{"id":9380,"date":"2025-09-15T15:34:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-15T22:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/?p=9380"},"modified":"2026-08-30T19:17:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T02:17:11","slug":"eleanor-pregers-lens-magic-tomorrow-today-at-burning-man","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/eleanor-pregers-lens-magic-tomorrow-today-at-burning-man\/","title":{"rendered":"Eleanor Preger\u2019s Lens Magic: Tomorrow Today at Burning Man"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Chic<\/span><\/div><\/div>
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\"Laser<\/span><\/div><\/div>

Laser Projected Mycelia by Daniel Popper \/ Photo by Eleanor Preger<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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Eleanor Preger\u2019s Lens Magic:<\/h1>\n

Tomorrow Today at Burning Man<\/p>\n

By Laura Henkel \/ Photography by Eleanor Preger<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Each year, something extraordinary rises from the dust of the Black Rock Desert. Black Rock City becomes the third-largest city in Nevada for one month of the year, complete with its own FAA-approved airport. Urban planners, architects and civic leaders from across the globe travel here to study its temporary yet highly functional design. Produced by the Burning Man Project, the event is as much about community and experimentation as it is about art.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s theme, \u201cTomorrow Today,\u201d challenges participants to imagine futures while grounding themselves in the present. The opening days of the Burn were marked by severe weather conditions, as wind and dust storms tested the resilience of every participant. Rather than divide people, it brought them closer together. Amid it all, photographer Eleanor Preger was there, camera in hand, capturing not only the art and commemorations but also the spirit of unity that defines Burning Man.<\/p>\n

A self-taught photographer based in Lake Tahoe and Sausalito, Preger has been part of the Burning Man Documentary Team since 2011. Her first trip to the Playa 15 years ago ignited a passion that became her life\u2019s work. \u201cI love to bring the beauty I see and the interesting experiences I run across to your eyes,\u201d she says. \u201cI want to tap into your emotions and make you say AHHH.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Preger, the Playa is more than a desert. It is a living canvas where light, people and monumental art converge. She rarely stages her shots, preferring to let moments unfold. Her lens lingers on stillness in motion \u2014 the dancer pausing at sunrise, the fire spinner catching breath, the quiet reflection at the Temple. Light is her favorite collaborator, and she chases its fleeting magic at dawn and dusk, when everything transforms. \u201cThere is something magical about witnessing people simply being themselves,\u201d she reflects. \u201cNo judgment, just pure human expression.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Mycelia<\/span><\/div><\/div>

Mycelia by Daniel Popper \/ Photo by Eleanor Preger<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

From attendees who bring their own creative energy to the mix, to special performances by international talent, as well as art designed to be experienced by both day and night, Preger\u2019s photographs reveal the range and richness of Black Rock City. Her 2025 portfolio includes works like \u201cMaciela\u201d by Daniel Popper, a towering sculptural portrait that transforms under projection mapping from day into night, and the dreamlike performances of the Lucent Dossier Experience in \u201cMyth of the Opera,\u201d where aerialists, musicians and fire swirl together in a spellbinding spectacle. These moments embody the interplay of art, performance and community that make Burning Man unforgettable.<\/p>\n

Her artistry has been recognized at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution, at Sotheby\u2019s, and in exhibitions at the Nevada Museum of Art, the Oakland Museum and the Sierra Arts Foundation, among others. Her photographs have been featured in hundreds of international publications, most notably to promote the landmark \u201cNo Spectators\u201d exhibition.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Lucent<\/span><\/div><\/div>

Lucent Dossier Performance Myth of the Opera \/ Photo by Eleanor Preger<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

And yet, despite the accolades, what Preger values most are the connections she makes. She often gifts her photographs to the people she meets, long after the dust has settled. \u201cIt is my way of saying thank you and honoring their spirit,\u201d she shares. \u201cIt means a lot to us all.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year, her work captures the essence of \"Tomorrow Today\" \u2014 not only the monumental art and visionary mutant vehicles but also the resilience and intimacy that emerged from the storm. Through Preger\u2019s lens, readers are invited to step into Burning Man\u2019s fleeting city and experience its beauty, its challenges and its magic.<\/p>\n

To see more of Eleanor\u2019s photography from Burning Man 2025, visit\u00a0eleanorpreger.com<\/a>\u00a0or follow @eleanorpreger on Instagram<\/a> and Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Laura<\/span><\/div><\/div>

Laura Henkel with Christina Vela, CEO of St. Jude\u2019s Ranch, pictured with Luis Valera-Rico\u2019s piece, Critical Mass, which is an acquisition by the City of Las Vegas and part of their permanent art collection that is now prominently featured in the Arts District near his installation, Radial Symmetry\u00a0\/ Photo by Eleanor Preger<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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The Man Fireworks<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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The Man by Jen Lewin and Mark Rivera<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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The Fate of These Three Sisteers by Vallery Mallory<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Temple of the Deep by Miguel Arraiz Garcia<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Temple of the Deep by Miguel Arraiz Garcia<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Temple Guardian<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Sunrise<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Siren Gliss Electric Harpist playing on Monaco Art Car<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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81. The Midnight Museum of That One Time at Burning Man by Jerry Snyder<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Rose Wonders at Sunst by Thomas Danbo<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Reshma Mansuri L\u00f6w<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Out the Other by Kate Greenberg<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Namaskaram by Srikanth Guttikonda and Looking Up Arts<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Mystery and comfort with artist Julia Cortell<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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French Cowboy dressing like American, Romain Decharne<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Framed April<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Mother by Weld Queen<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Moth by Vitale K<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Baby Kauyumari Ceremonial Center by Leyla Brashka<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Afterlife Reincarnate by Blitzy and The Afterlife Artist Collective<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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April McKay on Guma by Harper Clark<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Aquatica by Anna Gribovsky<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Art Car<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Gloria Narajo<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Guma by Harper Clark<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Hashtag Laura Kimpton<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Erin Owens on spiffed up bike<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Kauyumari Ceremonial Center by Leyla Brashka<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Man Exploding<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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KBOT and Bill Cass<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Khaalid Riding Mechanical Bull at Camp Silver City<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Jael LaFemina and Julia Cortell at Moon Gate Portal<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Burning Man Founder Michael Mikel and wife Dusty<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Celestials art and Empyrean art car by Michael Benisty<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Celestials by Michael Benisty<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Center Camp Polaroids<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Inside Apotheneum by Anthony Feldman<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Black Rock Philharmonic at The Sphinx Gate<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Man Burn 2<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Merman by Andrii Krapyvchenko and Wonder Workshop crew<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Man Burn<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Morning at Moon Gate Portal<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Nova by Charles Sommerville and art car BAAS<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Moon Gate Portal with artist Jael LaFemina<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Apotheneum by Anthony Fieldman<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Arisen by Dreams Unlimited<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Artist Mona Meough with her damaged art Mona Die Die Die<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Apotheneum by Anthony Feldman<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Sunrise with Dayana<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Building the Man<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Sphinx Gate<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Un Nuevo Camino by Mark Rivera aka Kidnetick<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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Un Nuevo Camino by Mark Rivera aka Kidnetick, Kauyumari Ceremonial Center by Leyla Brashka<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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The Sphinx Gate by Mareesa Stertz, Tania Abdul, Jason Chase and the Sphinxters<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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The Quantum Experience - sTuro Art<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>
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The Point of Unity by Mykola Kabluka<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Each year, Black Rock City becomes the third-largest city in Nevada for one month of the year, complete with its own FAA-approved airport. Urban planners, architects and civic leaders from across the globe travel here to study its temporary yet highly functional design. Produced by the Burning Man Project, the event is as much about community and experimentation as it is about art.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9381,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4522,2360],"tags":[4216,4377,206],"class_list":["post-9380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-and-culture","category-blog","tag-burning-man","tag-eleanor-preger","tag-laura-henkel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9380","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9380"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9380\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11322,"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9380\/revisions\/11322"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9381"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9380"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9380"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9380"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}