Customer Reviews

Desert to Dream: A Decade of Burning Man Photography

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I remember Barbara Traub's photos from Wired magazine and their book in the late '90s, but her new title far outshines that and all earlier attempts to chronicle this scene. Sure, there have been other documentary efforts to help readers wrap their minds around the crazy compulsion to find oneself out in Black Rock City. But as they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words."

Certainly there are a ton of snapshots now on Flickr, but here are images few alive have captured and a unified body of work from a true professional. Traub's collection is breathtaking in composition, thoughtful in its theme, and unrivalled in scope. Plus the list of contributors is a who's who, from poet-laureate Ferlinghetti, the iconic Spock, and filmmaker Les Blank to the man himself Larry Harvey. Each has something unique to offer, and, when taken together, combine to really capture the kaleidescopic essence of being there.

Every Burner I've shared this book with has been truly impressed. It is a beautifully designed package which is also a great value, and (unfortunately) bound to inspire even more newbies to join the fun.

Having attended Burning Man twice (in 2003 and 2005), and having connected to the amazing experience that it represents for the mind and the body, I am glad to see a book that is capable of capturing most of the images that trigger our senses. Good any time of the day ... it's best alongside your breakfast, helping you carrying the 'burn every day' philosophy throughout your day and evening.

Desert to Dream is a remarkable accomplishment -- a stunning tapestry of images and words that appears in essence to be a mystery play. I am amazed at the visual, emotional and spiritual complexity of her work that evokes deep contemplation. The book is very well laid out and I like how the diptychs are paired, even in some instances where there is a b&w and color photo side by side. Traub's sense of style and composition is dynamic and goes way beyond the usual ways of seeing. Congratulations on such an extraordinary book.

Ellen Bascom
Houston, TX

A resident of San Francisco, Barbara Traub is a photographer and multimedia artist whose work has been exhibited at venues ranging from the San Francisco Arts Commission, to Cooper Union in New York, to the Museum of Neon Art in Los Angeles, to the Hubble Space Telescope Science Institute, and so many other distinguished places around the world. In "Desert to Dream: A Decade of Burning man Photography", Barbara Traub has compiled a collection that represents and presents a photographic record of a decade of Burning Man celebrations at the Black Rock Arts Festival held annual in the dry alkali flats of northwest Nevada's Black Rock Desert which runs for about a week and culminates over the Labor Day weekend. From the infancy of the pop-culture art fair to its present universal status for artists from around the world, "Desert To Dream" pictorially lays out the entire history of this unique event with more than 150 color and b/w captioned photographs - and would make a welcome addition to personal, professional, and academic library Photographic Studies collection.

The photographs in Desert to Dream: A Decade of Burning Man Photography
by Barbara Traub convey the special and unique personality of the annual
Burning Man Festival. They also convey the humanity, sense of community
and the unique artistic sensibilities of the participants. The photographs
are excellent in their own right and are a sensitive mixture of color and
black and white. There are several pictures of nude women and men, which are real tributes to human beauty. Also, toward the end of the book, many of the photographs portray surrealistic images that only an expert photographer like Barbara Traub would be capable of. This book is well
worth the investment, not only for those interested in Burning Man, but also
those interested in photography that is spectacular.

Desert to Dream is a remarkable accomplishment -- a
stunning tapestry of images and words that appears in
essence to be a mystery play. I am amazed at the
visual, emotional and spiritual complexity of her work
that evokes deep contemplation. The book is very well
laid out and I like how the diptychs are paired, even
in some instances where there is a b&w and color photo
side by side. Traub's sense of style and composition
is dynamic and goes way beyond the usual ways of
seeing. Congratulations on such an extraordinary book.

Ellen Bascom
Houston, TX

Yes, this is a good book, but I can only give it 4 stars because 5 just might be too hard to earn for a book of this type. The photographs are great and the author makes a noble effort, in an attractive layout, to convey the Everything that is Burning Man, but anyone is bound to fail at that. There are just too many experiences from too many perspectives to capture it all. It's too elusive anyway, like something you can see only from the corner of your eye because it disappears the moment you try to look directly at it. The photographs ARE good, but I found myself thinking over and over, "Oh man, there aren't any pictures of the..." and "Where's the Thunderdome? Where's Pinky's? [...], etc." I understand the author not being budgeted for a 2,000 page book. I just hope he gets to make a follow up. After all, Burning Man hit the TWO decade mark this year.

I bought this book from the reviews- while I beleive it is a great book it does not do the pictures justice. Close ups and distorted content. Whereas I wanted to see a participators eye view of the art and not someone who is trying to be a published photographer.