Bodie

For my Birthday weekend, my wife and I traveled to Bridgeport, CA for the long weekend. The town is located in the Eastern Sierras a few miles north of Mono Lake. As far as towns go, it’s pretty remote but it has a fun atmosphere (mostly due to all the fly fisherman who flock to the area) and acts as a perfect base to explore the many wonders of Eastern California.

One of my photographic bucket list places to visit has been Bodie. Gold was discovered during a mine cave-in in 1875. A short time later, it grew to be a town of over 10,000 people. Today it is a state park and is preserved in “arrested decay.” It feels like an authentic ghost town. Original products and interiors remain untouched and make it feel like you are going back in time as you walk through the town.

The elevation of Bodie is 8,375 feet, so even at the beginning of summer, the wind was howling and the air was chilly. It is open all-year-round, but the road up to the town is frequently closed in winter due to snow.

I photographed the town with my Leica M10 Monochrom camera as I wanted to use the black and white to give the time an even more historic vibe. The sky that day was also perfect for black and white, especially when using a yellow filter. The cloudy sky enhanced the spooky and abandoned feel of the town. If you like ghost towns, I highly recommend giving Bodie a visit.