Burning Man 2010, Metropolis: my experience

posted September 19, 2010 in Happenings

My first Burning Man experience far exceeded my expectations. Word can’t describe the experience, but my 5 days spent on the playa reminded me of the importance of being true to yourself, the power of giving and sharing in a community, and the positive outcome of not judging others. I expect to return year after year to fill my fountain of creative inspiration.
wpid-burning_man_2010_metropolis_kern_photo01-2010-09-19-15-012.jpg The first day we had a small dust storm early on, but after a desert rainstorm and a double rainbow, the weather couldn’t have been more perfect. John Mireles knows his technicals when it comes to lighting and I enjoyed our geek out conversations. I recommend his contracts at Photographer’s Toolkit. wpid-burning_man_2010_metropolis_kern_photo07-2010-09-19-15-012.jpg Tony Bisson’s chillness made the atmosphere around the camp uber pleasant complete with his hammock, guitar, and great attitude. A big teddy bear, Nikonian, awesome musician, Nick Adams took me under his wing and made sure I didn’t blow out my highlights:) He lent me his 3-stop neutral density filter to shoot portraits near out camp, which made shooting at f/2 a breeze. I enjoyed getting to know him and look forward to developing our friendship. wpid-burning_man_2010_metropolis_kern_photo09-2010-09-19-15-012.jpg
Becker, a great photography mentor and and industry leader, never failed to share his humor and wit. The guy’s “high on life” energy and personality makes him super easy going. Here’s his best Marilyn: Typical mornings would start with a great cup of coffee, listening to the guys playing the guitar, and watching Becker eat kids cereal. wpid-burning_man_2010_metropolis_kern_photo11-2010-09-19-15-012.jpg I had a great time getting to know lots of other photographers from around the world by hanging out at Media Mecca, the Burning Man media center with the best happy hour. With 13 of years of Burning Man experience, Patrick Roddie is argueably the best know Burning Man photographer and he’s got some great tips for getting awesome Burning Man portraits. wpid-burning_man_2010_metropolis_kern_photo12-2010-09-19-15-012.jpg Trey Ratcliff from Stuck in Customs shared his insight in balancing priorities while staying true to his photography passion. He’s got it together and I applaud his efforts in his HDR art and technique with the world. Marti Mueller from France had a great outlook on the creative potential of Burning Man and we had an awesome opportunity to shoot together. wpid-burning_man_2010_metropolis_kern_photo15-2010-09-19-15-012.jpg Writer and impresario Shawn Holiday shared his writing skills as he wrote a short story on a vintage type writer in front of me. Seeing his creative brain work reminded me of the similiarity between writers and artists. His favorite thing about Burning Man: “It’s a place where engineers can be artists.” wpid-burning_man_2010_metropolis_kern_photo26-2010-09-19-15-012.jpg The man behind the Man.Had to create a little art for myself. A special thank you to all of my portrait participants for granting me permission to photograph them.