
Ed Caraeff was only 17 when he took this iconic photo of Jimi Hendrix setting his guitar on fire at the 1967 Monterey International Pop Music Festival. In his new book, "Burning Desire: The Jimi Hendrix Experience Through the Lens of Ed Caraeff," the photographer brings together never-before-seen images from the two years he spent shooting Hendrix's performances.

"There was nothing like him. You'd never seen anything like it. I mean I've seen some incredible people and he's the real deal," Caraeff said of his first time seeing Hendrix perform.

Hendrix performs at the Newport '69 festival at the Devonshire Downs in Northridge, California on June 22, 1969.

Drummer Buddy Miles, Eric Burdon of The Animals, and other musicians joined him on stage for an informal jam session.

On September 14, 1968, The Jimi Hendrix Experience performed in front of an orchestra pit filled with water at the Hollywood Bowl. Excited fans eventually jumped into the water to get closer to the band.

This photo shows Hendrix on stage during a rehearsal ahead of the performance at the Hollywood Bowl on August 18, 1967.
"I took color film with me this time. Back then, color was expensive and I didn't have a lot of it. But I'm glad I got these photos -- if only to show how electric the clothes were," Caraeff writes in the book.
"I took color film with me this time. Back then, color was expensive and I didn't have a lot of it. But I'm glad I got these photos -- if only to show how electric the clothes were," Caraeff writes in the book.

Hendrix shoots pool at the Bel Air home of Jon and Michelle Phillips, co-founders of The Mamas & the Papas, on July 1, 1967.

Members of The Jimi Hendrix Experience being interviewed at the Monterey International Pop Festival ion June 18, 1967.

Hendrix backstage before his show at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on February 9, 1968.

Hendrix performs on opening night of the Newport '69 festival at the Devonshire Downs in Northridge, California on June 20, 1969.


