Canadian photographer Mark Fromson embodies what it is to document a subject, and keep returning to it, over and over again, yet somehow still managing to breathe new life into it. Mark’s work documenting the ephermal art and people of Burning Man’s Playa stretches back several years, and yet, the photos from 2024 remain just as vivid and vibrant as the first ones.
Mark’s photography is a celebration of storytelling through the camera lens, marked by a deep connection to the environments and communities he photographs. DIYP caught up with Mark to find out what keeps him going, and how he feels about being named Event Photographer of the Year at the 2024 International Photography Awards.
DIYP: Can you tell us a little about your photography background?
Mark: I was exposed to photography quite early in life as my uncle Joseph Zimbrolt was a professional portrait photographer. In my youth Joe would take me into his darkroom in Minneapolis to process prints, and I can still recall with fondness the smell of the lab chemicals amid his gentle guidance. Joe gave me my first camera, an Olympus Stylus, and I also inherited his collection of Rolleicords and Leicas. Uncle Joe considered Ansel Adams a friend, and has taken his portrait, of which I possess 1 of 2 known prints.
My love for capturing moments continued as I travelled around the world as an elite high diver and professional acrobat. This passion for travel has since taken me to 57 countries across six continents, always with a camera to document my adventures.
DIYP: How did you get started shooting Burning Man?
Mark: The first time I went to Burning Man I decided not to take my camera as I wanted to participate fully rather than as an observer. The experience changed me deeply as I immersed myself in the burner culture, especially the principle of gifting. The next year I brought my camera, and joined Trey Ratcliff’s famous photo walk around the playa.
When I returned home I immersed myself in editing the shots, trying to bring something special to a collection of selects. It was during the editing process that I started to develop what felt like a unique style to Burning Man photography I had not seen previously, and the positive online feedback I received to this first limited collection was very encouraging.
The next year I decided to dedicate myself to the task. The results from that year started gaining international attention, with the Burning Man org and others featuring my photos, some contest wins and an appearance in Sotheby’s magazine. It’s grown each year since then.
DIYP: How do you keep things fresh when going back year after year and shooting a similar subject? What inspires you to keep returning?
Mark: There’s so many magical things about shooting at Burning Man that keep things new and exciting. Every year the playa fills with new large art installations, and it’s a personal challenge to try and get the most iconic shot of these monumental creations to gift to the artists and the community. The artists spend so much time and money to craft their work and bring it out to the desert, and it’s only there for one week, so often, my photos are some of the best visual memories they have of their incredible endeavours.
As well, the area is just massive, covering 12 square miles, and each time I venture out I never know what scene I will encounter. There is spontaneous visual wonder out there every minute of every day, and if you are lucky enough to put yourself in the right spot at the right time, you might be able to capture a unique masterpiece of a moment that is then gone forever. It is one of the most photogenic and colourful places on earth, an always unique, ever-changing landscape of awe and visual delight.
DIYP: What gear do you use, and how do you keep it safe from the desert sand?
Mark: The first year of shooting out there I actually brought my backup camera, my Nikon D5100 DSLR, as I was afraid of what the conditions might do to my new Sony. That was a mistake, as I now firmly believe you should invest in the best gear for a reason: to take wonderful photos, not leave your camera at home. Since then, I’ve shot with a Sony A7R3 with a GMaster 24-70mm 2.0 lens, and now with a combination of a Sony A7RIV with the Gmaster and an A7RV paired with the incredibly versatile Tamron 35-150mm 2-2.8.
I’ve seen people completely cover their entire camera and lens setups with tape to protect them from the dust, but I just keep my equipment in a sling and bring it out to take the shots. I’ve never had a problem with compromised equipment, even shooting in crazy conditions like raging dust storms and the recent flooding. I do tape up some of the panel edges, and have a thick rubber band covering the lens/body connection. You don’t want to be changing lenses too often out there, if at all, as that’s when the fine dust can really be a problem.
I will say the 8 stops of image stabilization in the Sony A7RV have been an absolute game-changer for night shots out on the Playa. I’m able to take far more crisp night photos handheld at a .5 to 2-second exposure. You need to be fast and mobile out there to get a high volume of great shots, and setting up a tripod just isn’t really conducive to that ethos, though it has its place.
DIYP: Do you have any tricks or tips for creating engaging candid portraits?
Mark: Ask, ask, ask! All too often I’ve walked or ridden by an absolutely spectacular human and been too timid to stop and ask for a shot. These missed moments end up being some of my biggest regrets. The people at Burning Man, the Burners, are some of the most colourful and creative individuals you’ll ever come across. Usually, they are all too happy to pose in exchange for your contact to get the shot back in the default world.
Don’t be hesitant to ask them to move a bit to get to the best possible background and illumination, it will make a massive difference in the quality of the portrait to have proper light and isolation of your subject. Come up with a repertoire of pose requests to create some dynamism in the portrait, or just ask them to do something fun and see what happens. Get some head shots and also some full body at the same time, as the more clicks, the more chances for the selects to shine through.
DIYP: What’s the most challenging aspect of photographing Burning Man?
Mark: By far, the biggest challenge to shooting Burning Man is time. The event is only 1 week, the best light window is typically sunrise and sunset hours, and the weather doesn’t always cooperate. You still have to make time to sleep, eat, perform your camp duties and experience the wonder as a participant, so your photography is just one more thing fighting for your time out there.
Try and plan your shooting time around the best light conditions, and be ready to zoom out on the playa at a moment’s notice for novel weather. Even the best-laid plans disintegrate with the constant onslaught of spontaneity. You can decide you want to photograph an event, but riding towards it are a thousand incredible visual distractions that pull you this way and that. One big upgrade I made this year was to get an e-bike. I was able to cover much more ground with way less energy expended. It’s a must for any serious photography out there.
DIYP: Do you have any new projects coming up you’re excited to tell us about?
Mark: This past year was such a banner year with winning the International Photography Awards, Event Photographer of the Year (non-professional). It was completely unexpected, and travelling to Athens, Greece, for the awards ceremony was a life highlight I’ll never forget.
My work has been in a number of group exhibitions and photography festivals, but I’ve never had my own solo exhibition. This is a solid goal to shoot for, and I’m taking steps to make it happen. I’m also really looking forward to Burning Man 2025. It’s a constant, ever-evolving puzzle out there to advance the quantity and quality of my photography while still taking the time to contribute, experience and enjoy as a participant. The best is yet to come!
You can see more of Marks images on his website, or follow him on Instagram.
