What are you going to be driving? (I know it will be rental car -- but if you get one with a 4-WD, and ignore the warnings about going off-highway) there is a place you ought to consider....

The campground isn't all that fabulous, but a short drive down the Mojave Road just beyond the campground will take you to the approach to the Grand Canyon of the Mojave. Exit I-15 at Afton Road and head SSE. Just before you reach the river you will see a campground on your left. Just past the railroad trestle is a spur that crosses the river and then you can make your way down the canyon. Fabulous early morning and late afternoon light really brings the reds, greens, blues and tans alive in the surrounding rock. Now.... this road can be treacherous -- deep sand and quick-sand like mud sections. So travel prepared. You can make the loop by continuing NNE on the Mojave Road and return to I-15 at Basin Road. You will also cross near Cave Mountain -- at the base of the mountain was a cave that was used as a stagecoach stop. For many years, there was a natural pool -- deep enough to go swimming in.

A couple of links:
This one of the better Mojave Road sites -- check it for conditions
SandDiegoReader
Pretty good video of the area
NPS page about the Mojave Road

Dave gave you the link for my article about the Mojave Preserve -- Seriously, you've got to walk to the top of Kelso Dunes for sunset shots.. I have a couple of favorite campgrounds -- The Rings Trail at Hole-in-the-Wall is pretty fun -- but I really like the relative remoteness of the Mid-Hills Campground -- Here's a good site about trails in the area

Two other places that are off-the-beaten track -- but offer nearly unparelled photo ops...

Knob Hill south of Las Vegas on US-95. Dispersed camping available -- I have some favorite places -- but I'm sure you can find them. On the road in -- it can be done in 2-WD -- but high-clearance is must in places. You will find evidence of the old wagon trains that used to ply the area in a few places. Knob Hill is marked on the Benchmark Maps for Nevada. Great opps for light play on the boulders.

Rainbow Canyon just south of Caliente, Nevada. It could get chilly and snowy -- but that's some of the appeal. It's like being the only person at Zion -- when you visit this place. Same rock formations -- nearly no one there. Again -- marked on the Benchmark Maps. Post-911 you can't drive very far south on Meadow Valley Road past the paved section -- because it closely follows the UP RR -- but still very, very cool.

That's a start. But I need to know equipped you will be for weather and off-highway road conditions...

Oh.... Don't forget the mysterious sliding stones at Racetrack Playa! No serious landscape photographer should miss seeing this at least once!

Mark