The old west saloon | Limited Edition of 10
Vintage Western Ghost Town Scene in Monochrome
These two buildings, side by side, could’ve come straight out of a dime novel—but they’re real. Still standing. Still watching the wind blow across the dust. I photographed them in Bodie, California—a true ghost town and now a protected State Historic Park. It’s one of the most intact and eerie remnants of the Old West that still exists, preserved in a state of “arrested decay.”
There’s something deeply poetic in the contrast. On the left: solid brick, arched windows, a sense of elegance and order. On the right: weathered wood, fading signage, glass doors that once welcomed strangers and regulars alike. A saloon? A hotel? Probably both. You can almost picture the clatter of boots across the boardwalk and the murmur of poker hands upstairs.
What I love about this scene isn’t just its symmetry—it’s how uneven time has been to each structure. One still whispers of prosperity; the other sags under the weight of every storm since. Together, they tell the story of a town that thrived on gold rush optimism, boomed hard, and was left behind when the wells ran dry.
I shot this in black and white to honour the era, yes—but also because colour would’ve distracted from the textures: the cracked woodgrain, the crumbling mortar, the light bouncing off dusty glass. It needed to feel timeless. It needed to be quiet.
Bodie isn’t a theme park. Nothing here is rebuilt or restored. It’s real. The buildings remain as they were left—preserved only from further decay. The silence is thick. Curtains still hang. Rusted tools remain where hands dropped them. And in that stillness, the past doesn’t feel gone. It feels paused.
This image is part of my Bygone Era Photography Collection, where I explore places shaped by history, industry, and the slow passage of time. It’s also featured in my Ghost Town Photography Collection, which focuses on the remains of once-thriving communities scattered across the American landscape.
© Dan Kosmayer, 2009
Limited Edition of 10
This photograph is released as a signed and numbered limited edition of only 10 prints in total across all available sizes combined—not 10 prints in each size.
Every size is drawn from the same edition. Whether the photograph is purchased as a small print or at the largest available size, it uses one of the 10 edition numbers.
I personally sign and number each print on the reverse, and every print is accompanied by a signed Certificate of Authenticity recording its title, dimensions, medium, edition number, and date of issue.
Once all 10 prints have been sold, the edition will be permanently closed. No additional numbered editions of the photograph will be produced in another size or format.
Premium Archival Fine Art Prints
I personally produce every photograph using archival pigment inks on premium archival paper with a subtle luster finish.
The paper provides rich tonal depth, excellent fine-detail reproduction, and a refined surface that reduces distracting glare under normal indoor lighting. It is especially well suited to both color and black-and-white photography.
Each photograph is sold as an unframed fine art print, allowing it to be framed according to the collector’s space and personal style.
Before a print leaves my studio, I carefully inspect it for color, tonal accuracy, surface quality, and overall presentation. Nothing is outsourced, and every finished print passes through my hands.
Worldwide Delivery Included
Every print is personally produced, inspected, signed, numbered, and carefully packaged by me at my studio in Haliburton, Ontario, Canada.
Worldwide delivery is included in the listed price, so there is no additional shipping charge added during checkout. I select an appropriate tracked delivery service based on the destination, print size, and current shipping requirements.
Delivery times vary by destination and may be affected by customs processing or circumstances beyond my control.
Because I also travel extensively to create new photographic work, studio dispatch may occasionally be delayed while I am away. When that happens, the print will be produced and shipped as soon as I return to the studio.
