1000 portraits in 7 days

[jellotranz]

We have a new project we will be shooting this August in the Nevada Desert. Once a year 50,000 people show up in the Black Rock Desert and create a City. During this one week period I believe it becomes one of the top 10 largest cities in Nevada and then a week later it’s all gone without a trace. That in itself is interesting, but the people who show up to the event are even more interesting and just the coolest people you will ever meet.
Last year we shot almost 6k pictures at the event. This year we will be bringing a portable photo studio with us in an attempt to get 1000 portraits taken during the week we are there. Should be interesting!! Here’s a few from last year so you can see what I am talking about when it comes to the participants..

JT

[jjeling]

Looks like a fun event. Some very interesting people to say the least. I look forward to seeing what happens this year. Thanks for sharing this.


PS - since you will be there and a part of the city, maybe there is a self portrait in the making.....

[AcadieLibre]

Nice colourful and interesting photos, very nice.

[casil403]

Is that Burning Man? Oh wow.....Lucky you!
I've always wanted to go there.....it's on my personal "bucket list".
It's part Art Festival... meets part music festival..... meets part Haight and Ashbury in the 60's... meets part The Road Warrior....at least that's what it looks like from what I''ve seen of it....quite the experience and very,very cool!

[Mad Aussie]

Looks part freak show too! Must be the desert heat.

[jellotranz]

Is that Burning Man? Oh wow.....Lucky you!
I've always wanted to go there.....it's on my personal "bucket list".
It's part Art Festival... meets part music festival..... meets part Haight and Ashbury in the 60's... meets part The Road Warrior....at least that's what it looks like from what I''ve seen of it....quite the experience and very,very cool!

You forgot that everything burns. I’ll tell ya, if you ever do get a chance to go you should, it’s certainly an experience of a lifetime. It’s a pretty rough trip. You’re stuck out in the middle of the desert and you pretty much have to bring everything you need for the week with you. No cell phone’s was nice, although I had a satellite phone with me, and I did have internet I could use since we were press and you can use the internet at Media Mecca. We ended up building a TearDrop camper just for the trip since there was no way we were getting everything we had to bring in our tiny cars. Towed that little sucker 4000 miles round trip.



But as you can see, we really packed the stuff in there!



It was a lot of fun, and I have to say that the people there were fantastic. We would go walking out on the Playa at 9:00 AM and get invited to stop and have pancakes at almost every camp you pass, they really are a giving bunch of people. Can't wait to go back this year.

Oh and the Giant Car Crushing Hand was pretty cool too!

[jellotranz]

PS - since you will be there and a part of the city, maybe there is a self portrait in the making.....

Like this?



While we were there last year, we shot for the "Why you do what you do" project. It's basically where you have people write on a sign why they do what they do and do a portrait of them. It was alot of fun and we got to meet alot of interesting people. We did have to dress the part though.. Gotta blend in and all that good stuff..

[casil403]

Wow...neat stuff JT. Love the Britney Spears "Baby Hit Me One More Time" look you got going on there! I don't think I could get my better half to "look the part" tho.
What else ya got photo wise? I'm enjoying your story!

[JAS_Photo]

Very cool! I have seen this on TV and in magazines before. You 1000 portraits would pretty much be worth a whole Life magazine issue from what I see!

[jellotranz]

Wow...neat stuff JT. Love the Britney Spears "Baby Hit Me One More Time" look you got going on there! I don't think I could get my better half to "look the part" tho.
What else ya got photo wise? I'm enjoying your story!

Oh that’s not my better 1/2 that’s just one of the Burners I shot. My better ½ is much more radical than that, it would probably be highly inappropriate to post her entry into the “Why you do what you do” project here. I’m sure there would be a lot of offended peoples!