Athlete Running Long Leap

In his quest to capture movement, Eadweard Muybridge sometimes chose actions that invite the question whether the final sequence was worth using for scientific purposes. Without a jump to complete the action, Athlete Running Long Leap (1881) appears incomplete. Given that Muybridge could only project his photographs using the zoopraxiscope, this short is also awkward to watch repeatedly in rotation. Whereas locomotion experts might have found the tensing of specific muscle groups upon the initiation of a long leap compelling, the lighting of the subject leaves much to be desired in observing satisfactory detail. Overall, this chronophotographic work highlights the subtle distinction between studies suited solely to science and those capable of transition into art. This production falls firmly into the former category.