The basic idea behind the StrobePack is purely photographic, enabling me to provide the best light possible, with minimal need for assistance, and it works so that small light sources like LEDs and EL-wire retain their glow...It's also really conspicuous, and people naturally interact with it, which blurs the line between observer and participant.
So, to sum up: It makes really pretty pictures, and you can dance to it.
[media]
Sample photos from past events:
2013 Super Villain Dance Party - Austin CORE fundraiser.
2012 Super Villain Dance Party - Dallas CORE fundraiser.
Rollerburn 2 - Dallas CORE fundraiser.
Spoonfed Tribe album release party - June 2013.
2013 Dallas Suspension Convention (please note that these are photos of hook suspension, and many contain visible blood).
Hopefully that gives you a good overview of the pack itself, I hope you'll take a look at my Indiegogo page: StrobePack: Burning Man 2013 and Beyond.
Thanks for taking the time to read this; if you'd like more information about the project, the StrobePack, or me, please feel free to keep reading, and I'm more than happy to answer any questions.
Hi, I'm Mark Kaplan, an amateur photographer from Dallas, Texas; I focus primarily on events and subcultures, particularly burlesque, body suspension, and the local burn community. My photos from events are always made available for free online, and because I'm personally a part of the communities that I document, I work to ensure that they are treated with respect, without the need for sensationalism.
I bought my first DSLR in 2006, to take to Dragon*Con, I had been so amazed by the costuming and revelry when I attended in 2005, I wanted to be able to share it.
In 2007, I discovered burlesque in Dallas, helping me form friendships that would cross into the Burn world, and learn a whole lot about how to take pictures in the dark. I also began shooting the Dallas Fetish Ball, which continues to this day
In 2011, I was invited to photograph the Dallas Suspension Convention, was introduced to the Dallas burn community, and created the first version of the “StrobePack” while at Dragon*Con.
In 2012, I attended my first burn –Myschievia- and learned a bit about the various perceptions of photography in the local and regional community, as well as a much better understanding of a burn itself (no matter how many burn parties you go to, it just ain’t the same).
We also made significant changes to the design of the StrobePack, making it easier to carry for longer periods of time as well dramatically improving the options for lighting.
In 2013, I shot my third Dallas Suscon, attended and photographed Flipside as well as numerous small events including the recent Super Villain Dance Party in support of the Austin CORE project “Temple of Times”, and I received approval from the Burning Man Media Team to bring the StrobePack to the Playa as part of a media project.
The core of my project at Burning Man, is to use the StrobePack to photography the Playa at night, without photos having the blown-out look that often accompanies flash photography. Objects that provide illumination, whether flame, LED, or bioluminescent, remain visible, with their distinctive features.
