Photographer of ‘Bodie: Good Times and Bad’ to speak at Del Mar Library

Del Mar Library will present photographer Will Furman, who will discuss his photography in the book Bodie: Good Times and Bad, on Thursday, Nov. 1 at 6 p.m.

Called “A fearfully and wonderfully bad place,” by Bodie Daily Free Press on Jan. 7, 1880, the Bodie, Calif., of yesteryear had as notorious a reputation then as its remnant ghost town does today, drawing in roughly 200,000 visitors annually as a California State Historic Park. Bodie: Good Times and Bad published by Sunbelt Publications, rekindles life into the historic settlement through the storytelling of writer Nicholas Clapp with plentiful reproductions of historic documents, images, and accounts. The text combined with the images of present-day Bodie from photographer Will Furman has resulted in a work that is sure to please.

Furman’s photography of present-day Bodie reveals the ghosts of Bodie in a fresh and provocative way. “Inside-Out”, a new photography technique developed by Furman creates color photographs which appear to be double exposures, but are not. The viewer is drawn into the image and the result is a hauntingly beautiful composite that speaks to past and present.

“Bodie State Historic Park is a very special place and this is a very special book,” says Brian Cahill, acting chief of the Interpretation and Education Division for California State Parks. “Will Furman’s captivating photos tell a powerful story on their own, but accompanied by Nick Clapp’s compelling narrative, the place truly comes alive.”

This presentation is made possible by the Friends of the Del Mar Library.

The Del Mar Branch Library is located at 1309 Camino Del Mar. For more information, call the library at (858) 755-1666. For information about San Diego County Library and other events, visit www.sdcl.org.