On the way to Glacier - Bodie, California

DixieDixie Registered Users Posts: 1,497 Major grins
edited November 28, 2007 in Landscapes
Bodie, CA is a gold mining ghost town dating back to 1877 when small amounts of gold were found and about 20 people lived there. Then there was a big strike and the town grew to approximately 10,000 people. The end came in the 1920s when people just picked up and left. When they left, goods, dishes, furniture, etc. were left in place. It became a state park in 1962 and it is maintained in an "arrested state of decay" as it looked when the last people left.

The ghost town is now a California State Historical Park. Bodie State Historical Park is located about 18 miles NNE of east entrance to Yosemite NP and well worth the time to visit. The link is to the official park web site for anyone who is interested in getting more information for a possible visit to Bodie.

There are some absolutely great shots to had there. These are the first two that I've processed - so many photographs, so little time.

Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Click on the images for EXIF data:

197017325-O-1.jpg

197017395-O-1.jpg
Dixie
Photographs by Dixie
| Canon 1Ds | Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 5D | Canon 50D | Canon 10D | Canon EOS Elan 7 | Mamiya Pro S RB67 |
...and bunches of Canon lenses - I'm equipment rich and dollar poor!

Comments

  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,904 moderator
    edited October 13, 2007
    It's a great place to visit. The cemetery, the cars scattered about.

    Great place. Nice captures.
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • DesertRatDesertRat Registered Users Posts: 111 Major grins
    edited October 14, 2007
    My dad was born just over the hill from Bodie in Aurora. I really love the area. #2 is very nice, #1 seems oversaturated to me.

    Mike
    Looking for adventure in all the wrong places!
  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited October 14, 2007
    Bodie, as well as the whole surounding area, Mono Lake, Yosemite is interesting.

    Here is one from the grave yard.

    Sam
  • ElaineElaine Registered Users Posts: 3,532 Major grins
    edited October 14, 2007
    I especially like that shot of the church! The textures are great in both shots. Thanks for sharing more of your work!
    Elaine

    Comments and constructive critique always welcome!

    Elaine Heasley Photography
  • dbddbd Registered Users Posts: 216 Major grins
    edited October 15, 2007
    Dixie wrote:
    Bodie, CA is a gold mining ghost town dating back to 1877 when small amounts of gold were found and about 20 people lived there. Then there was a big strike and the town grew to approximately 10,000 people. The end came in the 1920s when people just picked up and left. When they left, goods, dishes, furniture, etc. were left in place. It became a state park in 1962 and it is maintained in an "arrested state of decay" as it looked when the last people left.
    The colors in the first shot are natural if saturated. Did the autowhite balance produce the green cast to the old Methodist Church or did you add it while lightening the shadows? It's a different interpretation of the weathered wood at Bodie.

    Dale B. Dalrymple
    http://dbdimages.com
    http://stores.lulu.com/dbd
    "Give me a lens long enough and a place to stand and I can image the earth."
    ...with apology to Archimedies
  • DixieDixie Registered Users Posts: 1,497 Major grins
    edited November 26, 2007
    Thanks to all for your comments.

    Dale, the greenish cast comes from hurry-up processing while I was on the road. I haven't started the real processing of the Bodie pics, but will probably replace these once I do.
    Dixie
    Photographs by Dixie
    | Canon 1Ds | Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 5D | Canon 50D | Canon 10D | Canon EOS Elan 7 | Mamiya Pro S RB67 |
    ...and bunches of Canon lenses - I'm equipment rich and dollar poor!
  • jbr13jbr13 Registered Users Posts: 251 Major grins
    edited November 26, 2007
    Those are very nice images!

    Thank you for sharing
    Jason

    http://jbr.smugmug.com/

    "When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced... Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice"
  • argyleargyle Registered Users Posts: 231 Major grins
    edited November 27, 2007
    Those are some really nice images of Bodie...definitely going to add this to my list of places to go.
    "Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son". - Dean Wormer
  • DixieDixie Registered Users Posts: 1,497 Major grins
    edited November 28, 2007
    Thanks, Jason.

    Argyle, IMHO, plan for at least two days minimum. Start as early as they'll let you and shoot as late as you can. There is a lot to shoot there and don't forget to move in close on some of the detail as well. Much of the place looks just like people got up from dinner and left the place which is practically what happened. It is literally frozen in time. Regretfully, park hours don't really lend to sunrise and sunset shots. I didn't check while I was there, but some parks do have special guided photography tours which will take in sunrise and sunset shoots.

    Bodie State Historical Park
    Dixie
    Photographs by Dixie
    | Canon 1Ds | Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 5D | Canon 50D | Canon 10D | Canon EOS Elan 7 | Mamiya Pro S RB67 |
    ...and bunches of Canon lenses - I'm equipment rich and dollar poor!
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