Pool in a slot canyon, Valley of Fire SP, Nevada. Recent rains had filled this colorful little slot canyon with water.

After our wintry visit to Zion, Claudia and I opted to head for the warmer lands of Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. Valley of Fire has sandstone and red rocks, but the rocks are different from anything I’ve seen in Utah. Some are rusty red, full of holes and small arches. Other areas have amazing, multi-colored layers of pastel hues – yellow, purple, orange, and pink.

I didn’t expect to create moody, dramatic images in a place like Valley of Fire. If an opportunity for something like that presented itself, then sure, I’d take advantage of it, but that wasn’t why I went there. It was more about exercising my eye for color and design in a rocky playground, which for me is tons of fun. And isn’t that why we do photography – because it’s fun? It doesn’t have to be super serious all the time.

Valley of Fire is also one of those places that rewards exploration. There are some often-photographed, “iconic” spots in Valley of Fire, but you can head off in almost any direction and find something interesting and photogenic. Discovering beautiful things yourself is also part of the fun.

Our second day at Valley of Fire was overcast, which was perfect for photographing all the colorful rocks. And we saw desert bighorn sheep – lots of them, including an old ram browsing through our campsite at dusk. Seeing the sheep alone was worth the visit.

We only spent two nights in Valley of Fire, but had a great time. We’ll definitely have to go back. Here are a few images from our visit.

— Michael Frye

P.S. If you go to Valley of Fire, be aware that it’s only open from sunrise to sunset, so you might miss the earliest and latest light, and you won’t be able to photograph at night.

Morning light on rock formations, Valley of Fire SP, Nevada

Colorful arches, Valley of Fire SP, Nevada

Sandstone kaleidoscope, Valley of Fire SP, Nevada

Jumbled sandstone, Valley of Fire SP, Nevada

Sandstone ribs, Valley of Fire SP, Nevada

Bighorn sheep ewe perched on a sandstone outcrop, Valley of Fire SP, Nevada

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Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. He is the author or principal photographer of The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite, Yosemite Meditations, Yosemite Meditations for Women, Yosemite Meditations for Adventurers, and Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters. He has also written three eBooks: Light & Land: Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom, Exposure for Outdoor Photography, and Landscapes in Lightroom: The Essential Step-by-Step Guide. Michael has written numerous magazine articles on the art and technique of photography, and his images have been published in over thirty countries around the world. Michael has lived either in or near Yosemite National Park since 1983, currently residing just outside the park in Mariposa, California.