BOOM TO BUST

Explore the fascinating similarities between the legendary boom-and-bust towns of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Bodie, California. This collection offers a visual journey, contrasting the vibrant energy of Las Vegas with the haunting stillness of Bodie, once bustling with life, but now a preserved ghost town. These photographs capture the essence of two very different yet interconnected worlds where dreams were pursued with fervor against the backdrop of fleeting prosperity.

Shot in 35mm in the late '90s, my explorations of these two cities, Bodie State Historic Park and the ever-changing Las Vegas, I saw a parallel of people and cities synonymous with the pursuit of dreams. Although starkly different, both places share a common narrative of human ambition, resilience, and the cyclical nature of fortune. 

Some of these photos are available on my Etsy store.

Bodie Classroom
A look inside the Bodie Schoolhouse.
Hendrick Honey
One of the largest slot machines in the world.
Bodie Mine Levers
Car controls for the Bodie Mines.
Enter Caesar
The old main hotel entrance.
Abandoned Stool
Looking into a room at Bodie Historic State Park Ghost Town, California
Wood, Wire and Light
An old shed in Bodie, CA.
Boardwalk Clown
Entrance to Boardwalk Casino.
Bodie Mine
Primary Bodie mine production building.
Caesars Fountain
Table of the Field
A table, left in the sun.
Holiday Motel
A motel on the strip.
Bucket Loop
Slag bucket from Bodie, CA.
Stardust Memory
Entrance of the Stardust Casino.
Grave Fence
Bodie grave fence.
Bodie Grave
A grave and wooden marker in Bodie Historic State Park Ghost Town, California
Fun City Motel
Home of much Las Vegas fun.
Umbrela Shade
Entrance plaza for the Boardwalk Casino.
Bodie Jack-O-Lantern
Looking North