85 Burning Man Photos That'll Blow Your Mind

Burning Man is a spectacular event in the desert that is truly like no other.

85 Burning Man Photos That'll Blow Your Mind

Burning Man is so unique that it’s difficult to find the right words to describe it. It's a global culture, a way of living and a thriving city that participants build from scratch every year in late August.

But it's also much more than any of these descriptors suggest. The best way to understand its principles of self-expression, creativity and community — besides attending in person, of course — is to see it depicted in photos or videos.

Burning Man returned in 2022 after a two-year hiatus, thanks to the pandemic. To say it was a hot (and pricey!) ticket to visit Black Rock City is an understatement. That's why some of us simply have to settle for these mindblowing images that provide another way to experience the otherworldly beauty and core tenets of this truly singular event.

The Very First Sculpture

The central fixture of Burning Man is "The Man" himself, a towering sculpture with a triangular-shaped face that's ceremonially burned at the end of each event.

The first sculpture was built in 1986 by Larry Harvey and Jerry James out of scrap wood, and was torched on Baker Beach in San Francisco.

That inaugural year, the sculpture was 8-feet tall. In more recent years, it's reached nearly 40 feet in height.

From 10 Bystanders to Thousands

The first year the wooden sculpture was set ablaze, about 10 bystanders were present. More than three decades later, things have changed.

This 2019 image shows "The Man" burning in the distance, with hundreds of cars and thousands of people gathered around it.

Moving to Black Rock Desert

In 1990, after four years at Baker Beach, Burning Man organizers were told that their ritual could cause a wildfire. So the group decided to relocate to the Black Rock Desert, northeast of Reno, Nevada.

The first year the burgeoning festival was held in the desert, it welcomed 90 attendees.

A New Era of Burning Man

Aside from a brief stint at nearby Fly Ranch, Black Rock Desert has been the home of the event ever since, setting the scene with its stark and striking backdrop.

These days, the desert welcomes some 80,000 Burning Man participants each year with hundreds of quirky sculptures like this from the 2022 event.

Fashion Is Art

The fashion is often created to work in dialogue with the public art.

Making a Statement

Burners take their looks to the next level with piercings and creative hair styles.

Don't Forget the Headwear

Spectacular headwear is also a common sight.

The Beginning of Camps

In the early 1990s, after Burning Man moved to Black Rock Desert, it also started to adopt more formal infrastructure. One way it did this was by establishing camps for festival-goers to stay in.

Today, many of these camps are interactive and themed, focused on everything from Elvis to bread-baking. This Brazilian-themed camp is called Favela.

Distrikt Camp

An aerial perspective showcases the scope of Distrikt, a music- and arts-focused camp established in 2010.

The Lamplighter Tradition

Since its early days, Burning Man has been focused on establishing traditions — and one of the most important is that of the lamplighters.

In 1993, a small group of volunteers placed about a dozen kerosene lamps on the ground to light the way to "The Man."

Carrying on the Tradition

These days, some 100 lamplighters set out about 1,000 lanterns at each event.

Traveling Via Bike

Another longstanding Burning Man tradition: traversing the vast expanses of the desert via bike.

Surviving the Inevitable Dust Storms

When dust storms strike, as they often do at Burning Man, bikers get lost in the debris.

Interactive Art Cars

Art cars — cars designed with elaborate themes — have been a staple of Burning Man since the '90s, and there's even a themed camp specifically devoted to them.

Over time, they've become more and more elaborate. XUZA, the two-level interactive car shown here, has been a fixture at the festival for years.

Art Car Bus Stop

You can even wait for an art car to pick you up at the designated bus stops.

A Moving Cathedral

The Sanctuary art car functions as a moving cathedral.

Because, Why Not?

This art car's theme is appropriately wild and random: an octopus shooting flames.

Yes, There's a Black Rock City Airport

By the early 2000s, Black Rock City was welcoming so many people, it established its own airport.

Black Rock City Municipal Airport continues to serve attendees today, and remains guided by key Burning Man principles: Those who use the airport must leave no trace and be totally self-reliant. The airport is run by Burners — roughly two weeks before the event, they start setting up control towers, runways and checkpoints.

Weathering the Storm

During the 2009 event, Michael Christian's "Lock and Key," featuring a body made entirely out of locks, braved a winter storm.

The storm was appropriately ominous, as this was a tough year for Burning Man. It was the first time the festival saw a decrease in participation and in the number of art installations created, a result of the Great Recession.

Fortunately, participation rebounded the next year and has remained strong since (apart from the pandemic cancellations, of course).

'Starport' Installation

Each year, Burning Man installations have gotten bigger and bolder.

This piece, “Starport,” moved attendees at the 2012 event.

From Popular to Epic

In 2013, another dust storm swept over another Michael Christian sculpture. But this time, the storm wasn't an indicator of trouble.

Quite the opposite, 2013 was the year that Burning Man went from popular to epic, as tickets sold out for the third year in a row and approximately 40 percent of participants attended the event for the first time.

To minimize the number of cars traveling to Burning Man, organizers even had to create a shuttle system, the Burner Express.

The Biggest Year Yet

In 2014, Burning Man again welcomed record numbers.

"Blumen Lumen" debuted this year with a moving interactive touch: The installation's kinetic flowers bloomed when people came near them.

'Burning Bad'

This 2014 image, aptly titled "Burning Bad," took its inspiration from the pop-culture phenom "Breaking Bad," also set in the desolate desert.

'Wheels of Zoroaster'

Art installations occasionally make return appearances at Burning Man years later.

The "Wheels of Zoroaster," featuring hand-cranked wheels that generate sparks and flames as they spin, initially debuted in 2014 and was resurrected for the 2019 event.

The Temple of Promise

Each year, the festival features a centerpiece temple.

In 2015, the winning design was The Temple of Promise.

All You Need Is Love

The Burning Man ethos is summed up beautifully in this installation from the 2016 event.

Black and White

A scene from "Mad Max" or a photo from the 2016 event? Could be either...

Up in the Air

This installation from 2016 looked otherworldly.

Is That Pac-Man?

Pac-Man also made an appearance in 2016.

The Artistic Spirit

Even as, in more recent years, Burning Man has started welcoming as many tech execs as artists (much to the chagrin of many), it's always maintained its focus on celebrating the artistic spirit.

At the 2016 event, this blissful installation was a standout.

Decked Out in Warrior Costumes

Participants decked out in elaborate warrior costumes marched toward "The Man" in 2016.

The Process of Healing

"Tree of Tenere," modeled after one of the most isolated trees on Earth, featured 25,000 LED leaves and was one of the most beloved installations at the 2017 event.

Unfortunately, that year's event was also marked by tragedy; during the burning of "The Man," participant Aaron Joel Mitchell ran into the fire and later died from his injuries.

“The incident shook our community, but the outpouring of sympathy for Joel and his friends and family, and gratitude for the (emergency services) workers who tried to save him, immediately initiated a process of healing,” the Burning Man website stated at the time.

'The Portal'

This 2017 image captures two installations working in synchronicity with one another: a temple sculpture viewed through a circular sculpture called "The Portal."

Don't Forget Your Mask

Visual art again takes the form of provocative fashion statement in this look from 2017.

Fierce Fashionista

Early on, the event established itself as a platform for bold and daring fashion, a trend that continues today.

Festival Fashion on Point

The fashion lends itself to creative staged photos.

A Thoughtful Seamstress

A seamstress offers alterations and customizations to Burners at her sewing station during the 2017 event.

Blending Fashion and Art

Fashion and art converge in this shot from 2017.

Colorful Jellyfish

"The Man" is viewed through a colorful jellyfish portal called "Bloom" in 2017.

Here for Daft Punk

Legend has it that every year, Daft Punk secretly plays at Burning Man. The rumor is likely a practical joke, but then again, who knows?

This 2017 image nods to the urban legend, with its flag proclaiming, "We are here for Daft Punk."

Marrying Design and Sound

This spinning disc of LEDs, called "Paraluna," played classical music at the 2018 Burning Man, marrying design and sound to transcendent effect.

Let There Be Light

A man kneels down beside "SunScope," a 2018 creation by HYBYCOZO, which designs large-scale installations to "investigate geometric exploration through light, shadow and perception."

A Loving Community

"Identity Awareness - Family" by Shane Pitzer impressed attendees at 2018's Burning Man, while sharing a message of love and community more resonant than ever.

Just a few months before the 2018 event, founder Larry Harvey died at age 70 from a stroke. Harvey remained involved with Burning Man until the very end, serving as board president and chief philosophic officer of Burning Man Project, the nonprofit that helps organize the event and related initiatives.

Galaxies of Dreams

The 2018 temple was the futuristic "Galaxia," designed to celebrate "the movement uniting us in swirling galaxies of dreams."

Planet-Shaped Reflection

Art and science came together to brilliant effect in this 2018 installation, a planet-shaped mirror — scaled to 1/500,000 of the Earth’s surface — reflecting the people and art beneath it.

Just Playing Around

The appropriate Instagram caption for this 2018 image? "At play."

And Jumping Around

Another shot of Burners at play in 2018.

Celeb Sighting

Canadian actress Nina Dobrev poses at the 2022 event.

No Detail Is Left Untouched

Fashion again took center stage during the 2018 event.

Celebration of Love

Michael Benisty designed this gorgeous celebration of love for the 2019 event.

Land Yachts

In 2019, members of the Black Rock Yacht Club swapped bikes for land yachts to explore the desert terrain.

'The Head Maze'

Matthew Schultz designed "The Head Maze" sculpture in 2019 with the aim to tell people "It's OK to feel a little mad in this society."

A Whale to Remember

The 2019 event also featured "The SkyWhale," a life-size flying technicolor whale.

When Art Doubles as a Stage

Modeled after a gramophone, this 35-foot-tall sculpture, "La Victrola," played recordings from the early 1900s at the 2019 event.

It also doubled as a cabaret stage.

Eco-Friendly Burning Man

In line with the eco-friendly Burning Man ethos, this 2019 work by Tahoe Mack, "The Monumental Mammoth," was crafted from re-purposed materials.

'Tara Mechani'

"Tara Mechani" by Dana Albany, from the 2019 Burning Man, had duel influences: the ancient female Buddha, Tara, and a futuristic female robot.

No Filter Needed

Burning Man photos don't need filters in them to impress, as this 2019 shot ably proves.

'Temple of Direction'

The 2019 Burning Man featured the spectacular "Temple of Direction," a place for reflection modeled after Japan's Fushimi Inari Shrine.

Set Up in Flames

At the festival's conclusion, the "Temple of Direction" was set ablaze, a fitting end to yet another memorable event.

Mesmerizing

The 2019 event also showcased Burning Man's trademark bold and daring fashion.

Reflections

Giant Reflective Sculptures at Burning Man 2022

This 2022 reflective sculpture was an absolute stunner.

All the Whimsy

Antlers top off a whimsical outfit in 2019.

Meeeoowww

The Space Cats have landed at the 2022 event.

These Boots Were Made for Walking

More awesome fashion, more awesome boots.

A Steampunk Look to Remember

Another showstopping Burning Man hat from 2019.

All That Glitters

And another!

And Gold

Simply stunning.

A Stunning Silhouette

Gorgeous fashion, striking backdrop.

Let's Not Forget the Guys

Men, too, know how to bring their style A-game to Burning Man.

All Wrapped Up

Another guy, in 2019, with style to spare. (Fun bike, too.)

For That Third Eye

Practical? No. Fun? You bet.

Holding Hands

Larger than life metal sculpture.

Squad Goals

The apt caption for this 2019 shot? "Squad goals." Indeed.

Work It

This outfit must've taken a lot of work.

The work paid off.

Light Sabers Are a Must

Is there anything better than a light saber to bring to Burning Man? We think not.

Fun With Hats

Ok, seriously, Burning Man has the best hats.

All in Good Fun

Even the shadow has swagger.

Virtual Burning Man

Continue exploring these stunning photos to get you inspired for next year's Burning Man.

Little Daylight

Yeehaw!

Supporting One Another

An Artsy Ride

Or a Turbo One

On Top of the World