 The annual art and music festival in the Black Rock Desert attracts 70,000 people seeking a utopian vision but it has not been without its controversies. We ask two Photographers to share some of their favourite images from the event and tell us what the festival means to them. RON LUSSIER What Burning Man means to me Everyone I’ve brought to Burning Man has come away saying “Burning Man changed my life.” Everyone! Black Rock City pulls in nascent creatives, and then gives them the nourishment to bear fruit. They return from the dust and heat evangelists for a different, more creative way of living. Why I love photographing @ Burning Man Black Rock City implements a gifting economy. Like a Native American potlatch it allows people to come together and celebrate their artistry by sharing their vision and talents with others. As a photographer, I recycle gifts of creativity and give them back to others through my photographs. About Ron Lussier I’ve travelled a lot, and I’ve universally found that people everywhere are decent and friendly. Many are afraid to travel and try new things. With my writing and photographs at lenscraft.com, I want to show others the benefits of embracing unfamiliar experiences and getting to know unfamiliar cultures. Ron Lussier (Lenscraft) www.lenscraft.com MARIO COVIC What Burning Man means to me? For me Burning Man is best represented by three of its ten principles; Radical Inclusion, Gifting, and Radical Self Expression. I find opportunity for deeper acceptance of self and others, deepening compassion and selflessness towards all humanity when these principles are practiced not only on the playa but in everyday life. Why I love photographing Burning Man? I love photographing Burning man because of the pure adventure of it. There is an infinite opportunity to be in a flow state and capture the radical beauty that results from radical self expression. About Mario Covic: I am a freelance photographer based in Southern California. I am inspired by people that follow their passion, practice presence and embody their physical being. My photographic focus is in Movement Arts and Portraitures. www.mariocovicphoto.com  THE 10 PRINCIPLES Radical Inclusion Anyone may be a part of Burning Man. We welcome and respect the stranger. No prerequisites exist for participation in our community. Gifting Burning Man is devoted to acts of gift giving. The value of a gift is unconditional. Gifting does not contemplate a return or an exchange for something of equal value. De-commodification In order to preserve the spirit of gifting, our community seeks to create social environments that are unmediated by commercial sponsorships, transactions, or advertising. We stand ready to protect our culture from such exploitation. We resist the substitution of consumption for participatory experience. Radical Self-reliance Burning Man encourages the individual to discover, exercise and rely on his or her inner resources. Radical Self-expression Radical self-expression arises from the unique gifts of the individual. No one other than the individual or a collaborating group can determine its content. It is offered as a gift to others. In this spirit, the giver should respect the rights and liberties of the recipient. Communal Effort Our community values creative cooperation and collaboration. We strive to produce, promote and protect social networks, public spaces, works of art, and methods of communication that support such interaction. Civic Responsibility We value civil society. Community members who organize events should assume responsibility for public welfare and endeavor to communicate civic responsibilities to participants. They must also assume responsibility for conducting events in accordance with local, state and federal laws. Leaving No Trace Our community respects the environment. We are committed to leaving no physical trace of our activities wherever we gather. We clean up after ourselves and endeavor, whenever possible, to leave such places in a better state than when we found them. Participation Our community is committed to a radically participatory ethic. We believe that transformative change, whether in the individual or in society, can occur only through the medium of deeply personal participation. We achieve being through doing. Everyone is invited to work. Everyone is invited to play. We make the world real through actions that open the heart. Immediacy Immediate experience is, in many ways, the most important touchstone of value in our culture. We seek to overcome barriers that stand between us and a recognition of our inner selves, the reality of those around us, participation in society, and contact with a natural world exceeding human powers. No idea can substitute for this experience. www.burningman.org
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