Need location ideas for your photo session? Here are a few places where I have or would love to do a photo session.
Outdoor Locations
I’ve photographed people at a few of these places. Some I’ve only photographed for fun, but I’m ready to do a session at any of these spots. What about you?
NOTES
Not all the spots are good for wearing skimpy outfits, implied, or artistic nude sessions.
You must either do your own hair and makeup or come to my home studio to have your hair and makeup done before we head out on location. The session fee is the same either way.
It is not against Nevada law to bare breasts or buttocks in public. However, exposing the genitalia or anus in public is against the law. A law enforcement official can arrest you even if no one saw you or no one else is around. The first offense is a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in prison and up to a $2,000 fine. A subsequent offense is classified as Category D felony, punishable by 1-4 years in prison and a fine up to $5,000. All indecent exposure defendants are required to register as a sex offender, although Tier 1 (gross misdemeanor) offenders are not searchable by the public unless the victim (if any) was a child. Reference: Las Vegas Defense Group
(PS you can also be arrested for indecent exposure just by walking around in your home nude with open window coverings or in your backyard — no skinny dipping if you have a pool or jacuzzi/hot tub… sheesh!)
If you desire to do a nude photo session outdoors, we strongly recommend a remote location where people (especially law enforcement officials, including park rangers) are highly unlikely to be around.
Most, if not all state and national parks require photography permits.
Jean & El Dorado Dry Lake Beds
Jamie Bauern, Alissa Gunn, & Carla
There are many dry lake beds in Southern Nevada. Two more popular ones are Jean and El Dorado Dry Lake Beds.
Both are amazing places for photo sessions. We can shoot artistic nudes at these dry lake beds. Although we will take every precaution and try to bring someone to be a lookout, these dry lake beds are popular off-road recreational areas. So, expect to be seen.
Wheel of Misfortune
The Wheel of Misfortune, in Henderson, Nevada, looks like an awesome place for a photo session. I haven’t been there yet, but it looks like it is rather secluded so risqué and artistic nude sessions might be okay.
I’ve read that there is a lot of rebar, broken glass, nails, rusty cans, and other debris and trash that could prove to be injurious, so we’ll have to take it slow and easy so as not to get hurt and need tetanus shots and stitches.
Who wants to shoot here?
Las Vegas Strip @ Tropicana
There is an area in front of the Tropicana Hotel & Casino that gets very little foot traffic. It faces the Las Vegas Strip and depending upon the angle of the shot, the MGM Grand, New York, New York or Excalibur Hotels can be in the background. I’ve shot here at night before, but I think early morning or late afternoon session would produce even better results.
Other nice spots to shoot in this area are in front of the MGM Lion, outside New York, New York, outside of Excalibur, outside of Luxor among the Egyptian statues, and on the pedestrian bridges that cross Las Vegas Blvd. and Tropicana Blvd.
Jamie Bauern
Las Vegas Strip @ Flamingo
Bellagio Fountains, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower
Another great Las Vegas Strip location… Bellagio Fountains, Arc du Triomphe and Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas, statues and fountains at Caesar’s Palace. Plus Planet Hollywood and City Center [Cosmopolitan, Aria, Vdara, etc.], and the High Roller are nearby too.
I think one of the legs of the Eiffel Tour would make an excellent background for some photos.
International Car Forest | Goldfield, Nevada
I absolutely want to do a photo session at the International Car Forest of the Last Church in Goldfield, Nevada. It is about a 3-hour drive north of Las Vegas and is such a cool location. There are a variety of vehicles with cool street art to use as backgrounds.
I’d like to do sessions during the day, particularly around sunset, using various vehicles as backdrops. I’d also like to shoot at night using glow sticks and other portable, battery powered lights to illuminate vehicles.
We can use glow sticks and sparklers to make light trails. We can use white light and UV light (blacklight) flashlights and other battery-powered portable lighting to briefly illuminate the scene while allowing the colors from the glow sticks and sparklers to show… OH! and, the Milky Way as a background too. If anyone is game, we could use fluorescent and/or glow in the dark body paints and black light. Finally, this would be a good place to experiment with colored powders and strobe lights. Who thinks this would be cool?
Rhyolite, Nevada
There are so many cool backgrounds to shoot against day or night, including the Milky Way. There are the Artist, Ghosts of the Last Supper and Ghost Rider sculptures, an old abandoned truck (the truck has been moved from this spot to a less photogenic spot, but will still work), numerous abandoned buildings, Lady Desert: Venus of Nevada cinder block sculpture, Tribute to Shorty Harris statue, Sit Here! a giant ceramic tile covered sofa, an old caboose, an old water/fuel tank, an abandoned, stripped car, and more.
Sit Here! would make for a very cool boudoir or implied nude shoot.
Like my idea for shooting at the International Car Forest of the Last Church in Goldfield, Nevada, I also want to do some shoots at night, using glow sticks, sparklers, white light, and UV light (blacklight) flashlights, and battery-powered portable lighting to illuminate the model and scene. Wouldn’t this be a cool shoot?
Downtown Las Vegas & The Arts District
Damsel Doll
Fremont Street, Arts District, Container Park… these are just a few awesome places to shoot in downtown Las Vegas. There is so much street art to use as backgrounds too. Damsel Doll and I shot in the Arts District.
Since some of the art changes occasionally, I’m always ready to head into downtown Las Vegas to shoot.
Rock-A-Hoola Abandoned Water Park
Also known as Lake Delores Waterpark. This place would be an awesome place to shoot anytime, day or night, but especially around sunrise and sunset. It would be perfect for a swimsuit shoot.
Valley of Fire State Park
I shot landscape and sunrise photos here in November 2017 while I was on my nearly annual staycation. I went back in April 2018 and shot with Avrora near Firecave just after sunrise. There are several other areas that could be fantastic spots for a session: Rainbow Vista, Elephant Rock, Seven Sisters, and some other spots.
A permit is required at Valley of Fire State Park, though you can probably get away without one. I didn’t have one for this session with Avrora and no park rangers came around.
Avrora
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Lots of photographers and models shoot here, but even so, I’d like to as well. Sunrise or sunset would be best, but that also depends upon the season. Red Rock Canyon opens at 6:00 AM and closes at dusk.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area requires a permit, but you can probably get away without one as long as you don’t shoot in the more popular spots.
Spring Mountain Ranch State Park
This is a popular spot for engagement photos, primarily at the grassy, park-like area. But there are plenty of other good places to shoot at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park. This would also be a day shoot as the park opens around 7:00 AM and closes around dusk.
Spring Mountain Ranch State Park requires a permit, but you may be able to get away without one if you don’t shoot in the more popular spots.
Clark County Wetlands Park
There are several nice locations within the Clark County Wetlands Park to shoot: Boardwalk Pond, Vern’s Pond & Island, Wildlife Blind, Upper Pond, West Upper Pond, West Lower Pond, Cottonwood Grove, Goodding’s Willow Grove, and a couple of burn sites for some post-apocalyptic cosplay or themed shoots.
There is also a very secluded area that could be used for more risqué sessions. I’ve scouted the spot twice and never saw anyone there. We can shoot here anytime between sunrise and dusk as Clark County Wetlands Park closes at dusk.
Death Valley
Death Valley National Park is about a 3-hour drive from Las Vegas. Photo sessions at Death Valley have to be planned for late autumn through early spring, though it can get cold in winter at many Death Valley locations, especially higher elevations.
Death Valley is open 24 hours per day so night time sessions are possible here.
Big Dune, Amargosa Valley, Nevada
Big Dune is located in Amargosa Valley, Nevada, about 29 miles south of Beatty, Nevada. I’ve driven past Big Dune several times on my way to other shoot locations.
It is a perfect location for a Rey (from Star Wars: The Force Awakens) cosplay set here. Anyone want to put together a Rey cosplay and shoot with me at Big Dune? Or maybe a Spaceballs cosplay? We could do a set with my Jeep.
Floyd Lamb Park
I always forget about Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs. It seems like it’s far away, but it’s not. It’s in the northwest part of Las Vegas. I recently shot some landscape and wildlife photos there. There are four small lakes and plentiful scenic views and buildings to use as backgrounds.
I had my professional headshots taken here, and they turned out very nice.
Photoshoots here will have to be daytime shoots as the park closes around dusk. It’s a popular family park, so anything risqué is out.
Lake Las Vegas
There are a lot of settings that are prime spots for photo sessions: covered bridge, staircases, waterfall, reeds, gazebo, beaches, grassy areas.
Keep two items in mind:
- It is private property.
- They require a permit and insurance with Lake Las Vegas as the benficiary.
Also, it’s a public space so risqué shoots are out.
El Dorado Canyon
El Dorado Canyon, near Nelson, Nevada, is an interesting place to shoot. It’s filled with vintage items, old vehicles, abandoned building, and even two mock plane crashes. It’s private property, but they allow photoshoots for a very small fee. I’d love to do some photoshoots here; however, anything risqué is not allowed.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Lake Mead is, obviously, a perfect place for swimsuit sessions. Unless you have or rent a boat, we’ll have to shoot at one of the public beaches, so nothing more risqué than swimsuits.
Mt. Charleston
In the summer, it is much cooler in the mountains than it is in the Las Vegas Valley and surrounding areas. In winter, snow usually blankets Mt. Charleston. No matter what season, it’s beautiful up on Mt. Charleston. If you’d like to shoot among the trees, Mt. Charleston is the place to go.
Rogers Spring
My client, April, wanted to do a water set after our session at Valley of Fire State Park.
She found Rogers Warm Spring a few days before her session. The water in Rogers Warm Spring is home to an amoeba, common to thermal pools, that may enter the body and cause severe medical issues. While swimming is not recommended, it is okay to get in the water as long as you don’t have any cuts, scrapes, open sores, etc. And definitely don’t dunk your head as the amoeba can enter your body through nasal passages, mouth, eyes, and ears.
The photo to the right was shot in the stream that flows out of the spring.
The bottom of the spring looks very muddy and of fine silt or clay. I suggest wearing aqua socks or cloth sneakers that won’t slip off if your feet get sucked into the mud. Unless you like mud squishing between your toes.
Other Outdoor Locations
Here’s an incomplete list of other outdoor locations. Some of them require a road trip and overnight stay.
- Cathedral Gorge State Park
- Great Basin National Park
- Extraterrestrial Highway
- Neon Museum (might be rather expensive)
- Springs Preserve
- Lake Tahoe
- Clark County Heritage Museum
- Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
- Desert National Wildlife Refuge
- Little Finland (4-wheel drive vehicle, food, and plenty of water required)
Indoor Locations
There is no shortage of indoor locations for photoshoots in Las Vegas: my home studio, hotel rooms & suites, Airbnbs, your home, a friend’s home, and professional studios, though there aren’t as many professional studios here as you might expect. Luxor, the Gold Strike Hotel & Casino, and the Stratosphere normally have inexpensive rooms, especially Sunday through Thursday. The suites at the Strip hotels are nice but more expensive.
Airbnb has listings for condominiums at Palms Place and Signature Suites at MGM Resorts. They are very nice but often pricey.
Of course, with some Airbnbs and private homes, you also can get a backyard to shoot in, and some may have swimming pools, hot tubs, and/or Jacuzzis, and other cool settings (like pool tables).
Professional studios may have a variety of sets, or furniture to create our own set.
Please keep in mind if you wish to have your session in a hotel room/suite, Airbnb, or some other place that charges rent, you are responsible for all rental, cleaning, taxes, and other fees.
Can't Come to Las Vegas?
I can travel all over Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and Southern California for sessions. I’ll consider points further away like Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon, Idaho, and Northern California especially if multiple photo sessions can be booked.
Estimated travel expenses, including mileage, gas, food, and lodging will be added to the session fee for all locations outside of a 3-hour radius from my home studio in Las Vegas.
