Each year we continue to be involved in festivals. We photograph, occasionally write, and travel around a lot to hear great music, engage with friends and catch up with people in our other life. The other life is outside of the real world and it is like running away to join the circus and being welcomed back each time you visit.
We feel comfortable here. Festivals are like old home week with acquaintances that make you feel welcome, have new tales to tell, and share a love of photography, music and travel.
So how does it all happen, what makes it happen, and what happens when you book a massive holiday with a festival nearly every weekend in another country.
Firstly PANIC! WTF and why did you think this was a good idea. Too late now tickets are booked, contacts made, and some plans are afoot.
Plans, programs, ideas and trying to make sure that the world works the way you think it should are all part of the game.
Our adventure began with a list – a wish list that just kept getting bigger as the event drew near.
50th Anniversary of Woodstock, Burning Man, Crossroads with Eric Clapton, Kaaboo in San Diego, Storm Area 51, Monterey Jazz, Polk Street Festival, Venice Beach and Fremont Street in Vegas. How were we going to get everywhere apply and get photography access in the US.
I had no idea and it was overwhelming. There is a certain anxiety that I now get, and it is truly a first world problem, that relates to balancing work and trying to organise my holiday. Generally the pattern seems to be panic, procrastinate
, panic some more, yell a bit, cry a little, add wine, panic, add more wine, get on a plane.
This time was no different and the panic was added to by our decision to go from Australia to the middle of the Nevada desert, to a magical Brigadoon creation of a city that appears only for a week in August each year.
Of course I had contacted all the festivals, had discussions, and realised that it is not a simple matter and that our position in Australia was a blessing. Our success was gaining media accreditation to Burning Man and getting a project at the same time. In essence the project was not something I grasped but had it anyway so I would work towards it.
I love the trivia, the interesting tit-bits, how, when, where and why. Curiosity is something I relish, knowing, finding out, answering questions and putting together my interpretation of how things work. Garden paths, hidden laneways, extraneous websites, odd places and bright shiny objects fires can take my fancy and lead me to wondrous adventures with amazing people. This was to be no exception. More Later…
Festival Fiesta Carnivale 