Nature, nudity and reconnection captured in rare photos of Rainbow Gatherings

Joth Shakerley - Rainbow
(Image credit: Joth Shakerley - Rainbow)

In 1986, photographer Joth Shakerley attended his very first Rainbow Gathering. It was an experience that would change the course of his life, and now, more than 36 years later, he is finally sharing the photos he’s captured of the people who make it so magical.

At just 20 years old, Joth was encouraged to go to his first Rainbow Gathering by a “beautiful hippy chick” at a Hare Krishna temple in Los Angeles where he often went to enjoy free food on a Sunday. After hearing about this free-thinking community, he and three friends cruised up the Pacific Coastal Highway towards the rugged mountains of Big Sur where the gathering took place, completely unaware of how transformative the event would be.

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Hannah Rooke
Staff Writer

Having studied Journalism and Public Relations at the University of the West of England Hannah developed a love for photography through a module on photojournalism. She specializes in Portrait, Fashion and lifestyle photography but has more recently branched out in the world of stylized product photography. For the last 3 years Hannah has worked at Wex Photo Video as a Senior Sales Assistant using her experience and knowledge of cameras to help people buy the equipment that is right for them. With 5 years experience working with studio lighting, Hannah has run many successful workshops teaching people how to use different lighting setups.