Burning Man 2009

Burning Man: a counter-culture festival, a party, 1000 parties, an experiment in alternative community, a temporary city of 42,000 people, an art extravaganza, an exercise in self sufficiency, Leave No Trace in practice, radical self expression, spiritual discovery, a society based on gifting, a metaphor for the transience of life … and far far more.

We hung out at Burning Man for 8 days: from the opening moments at 12.01 am on Monday morning through to the disintegration of Black Rock City the following Tuesday as 42,000 people departed to make their journeys home. It’s a lot to absorb and a lot to experience – especially as wide-eyed virgins finding our way around for the first time. We relaxed and casually explored by day, and there’s a lot to see: the hundreds of theme camps offer everything from a free drink, to DMT seminars, bicycle repair and full on S&M. When afternoon dust storms made it hard to see or breathe we’d hide in our camper. By night the city comes alive with light – massive lasers, neon everywhere and mutant vehicles glowing and undulating across the desert like undersea creatures. You take your pick: a cosy techno filled club-style bar; a giant dome bearing the biggest rave you’ve ever seen; or a fur-covered articulated bus containing in-situ sound system for a party somewhere on the playa. At the centre of it all stands The Man, waiting to burn – a pyrotechnic spectacle like nothing you have seen before.

Check out a full set of my photos on Flickr