Many of Bodie’s structures lie open to the elements, such as this group of crumbling buildings in the middle of town. I built this image around space. I leave the grass and sage space to grow around, through, and under these buildings, and I allowed plenty of sky to create a sense of scale incongruity and underscore Bodie’s lonely, bleak environment. The five buildings I picked to represent the “skyline” of Bodie lean into each other in great disrepair. They look like refugees, huddling together in the face of an oncoming storm. I also thought the two outhouses in this picture characterized the nature of life in this place. Imagine using one of these when the temperature is well below freezing and the winds are whipping snow through their boards! If we are to gain a sense of place, we must come to understand the true nature of the place, and this image goes a long way in establishing that