Humans BTS

My natural light portrait series began at Viva Las Vegas which is a hotrod and rockabilly event in Las Vegas.  In 2004 and 2005 I took a candid approach documenting the hotrod car culture.  After two years I decided to start creating portraits that better showcased my photography abilities. In 2006 I got permission from the event planner to set up a portrait station in the main section of the event which was on top of a parking garage. Although I was using sunlight to light my subjects,  I could drive my car right to my designated spot I was able to use light modifiers that are used in the commercial photography industry. I wish I had thought to document that setup.

While reviewing my portraits with a colleague I mentioned I was more drawn the images that were more about the person and less about the costuming.  At this time he suggested I would find more ‘raw’ subjects at Burning Man.

I reached out to the Burning Man event coordinators filled out the proper paperwork and got a permit to take my photography project to Burning Man. A few of the media passes that have survived over the years.

Burning Man is a seven square mile event that happens in late August about 120 miles north of Reno in the Black Rock Desert. (dry lake bed) In 2010 there were 50,000 attendees.  That number has since gone up to 70,000.

Satellite view of Burning Man.

Me arriving at Burning Man.

Me photographing on the playa.  My first portrait box was about 48″ x 60″. It was designed to fold down flat and secure with a motorcycle strap. With my camera bag over my shoulder and portrait box under my arm I would ride one handed to different locations to photograph. Most were about two miles or more from my camp.

My entire portrait series was shot on film using a medium format camera. The camera has no light meter. No auto focus. No histogram and no display screen on the back. All manual. Not to mention the image is flipped horizontally in the viewfinder.  I would start by taking two polaroids. Polaroids are usually for checking exposure and composition as well as functionality of the camera.  I let my subjects pic the polaroid they wanted and kept the other to go with a model release.

Polaroids and model releases.

Me photographing on the playa in 2006.

Burning Man is notorious for its ‘white out’ dust storms during the day. Lots of wind and dust. Luckily the play is a fine powder so a storm feels more like violent fog rather than getting sand blasted.

Sometimes the storms are so dense it looks quite dark at mid day.

For Burning Man I needed to create a light modifying system that could withstand the dust storms and still was mobile via bicycle. I also wanted to create a system that if it should get destroyed in a dust storm it would not be a huge financial loss. Once you arrive at Burning Man you can only drive your car to your campsite.  All other vehicles on the playa are Burning Man approved art cars.  There were a couple versions of my portrait box but, it ultimately ended up as a collapsible box that attaches to a baby trailer.

A baby trailer not only gave me a place to transport my camera, water and lunch but, it also provided a place to attach my light sculpting box.

My portrait rig at my camp.

And here is the portrait box collapsed in travel mode.

The portrait rig with the ‘Man’.

As I showed my portrait series to friends and colleagues most people said my subjects look like they had been through something.   Living on the hard conditions of a dry lake bed will do that to you.  I wondered if I could find a similar look somewhere else.

Early 2010 I participated in a photography project called Picturing Maricopa. ( The larges county in Arizona)  I was assigned to work with an organization call Tumble Weed. An organization that helps homeless and at risk youth.  At the end of the project I went back to the location in downtown Phoenix and set up my portrait box in the dirt.  Most of these kids had been betrayed by adults so they were very skittish.  Cautiously intrigued by being involved in something like a photograph.   When ‘Roxy’ agreed to let me take her picture I didn’t want the backpack in the shot.  Then I realized that backpack has everything she owns. It was understandable she didn’t want it out of her sight.   When I asked her if she would let her hair down for a picture she was reluctant. I wanted her to know my appreciation so as I was taking her picture I made sure to tell her how pretty I thought she looked.  She looked at her feet and said it’s not always a good thing to look pretty out here.  Quickly put her hair back up, grabbed her bag and ran off.

Phoenix in July, 2011.  The late Steve Karr helping me test the concepts of a new portrait box.  I refer to this look as a hyper white background.

The dark flaps on the front of the box help sculpt the light.   I didn’t know how big they needed to be so I used furniture pads for easy adjustment.

My hyper white portrait rig at the Man.

Hyper white portrait rig with pirate ship.

The backside of the hyper white rig enduring a dust storm.

Me taking refuge in my portrait box during a dust storm.

Hyper white portrait rig with dust devil.

Me with camera and hyper white rig at center camp. My last day of the portrait series in 2011.

Portrait rig with portraits on display at the Eye Lounge gallery in Phoenix.

Portraits and cocklebur seedpod print on display at the Eye Lounge gallery.

Flier for show at the Walter Art Gallery.

Me with my skeleton weed sculpture and a couple Burning Man portraits.

Me with Burning Man portraits, a few of my Devil’s Claw images and a small sculpture.

Spot being cheeky.

I continued to attend Burning Man until 2017.  Spot showing off on the playa.

Gifting is encouraged at Burning Man so I began bring postcards with postage.

I did not attend Burning Man in 2018. That was the year I photographed the John Muir Trail.  I went one last time in 2019 and have not been back.

Although Spot’s natural habitat is the playa, he has since retired and is living his best life on display in Phoenix. None of the light sculpting boxes survived.