Although the essence of Burning Man is difficult to capture in words, its official website states that, “Once a year, tens of thousands of participants gather in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to create Black Rock City, dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. They depart one week later, having left no trace whatsoever.” That description is accurate, because the soul of Burning Man resides in its attendees, who might be artists, performers, or simply exhibitionists and their requisite voyeurs, but who all trek to the heart of the Nevada desert to challenge themselves to enrich their lives by becoming part of a community whose power lies in the fact that it’s temporary.
Some of my friends attended Burning Man this year and they told me about a photographer named Scott R. Kline who spent his time documenting the attendees in all of their regalia. Kline’s work transcends simple photos because it captures the magic that seems to permeate Burning Man. Here are a few examples:
There’s an old saying that the eyes are the mirror of the soul, and that’s certainly true of the people who were captured in these photographs.
If you would like to see more of Scott R. Kline’s work, you can visit his website or read an article on Burning Man that he wrote for InMenlo.com.
If you would like to experience Burning Man from a broader perspective, take a look at this time-lapse video of this year’s festival:
