This is the first Curious Humanography post that lacks humans. Check out Las Vegas abandoned in the time of Covid-19.
Over the years, I’ve shot several times in Las Vegas and it’s always been great fun. Love it or hate it, Vegas is a place of visual extremes and crowds.
Because Vegas is always buzzing, I felt it would make a great subject in the wake of Covid-19 — to see it with no people and document the quiet. So, on a warm April evening, I took a trip to capture the eerie silence of a ‘city that never sleeps…’ until now.
LAS VEGAS GHOST TOWN
Walking around abandoned Vegas felt like discovering the pyramids for the first time. With no people, your brain wonders why people built this city and where they disappeared to.
Along the strip, police park their cars with lights flashing. In effect, making their presence known.
COVID-19 KILLS FREMONT STREET
Fremont Street, the older section of Vegas, is completely shutdown. In fact, it feels like an old relic, as if they’ve closed permanently.
The only thing open along the strip were Walgreens stores. Every casino and store were closed.
A kitschy hot dog trailer sits empty, across from Fremont St.
One friendly person who was just as curious as I was near Fremont Street.
An occasional homeless person wanders across the street near Fremont.
The famous Bellagio fountains sit idle.
As you walk around, it is silent — opposite of the usual frenzy that is synonymous with Las Vegas. It’s as if a neutron bomb has gone off — removing all the people, but leaving the pristine buildings. It’s a bit staggering thinking about all the people who are without work; the thousands of men and women who bring Vegas to life.
Here’s to hoping this crisis ends soon, so Las Vegas can be back to being… well, Vegas.
Gear
- Fuji GFX 100
- 23 mm F4