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I remember a time not long ago when social media didn’t exist. Everyone had landlines, and left messages on answering machines if they weren’t home. As a child if I wanted to play with a friend I didn’t plug into a game, I walked down the street and knocked on their door. I have vivid memories of growing up in the prairies, playing ball hockey, riding my bike for hours, and sitting by the river with my friends - things I think a kid should remember.

As years passed, I began to crave new experiences. I moved to the west coast in 1998 and for a long time, never looked back. I spent that time photographing the darker side of humanity while patrolling the streets of Vancouver. It was then that I developed a unique relationship with the night. I found a freedom that the day never seemed to deliver. A peace and quiet in the air while most people were asleep.

As my father aged and fell ill, I visited home more often. After his passing, I took my camera and drove from Vancouver to Winnipeg on a two day marathon of coffee, open road, and photography. I turned my lens from the ugliness of what people do to each other on those dark city nights to the beauty of the place where I came from.

I saw communities that were once vibrant and full of life, aging and struggling to stay afloat. Important fixtures of these towns - grain elevators that provided the livelihood for generations, general stores that gave families the supplies they needed, and movie theatres and dance halls where the town would socialize and gather - were boarded up and left to fall over.

I encountered strangers that welcomed me into their homes and treated me like family. I saw the Milky Way cut a path across the sky, free from the distraction of city lights. I saw farm roads lined with the glowing red eyes of deer, illuminated by my headlights.

We have been betrayed by our conveniences, and have forgotten where we come from. We’re connected by a screen and a keyboard. Fleeting and artificial things. I want to see your face. I want to hear your words. I want to shake your hand. I want to show you light that there is beauty in the darkness.

This is DaySleeper

About Kevin Boyle:

“When renowned Canadian photographer Kevin Boyle made his way from British Columbia to Lincoln County, Nevada, his goal was simple: to document two historic landmarks—Pioche’s Gem Theater and Carl’s Burgers in Caliente. But what he left behind is more than just images; it’s a stunning tribute to the heart and soul of our communities…

Kevin Boyle’s work isn’t just about aesthetics — It’s about preservation. Through his lens, these buildings become more than just relics of the past; they become reminders of vibrant communities, stories of resilience, and places of shared history. His hope is that when someone sees his image of the Gem Theater, they’ll remember the first movie they watched there, the popcorn they shared, or the excitement they felt as the lights dimmed.” – Lincoln County Authority of Tourism (19 March 2025, lincolncountynevada.com).