The Aaron Mayes Photographs (approximately 1990-2003) consist of photographic negatives, positives, slides, born-digital files, and prints created for clients and publications by local Las Vegas photographer Aaron Mayes. A significant portion of this material was created while Mayes was employed at the Las Vegas Sun. Mayes also freelanced for the Greenspun Media Group publications, such as Scope magazine, Vegas Golfer, and Las Vegas Life which are also represented in this collection. Mayes covered current events, breaking news stories, politicians, local art and artists, and much more. Another significant client was the City of Henderson Parks and Recreation Department, where Mayes covered local events and photographed for their Henderson Happenings publication.
The Aaron Mayes Photographs (approximately 1990-2003) consist of photographic negatives, positives, slides, born-digital files, and prints created for clients and publications by local Las Vegas photographer Aaron Mayes. A significant portion of this material was created while Mayes was employed at the Las Vegas Sun. Mayes also freelanced for the Greenspun Media Group publications, such as Scope magazine, Vegas Golfer, and Las Vegas Life which are also represented in this collection. Mayes covered current events, breaking news stories, politicians, local art and artists, and much more. Another significant client was the City of Henderson Parks and Recreation Department, where Mayes covered local events and photographed for their Henderson Happenings publication.
Collection is open for research.
This material is made available to facilitate private study, scholarship, or research. Material in this collection may be protected by copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity rights, or other interests not owned by UNLV. Copyrights to work done for the Las Vegas Sun and any Greenspun Media Group publication remains with those specific entities. Contact the publications for usage rights. Users are responsible for determining whether permissions are necessary from rights owners for any intended use and for obtaining all required permissions. Please contact UNLV Special Collections and Archives (special.collections@unlv.edu) for additional information.
Material is arranged by work type and/or client.
Aaron Mayes is a photographer who documents Southern Nevada landscapes, built environments, and the communities that shape the region. Born in Las Vegas, Nevada and raised in Reno, Mayes grew up spending time in both northern and southern Nevada, developing a lasting connection to the state and its people. Mayes began his career in photojournalism in the 1990s, first with the Henderson Home News and beginning in 1994, with the Las Vegas Sun. He also freelanced for other Greenspun Media Group publications, including Scope, Vegas Golfer, and Las Vegas Life magazines. From the mid-1990s through the early 2000s, he also freelanced for the City of Henderson Parks and Recreation, documenting community events and contributing photography to the department’s Henderson Happenings publication.
In 2003, Mayes joined University of Nevada, Las Vegas as campus photographer, where he documented all aspects of university life. In 2016, he transitioned into his current role as Visual Materials Curator for UNLV Special Collections and Archives (SCA), where he is responsible for growing SCA's holdings by both creating and collecting photographs. He also provides technical expertise for the division's digitization efforts.
A fifth-generation Nevadan, Mayes' work has been seen in local, national, and international publications.
Source:
Aaron Mayes (SCA Visual Materials Curator), personal communication.
Aaron Mayes Photographs, approximately 1990-2003. PH-00470. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. http://n2t.net/ark:/62930/f17z19
Materials were donated in 2026 by Aaron Mayes; accession number 2026-037.
In 2026, Landon Paljusaj accessioned the collection. Sarah Jones rehoused the physical files, and ingested digital files off the optical discs and flashdrive, and created the finding aid in ArchivesSpace. Two discs were unable to transfer due to corrupted files. They are in box 04 in case future staff are able to transfer the content.
Administrative Information
Donated by Aaron Mayes in 2026 as part of UNLV Special Collections and Archives holdings on the history of the Las Vegas Valley. A small number of personal files were removed from the original donation at the donor's request.