Baby Bird It: Future Forgotten Photos

"Hey!" cries a voice blending with the sounds of the winds crossing the Playa.

"Hey," it becomes more clear as the source gets closer. A beautiful Emerald woman and monkey of a man in little more than blue bootie-shorts and a silver top-hat wave enthusiastically beckoning you to come over. You can’t resist.

"Do you want your Future Forgotten Photo taken?"

"What’s tha–" You stop, realizing you don’t need to know the answer to your own question. "I’d love one!"

The pair light up and launch into an explanation of what is to come next. They work like carnival game operators in complete unison, one speaking, the other enacting the words like a flight attendant showing how to use in-flight oxygen before take-off.

"All right, this is how it works" begins the camera touting gentleman taking a deep breath before launching into a well-rehearsed pitch. "You’re going to reach in this bag (assistant presents bag), pick out a clue, write your physical address on the back, enact it as best you can while I take your picture, forget about it, and I’ll mail it to you after we’ve both forgotten about it. Of course, the better job you do, the more likely I am going to be able to match your photo to your clue, and the more likely you will receive your picture in the mail at a later date. Got it? Great! What’s your clue?"

I asked 38 people, of which 36 agreed to have their picture taken. And, some months later, I developed my film from Burning Man and sat down to match clues to pictures. The photos have been mailed out (hopefully to their proper recipients… estimates put it at 29 of 36 correct), and now there here to share with you. Enjoy.