All photographers should see this.

What if it was just one person?

Ha!

No he just hates to be Gary or me.

Will, have you ever used a twin-lens reflex camera? Many people (including me) have found that a subject is more relaxed, or maybe even quizzical, if the lens pointed at them is not their main focus.

They don't know it, though.
Most people don't know what parallax is.

They don't know it, though.
Most people don't know what parallax is.

I think thats the point I was trying to make. When facing something you don't know quite what to make of it, it seems to relax the subject more, than if they're facing a very obvious telephoto lens (for example), or some guy with a huge and weird flash set-up.

I think it's more about the shooting from the waist without a prism - be it with the TTL or a Hassie.
So here you can be onto something.

not a photographer but love the idea, and it ties in with the madness of burning man..you have to say he got in the spirit of the festival. result very polished shots that go against the situation they were taken...good stuf, could he have done it differently with less hassle ?? but then that would have taken away from his proj of being a walking studio.

Great shots for "party shots", don't get me wrong, but same thing could be achieved with:

With the greatest of respect, the effect would be similar, to non-photographers maybe, but noticeably different to those that can really tell the difference of a lighting set-up. A ringflash offers uniform lighting in a circular dimension. The narrow strip softboxes used are different in that they can create more uniform light output through a greater length; at least in a usably sized softbox. The giant octaboxes can do the same, but they cannot be carried. I think the set-up was well planned. The harsh but even lighting goes well with the subject being overexposed by 2 stops, with the background being of correct exposure.

Not wishing to cause an argument, just offering my view on the matter. Though I have never been a big fan of studio images, and studio photography on the whole, I do know lighting to a pretty fair degree.

You see, there are people who can afford a proper flash head and who'd use some SB flashguns and a simple silver reflector to the similar effect.
I like what that guy got with those large softboxes, but the dessert offer loadsa sun and a large full size reflector could provide similar. They're not very special, those photos. Step back and look at them without the back story.

And what did he achieve? It's nothing different than your off the mill glamour shoot which accompanies porn movie. Am I right? Think about it...

Anyway, it's good you've provided something to have a discussion about and what's pleasing to the eye.
And an ingenious solution if needed.

My identical twin was offered (years ago) a job as a working photog for Elite Models....oh yes he was. And though we are both keen photographers, we have always worked differently. He says I am the better at outdoor work, including portraits. Maybe he's right, and maybe he's wrong. I don't think about it. But I credit this Schwabel guy with providing images that were designed to be as they are.

Personally, I only do analogue/film....with the sole exception of images taken on a cameraphone.

I think the concept this Schwabel guy has taken on is great. I like it as much for its comedy factor, as well as its sly method of gaining an audience, and being an ice-breaker. As people photographers all know, breaking the ice is half the job. The technical bit should practically take care of itself. ;)

I reckon the rig he used and the way he did it, carrying around a wacky portable mini studio, created the essential personality of the shots.

Sticking a DSLR and ring flash in someone's face would not have achieved the same ends.

Chapeaux to him :-)

I think those images are kinda like the ones that guy does of motocross in america with the thing that holds like 8 speedlights in a circle.

You could get pretty much the same result with a lot less equipment.

You could results so similar that non-photogs wouldn't be able to tell the difference and photogs wonder if it's worth the effort/expense.

But hey, he did it, if he didn't have that big rig then people may have reacted differently, he might not have got images HE was as happy with so fair play to him.

YouTube - Schwabel does Burning Man 2010

Max Crowe at 3:23.