Atlas Obscura

Moonlit Ghost Towns: Night Photography in Death Valley

In 1897, the mining town of Ballarat burst to life amidst the dry Death Valley landscape. Drawn by a hopeful glint of gold, hundreds of prospectors flocked to the desert, only for the town to shutter less than a decade later. But the bones of the settlement still remain—an old jailhouse, a morgue, a few abandoned trucks overtaken by rust—in a state of spectacular decay.

On this photography exploration, focused on after-dark composition, we’ll venture through the remains of Death Valley’s bygone mining past to capture the spirit of the abandoned towns that still haunt the expansive desert. Shot by shot, we’ll excavate the forgotten history of each site by day and, come nightfall, photograph them under moonlight. Beneath a bed of stars and a full moon, Death Valley’s abandoned past comes back to life.

NPAN Ambassadors / Instructors: Chris Nicholson and Tim Cooper

For more information and to register, visit the Atlast Obscura info & registration page.