $250 is due at sign up, with the remaining balance due July 16, 2025.
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!
It's all About the Dark!
Looking for a weird and interesting place to photograph under starry skies and in the safety of a group? We've taken our always-sold-out ghost town workshop and deleted the moonlight! If you've attended our full moon events here, a completely different experience awaits you.
Physical Considerations
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 midnight, shoot only as late as you feel comfortable.
Bortle 2 skies
Enclosed, safe and walkable.
Includes BBQ dinner and onsite lodging.
Photograph as late as you like.
