For the past four years, HDR photographer Trey Ratcliff has attended Burning Man and immersed himself in the culture of the annual event. Through his lens, he captures the essence of tens of thousands of people living together in the desert for one full week. The annual festival takes place in Nevada's Black Rock Desert, and is dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. In his series of images, Ratcliff conveys the overall creative spirit through his documentation of the artwork, the costumes, and the stunning golden landscapes of the southwest.
During the week, the desert is filled with a large number of people who gather as citizens in a temporary community, surrounded by all kinds of impressive displays and unique costumes. In preparation, people spend all year building crazy vehicles that roam the desert, which then provide rides to participants throughout week. The fun, artistic event provides an open place for people to express themselves, with all kinds of interesting personalities emerging from the sand. Through all of the dusty air and masked faces, Ratcliff is able to identify single, isolated moments of beauty through all of the chaos.
Trey Ratcliff's website
Burning Man website
via [David B Anthony]
