Athlete Standing Leap

The focus on images in motion often leads to the overlooking of Eadweard Muybridge’s photographic achievements. In the process of recording athletic activities, the camera would inadvertently capture moments not easily observed by the human eye. The brief human flight in Athlete Standing Leap (1881) is frozen on the plate, allowing us to marvel at our own physical abilities. The full stretch permits us to admire the complex beauty of the human form. Even if this sequence does not lend itself to smooth viewing on contemporary devices that spin the images in a loop, it invites us to pause and acknowledge the art of photography for trapping instants for eternity, overcoming the ephemerality of time.