9 Photo Spots in Phoenix... That Don’t Feel Like Phoenix

When you hear “Phoenix,” you probably picture flat land, shiny chrome buildings, and bone-dry desert...

And that might be true… if you’ve only ever stopped here once or twice on a 48-hour work trip with no rental car and nothing but the nearby hotel Marriott serving dry eggs and weak coffee.

Despite people moving here at over 50x the national average since 2020, most folks still don’t have a damn clue how special, strange, and wildly interesting Phoenix really is. If you know me or my work, you know how delighted I am to be an Arizona native, raised among the saguaros and wild coyotes of the Sonoran Desert. The sunsets are warm and delicious, the food is just as incredible and getting better every year, and the sunshine feels endless. There’s a hike for every flavor of outdoor-obsessed.

But what most people miss about the Valley is its architectural history, its flora-and-fauna biodiversity, and its deep cultural connection to Native land, artists, and old farmsteads. This place is packed with wonder and oddities if you take the time to slow down, observe, document, and actually care.

I’ve lived here my whole life and, as a photographer deeply in love with this place, I’ve pulled together my top 11 spots around the PHX Valley if you’re craving architecture-forward inspiration beyond the usual desert vistas and hiking trails (beautiful, yes, but there are enough of those articles already). Be mindful when you visit each spot and respect any rules or guidelines posted. Let’s not be jerks, okay?

1. Cosanti Originals

One of my absolute favorite spots in town. Tucked near Paradise Valley’s quiet neighborhood of architectural gems sits Cosanti Originals — an otherworldly earth-cast compound founded by Italian-born architect, urban designer, and philosopher Paolo Soleri. This is where you’ll find his famous molten bronze windbells, still poured and finished by a number of local and worldwide artists who’ve carried on his work for more than 65 years.

The structures at Cosanti are full-on experiments hand crafted for eternal sunshine. They're crafted from ancient building principles and are what ultimately shaped Soleri’s belief that humans could design a built world in balance with nature. My guy!

This Paradise Valley hideout feels like a mini version of Arcosanti, Soleri’s larger desert experiment about an hour north along the I-17 in Yavapai County.

Before you go, you can pre-listen to each bell’s sound here. Turn it up for maximum ASMR-deliciousness.

Notes for Photographers:

Please be mindful of other guests when shooting, and ask before photographing people, especially if you’re rolling up with a big medium format setup. And commercial photography isn’t allowed unless you’ve arranged permission in advance.

2.) Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West

Another gem in the Valley of the Sun is this wildly stunning, inspiration-packed home by revolutionary American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright.

Taliesin West is built almost entirely from local materials, lovingly constructed by Wright himself and his apprentices. It has an almost prehistoric grandeur with low terraces, sharp lines, and sun-soaked oranges and yellows that shout as loudly as the desert’s golden hour.

It's a mesmerizing must in Scottsdale.

Notes for Photographers:

Tours are mandatory, but cameras are welcome and encouraged to document the space. If you’re dreaming up a styled portrait session or more elaborate personal shoot — you can arrange a private session with the Taliesin West team ahead of time.

3. ASU Gammage & Campus Arboretum

Frank Lloyd Wright makes another appearance on this list, and this time he’s right in my old backyard. I earned two undergraduate degrees at Arizona State University (ASU), and I’m convinced the campus doesn’t get nearly enough credit for how beautiful it is.

ASU Gammage hosts the city’s best theater productions, touring Broadway shows, concerts, and more experimental performances for audiences from all over. Wright originally designed an opera house for Baghdad, Iraq, that was never built, so he repurposed that design for this theater.

On top of that, the entire campus is a registered arboretum. Take an hour to wander its outdoor corridors! My favorite spots are the Secret Garden tucked near the library and the building for the School of Sustainable Engineering.

Notes for Photographers:

Most of the magic is in the exterior and it’s very easy to photograph. Just try to avoid peak class times and game days so you’re not dodging the college crowds or parked cars in the Gammage parking lot. If you’d like to photograph the inside, ask a docent or staff member during weekday hours for a quick walkthrough.

4. Maple & Ash Neighborhoods

As a former twenty-something ASU student who spent plenty of nights roaming Tempe bars and streets, I was genuinely stunned by how charming the neighborhoods are just off campus. These quiet streets are lined with mature citrus trees, unruly hardscapes that any strict HOA would faint over, manicured gardens, porch swings, and lovingly kept mid-century homes.

Notes for Photographers:

As with any residential neighborhood, be respectful. Stick to sidewalks and public spaces, and don’t step onto private property or take a picture of faces without permission. Bonus points if you know someone who lives there and can peek inside some of the homes; the interiors are often delightfully vintage and cookie-cutter in the best, most nostalgic way.

6.) Bob’s Tire Corral

An incredibly random, wonderfully grimy spot to visit with CineStill 800T — Bob’s Tire Corral. Tucked along a busy Tempe street near ASU’s campus, it’s an old tire yard with towering stacks of rubber and a little fill-up station that’s clearly seen better days. It’s perfect for gritty frames, bold color palettes, and film shots that lean heavy on metal signage, chipped paint, and saturated yellows and reds.

Notes for Photographers:

This is an active business, so treat it like a quick pit stop (or better yet, go after hours). Be polite and out of the workers’ way, and avoid blocking driveways or bays You’re on a busy street with limited parking, so grab the frame and roll out.

7. Elvis-Inspired Chapel

Tucked at the base of the Superstition Mountains sits a quirky, Elvis-inspired chapel framed by pristine Sonoran desert. It’s perfectly picturesque for film shooters and offers a delightfully kitschy dose of history on the inside, complete with life-sized Elvis cutouts in the tiny steeple.

While plenty of Elvis shrines feel randomly cooked up for tourism, this one actually has receipts from the King himself who appeared in the Chapel in the 1969 Western Charro! A desert classic, truly.

Notes for Photographers

You can book more in-depth tours between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., but it’s also worth a quick detour just to grab a few frames. Sunset is prime time for those golden Superstition hues, and you get the gorgeous views of the desert in the background.

8. AZ Worm Farm Tomato Hot House

A personal favorite my family hits about once a month for worm and soil pickups for our backyard garden. The AZ Worm Farm is a 10-acre urban farm at the base of South Mountain with a simple, lovely mission... to turn “garbage” into food.

The land is open to the public, so just walk through the main gate and gander past their compost setups and worm piles. My favorite spot is the Tomato Hot House, a mid-sized greenhouse near the center of the property, cooled with a perforated-air system and packed with plump heirloom tomatoes and bananas hanging at eye level. Just a gorgeous backdrop for the garden-lovers and a place not many locals even know exists.

Notes for Photographers

This is a working farm, so be extra aware of staff and give them plenty of space to move and work. The hot house is fairly tight, so a wide-angle lens might your best friend in there.

9. Downtown Mesa’s Dive Bars & Vintage Neon Hotels

This list wouldn’t be complete without a little gaudy neon or chipped paint, right? Downtown Mesa holds a dear place in my heart. I grew up just a few miles east and still frequent my childhood home for nostalgia resets.

Over the years, the area has gotten way more popular, seen big renovations, and picked up its fair share of gentrified businesses in the downtown square (for better or worse). But the history here is still wonderful. Beyond the nearby neighborhoods that echo Maple & Ash’s cozy cottage vibes, you’ve got tons of character packed into local bookshops, antique malls, and divey little spots that haven’t changed in decades. I love this place.

For photographers chasing gritty street scenes or a cinematic motel energy, Main Street is your playground. The most famous sign belongs to the Starlite Motel, with its iconic “diving lady” animation, cycling her way off the board and into the glowing pool below. The sign actually fell during a massive 2010 monsoon, and a local resident pushed the city to restore it, arguing how important it was to Mesa’s visual identity. They listened, and she’s back in all her turquoise glory!

Other motels to wander past are the Neon Garden and the Sun Land Mote.

Notes for Photographers:

Main Street stays fairly busy, especially during the day. Be mindful of traffic, crosswalks, and where you park. Nighttime is amazing for long exposures, but safety first.