Burning Man Retrospective – Sunday/Monday
I've felt a touch of melancholy today.
Woven through the overwhelm at all I'm presently juggling, I've had moments of crisp awareness – brief threads of sadness to be sitting at my desk instead of exploring The Playa in my little wooden art-car, Hassy (you'll meet her later.)
Yet, as I left my first physical therapy appointment this afternoon, I knew I'd made the right choice. I only have this one right foot – prioritizing it's rehabilitation was a necessity. There's always next year.
Though it highlighted my homesickness a bit, preparing this post also gave me the opportunity to reflect and appreciate all I've experienced out there. Still, choosing moments from a decade's worth of images is quite the daunting task. I've got far too much on my plate to really do these Burning Man posts justice, but I'm determined to post at least once a day – I suppose it's my way of participating, even if I can't physically be there.
So...for today (though it's nearly Tuesday already) I offer this (reasonably) modest set – all images taken on either Sunday or Monday of their respective year. It's a fairly random selection – just enough to give you some sense of what it's like to be there.
I may edit this post to add more as I find spare moments this week. Stay tuned.
The first in this series can be viewed here: BM Retrospective – Preburn
For anyone who isn't familiar with this event, you can check the website for more context.
Cameras: Canon EOS 5D Markii & Markiii • location: Black Rock City, Nevada, USA
• pointing Man - 24 Aug '14 - 135mmf2.0L Prime • ISO160 - f2.0 - 1/6400 sec •
• Temple build - 24 Aug '14 - 135mmf2.0L Prime • ISO160 - f2.0 - 1/5000 sec •
• burners on bikes - 24 Aug '14 - 135mmf2.0L Prime • ISO200 - f2.0 - 1/2000 sec •
• tower - 24 Aug '14 - 135mmf2.0L Prime • ISO160 - f2.0 - 1/8000 sec •
• ovaries/climb - 31 Aug '09 - 35mmf1.4L Prime • ISO50 - f1.6 - 1/2000 sec •
• butterfly uterus - 31 Aug '09 - 35mmf1.4L Prime - ISO50 - f1.6 - 1/1600 sec •
• Love - 24 Aug '14 - 135mmf2.0L Prime • ISO100 - f2.0 - 1/8000 sec •
• genie bottle - 24 Aug '14 - 135mmf2.0L Prime • ISO100 - f2.0 - 1/3200 sec •
• lamplighters - 24 Aug '14 - 135mmf2.0L Prime • ISO200 - f2.0 - 1/8000 sec •
• lavender clouds - 24 Aug '14 - 135mmf2.0L Prime • ISO200 - f2.0 - 1/5000 sec •
• residential - 26 Aug '13 - 135mmf2.0L Prime • ISO160 - f2.0 - 1/400 sec •
• vibrant sky - 26 Aug '14 - 135mmf2.0L Prime • ISO160 - f2.0 - 1/800 sec •
• synapsis - 31 Aug '09 - 35mmf1.4L Prime • ISO320 - f1.4- 1/30 sec •
• pure joy - 25 Aug '14 - 50mmf1.2L Prime • ISO4000 - f1.2 - 1/60 sec •
• ember wheels - 25 Aug '14 - 50mmf1.2L Prime • ISO2500 - f1.2 - 1/60 sec •
• The Man's foot - 25 Aug '14 - 50mmf1.2L Prime • ISO1600 - f2.0 - 1/60 sec •
• marionette - 27 Aug '17 - 135mmf2.0L Prime • ISO800 - f2.0 - 1/500 sec •
• handsome chap - 25 Aug '14 - 50mmf1.2L Prime • ISO3200 - f1.2 - 1/60sec •
• pyramid climb - 24 Aug '14 - 50mmf1.2L Prime • ISO640 - f1.2 - 1/100 sec •
• tesla coil - 25 Aug '14 - 50mmf1.2L Prime • ISO6400 - f1.6 - 1/60 sec •
• tesla keys (controlling the current) - 25 Aug '14 - 50mmf1.2L Prime • ISO6400 - f1.6 - 1/60 sec •
• The Man at night - 24 Aug '14 - 50mmf1.2L Prime • ISO1600 - f1.4 - 1/100 sec •
Awesome shots. Enjoy the support.
Thank you! :)
Aw sorry to hear you're a little bummed Zippy. I get 'desk' syndrome too lol. Too much time behind the PC can be rough. Sending virtual hugs your way.
Amazing pictures though, those are so awesome! Holy hell I don't even know what some of that stuff is!
It’s alright — melancholy isn’t an awful thing. It just shows me the importance of a thing. 💜 grateful for your hugs. 🤗 And, yes — Burning Man is the very definition of surreal.
Beautiful stuff. Not a zoom lens in sight. Makes me think about changing my setup :)
Absoluuuutely. Of course you'd notice that!
I confess – I'm absolutely a prime lens snob. That's been true since I bought my first L-Series prime; my Canon 35mmf1.4L – in early 2009. I'd owned a couple mid-range primes before that, but – once I experienced the buttery-bokeh and impressive speed of L-series...I never went back. It's a decidedly expensive obsession! I've dropped a lot of coin on deliciously fast glass. LOL!
As well, zoom lenses do not do well on the playa. The dust is so fine – like talcum powder. High quality primes are relatively dust-proof, but zooms will always end up with dust in the barrel – never to escape. Shudder.
Thanks for checkin' out this series! ;) tip!
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Absolutely amazing photos! Looking these made me feel happy for some unknown reason.
Happy to be of service! 🙌🏼
So that's where you photographed the winged girl! Burning man is such a awesome festival, I've never been there myself, but according to my roommate its huuuugeee.
Yyyyep! 'Huuuuuuge' is a grand understatement!' The sheer scale of it is truly something beyond comprehension. And...the BM Org is pretty adamant; it's not a festival – it's a city...a 'temporary autonomous zone' – a spectacular experimental metropolis. Perhaps you should visit someday! ;) tip!
Yeah, I saw many clips. It's like a country xD Thank you for the tip! <3
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I look at your beautiful pictures and I have read a lot of information in the site just to get convinced that this is an experience to live and there is no other way to fully comprehend it.
I am really sorry you are missing it against your will but you are correct, health should always be the first priority. I was a film festival photographer for ten years (which is a tiny fraction of the event the burning man is) and I know the uneasiness and the "something is missing" feeling when the beginning date comes.
Hopefully you will relive all the past years in a creative way and your readers will have the chance for a glimpse into this huge event!
Thank you for your kind words. :)
Sharing this series did make me feel a bit less homesick. And I totally understand – I photographed the festival circuit for a solid 5 years. It chewed me up and spit me out. Now, I've gone back to my roots – I only lend my eye to the BM Org.
You're right...one must touch the playa themselves to truly comprehend. tip!
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Stunning photo story, @zipporah. Where was this event?
Glad you like it!
This is an annual gathering unlike any other that takes place in The Black Rock Desert in Nevada. I've been attending since 2000, and have been 'shootin' for The Man' as part of their small 'Doc team' since 2014. I'm sadly missing this year due to a broken foot, so I'll be sharing images daily as a way to take part from afar.
You can check the website to get some sense of what it's all about – it's pretty hard to explain in words. Grateful I can let my photos speak for me.
I'll check the website. Thanks for letting me know. You have my resteem.
these are lovely and priceless. i borrow red sky mountain to make a surreal pic, but the program keep crash. i had a black moon with stars and lightning, was cool.
Oooohhhh – I love it! Now generate a Deep Dream with that – bet it'd be awesome lookin'! tip!
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Wonderful pictures, taken at an enchanted site... I know that name... The Burning Man Festival, but have no idea what it is. I'll check the link you left @zorank! :-)
Hoping you'll be back on both feet soon... :-) <3
Glad you enjoyed these, Winston!
Annnd...it's not actually a festival...it's a sprawling city as complex and diverse as any other well-populated metropolis. ;)
And I'm very nearly walking normally now. Yay! <3 tip!
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This one can't be real, it's a dream, a mirage! Each photo is a trip. What an amazing place and incredible life journey.
Right!? And yet – nearly every single moment out there is rich with the same surreality. I'm grateful this community has been such a significant part of my life for so much of it. :) tip!
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