A largely self-taught photographer, Eleanor Preger honed her craft taking photographs at the annual Burning Man gathering that takes place in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. Over the years, she has built a reputation for capturing the colors, movement, sound, and soul of artists and artworks set against the stark and striking backdrop of the desert playa.
In spring 2022, Preger collaborated with contemporary artist Rachel Hayes, whose large-scale textile installation is currently on view in the Donald W. Reynolds Grand Hall. Preger and Hayes ventured outdoors for a series of photography sessions at Mount Rose Meadows, Lake Tahoe’s Glenbrook community, and other locales in the Tahoe Basin. With help from family and friends, Hayes’ installed her sculptural fabric artworks in a variety of dramatic landscape settings.
During these sessions, Preger took thousands of photographs. While the ever-changing light and prevailing winds certainly had a hand in determining the final product, it was Preger’s unique photographic vision that resulted in this series of dynamic photographs. Taken together, these images remind us to take pleasure in nature’s fleeting moments and to embrace the ephemeral wonders of art and nature.
