SIDNEY ERTHAL BURNING MAN
From the Archive · Photography · San Francisco / Dubai
Sidney
Erthal
Thirteen straight years photographing Black Rock City, one bestselling book, and a philosophy that sometimes the best camera is your own two eyes.
Why this conversation
Sidney Erthal is a photographer I met earlier this year at Bedouin Tech who instantly became a close friend. Originally from Brazil but a citizen of the world, Sidney has the charisma and open heart to befriend anyone anywhere. He is known internationally for having spent the last decade engaging with and photographing Burning Man, with experience across fashion, travel and portraiture. His work has been featured in GQ, Lonely Planet and Architectural Digest, and exhibited all over the world. His bestseller "Burning Man: Art on Fire," made with Scott London, was released in 2014 and has just been published in Japan. He lives and works between San Francisco and Dubai, but can be found in the most random places around the world, where he will likely be making friends with someone you know.
Trying to explain Burning Man to someone who has never been is like trying to explain the color blue to a blind person.
Sidney ErthalThe Conversation
What are your greatest inspirations or influences?
I definitely have some well known photographers as inspirations: Sebastião Salgado, Annie Leibovitz, Scott London and Lisa Kristine. But honestly, my greatest inspiration is regular people in their daily lives. I love just sitting still and watching human beings being themselves. It is very entertaining and I always get inspired.
What makes Burning Man so special for you, and how do you describe it?
Trying to explain it to someone who has never been to the event is like trying to explain the color blue to a blind person. There is no way to describe it. You can watch hours of footage and see thousands of pictures, but the only way to really feel and understand it is to attend and immerse yourself in the whole experience. My first year was thirteen years ago and I haven't skipped a single year since. It became part of my life, and even though the event became extremely popular, it is still magical and can be a life-changing experience. In my humble opinion, Black Rock City is the most amazing city on earth. It's a place where people can be whatever they want to be, a place where creativity has no limit. We've been using the hashtag #itsnotafestival lately. A lot of people still think it's a festival, but it is way more than that.
What did you think of Bedouin Tech and your time in the dunes?
Bedouin Tech is without doubt the best festival I've attended in my life. The whole thing happened to me in such an unexpected, magical way. I attended for the first time this year, and when I arrived I knew one person, my dear friend Firas Fayaad. At the end of the event I had 200-plus new best friends, including you, Leila, plus a job offer in Dubai that I ended up accepting, which has completely changed my life. The level of intimacy and the quality of the people and music I found there is beyond words.
Favorite websites, publications or accounts you follow?
I really like Instagram. I love seeing how people see the world and how they capture it on camera. Although I am minimizing my time on the internet, I am a fan of social media as a tool to connect with friends and family and a great platform to expose my work. Constellation.art is my new obsession. I love reading about people's dreams and seeing them connect with other dreamers.
Most memorable project you have worked on so far?
That is a hard question. For me to be part of a project, it has to have a meaning; it needs to inspire, bring joy or educate. The two "Burning Man: Art on Fire" books, which I published with my pal Scott London, are definitely a highlight of my career. I am now going deep on Constellation. This beautiful, meaningful project connects people and empowers dreamers to become achievers.
Anything else you would like to share with our audience?
YES! A few things:
- 01Don't be afraid to express your creativity. Whatever others think of you, it's their problem, not yours. Your problem is how you react to it.
- 02Art comes in many, many forms and sometimes you may not like it. It's not because you don't like it that it's not art.
- 03Anyone who takes a picture is a photographer. Some people become professional photographers and some are not mindful and become annoying photographers. Sometimes leave the phone aside and take pictures with your eyes. Our devices are powerful tools for creativity and communication, but there is nothing like living the present moment, where the point of power really is.
Find Sidney
- Instagram: @siderth
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