In celebration of Leap Day--the best of all temporally related quadrennial celebrations--I thought it would be fun to take a photographic look at the "art of the leap."
But first, let's take a moment to define what is, and what is, not a leap. For instance?.
NOTa leap: George Zimbel - Marilyn Monroe, Looking Left
A sixteenth-hearted effort if I've ever seen one. Let someone else have the spotlight for once, Marilyn!
ALMOST a leap: Henry Horenstein - Miss Saturn, Outside Slipper Room, New York, NY 2008
Nice fake-out, Miss Saturn, but no matter how celestial your pose (and name) may be? your stance remains a tad too Earthbound for my taste
Leap: Ruth Orkin - Boy Jumping Into Hudson River, 1948
Now THAT'S how it's done!
Culturally, the French appear to be quite adept in their leaptitude, which is unmistakable in this duo of jump-themed pieces.
Yves Klein -Le Saut dans le vide, 1960
Henri Cartier-Bresson - Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare, 1932
Jacques-Henri Latrigue - Bichonnade Leaping
Fear not, patriots, for while the French Leap does appear prominently in the photographic realm, we all know the Freedom Leap is equally entertaining.
Loomis Dean - Man Flying Off a Trampoline at Santa Monica Beach
Susan Burnstine - Jump
Dance is rife with leap photo-ops, and American modern dance queen, Martha Graham, shows up prominently in photography of the mid-20th century. Let's combine the two, shall we?
![Barbara_Morgan_Graham_Group_American[2]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PAhbKov6-Is/T06dP3ajNiI/AAAAAAAAA6I/cw64j_Fiqr8/Barbara_Morgan_Graham_Group_American%25255B2%25255D_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800 "Barbara_Morgan_Graham_Group_American[2]")
Barbara Morgan - Graham Group, American Document; Sophie Maslow, Frieda Flier and Marforie Mazia (Starburst) 1938
![Philippe_Halsman_Merce_Cunningham_Le[1]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MQZCiPJaCzw/T06dRzgH_8I/AAAAAAAAA6Y/z-ifPpCg6hM/Philippe_Halsman_Merce_Cunningham_Le%25255B1%25255D_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800 "Philippe_Halsman_Merce_Cunningham_Le[1]")
Phillipe Halsman - Merce Cunningham, leaping and Martha Graham, sitting
Apparently umbrellas play an integral part in the "leap shot," as is evident in the following rainy day photos.
Richard Avedon - Homage to Munkasci, 1957
Elliott Erwitt - Paris, 1989 (Tour Eiffel)
Like to see some of these works in person? Never purchased a work of fine art photography? Take the LEAP (see what I did there?!) and stop on in the John Cleary Gallery. Happy Leap Day everyone? and don't forget those umbrellas!
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In celebration of Leap Day--the best of all temporally related quadrennial celebrations--I thought it would be fun to take a photographic look at the "art of the leap."
But first, let's take a moment to define what is, and what is, not a leap. For instance?.
NOTa leap: George Zimbel - Marilyn Monroe, Looking Left
A sixteenth-hearted effort if I've ever seen one. Let someone else have the spotlight for once, Marilyn!
ALMOST a leap: Henry Horenstein - Miss Saturn, Outside Slipper Room, New York, NY 2008
Nice fake-out, Miss Saturn, but no matter how celestial your pose (and name) may be? your stance remains a tad too Earthbound for my taste
Leap: Ruth Orkin - Boy Jumping Into Hudson River, 1948
Now THAT'S how it's done!
Culturally, the French appear to be quite adept in their leaptitude, which is unmistakable in this duo of jump-themed pieces.
Yves Klein -Le Saut dans le vide, 1960
Henri Cartier-Bresson - Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare, 1932
Jacques-Henri Latrigue - Bichonnade Leaping
Fear not, patriots, for while the French Leap does appear prominently in the photographic realm, we all know the Freedom Leap is equally entertaining.
Loomis Dean - Man Flying Off a Trampoline at Santa Monica Beach
Susan Burnstine - Jump
Dance is rife with leap photo-ops, and American modern dance queen, Martha Graham, shows up prominently in photography of the mid-20th century. Let's combine the two, shall we?
![Barbara_Morgan_Graham_Group_American[2]](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KTZej9Hdxek/T06dPQF7ksI/AAAAAAAAA6A/4-mT8UAI4KM/s1600-h/Barbara_Morgan_Graham_Group_American%25255B2%25255D%25255B6%25255D.jpg "Barbara_Morgan_Graham_Group_American[2]")
Barbara Morgan - Graham Group, American Document; Sophie Maslow, Frieda Flier and Marforie Mazia (Starburst) 1938
![Philippe_Halsman_Merce_Cunningham_Le[1]](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LA60gn5_WwE/T06dRPfch8I/AAAAAAAAA6Q/kah80vR92QE/s1600-h/Philippe_Halsman_Merce_Cunningham_Le%25255B1%25255D%25255B5%25255D.png "Philippe_Halsman_Merce_Cunningham_Le[1]")
Phillipe Halsman - Merce Cunningham, leaping and Martha Graham, sitting
Apparently umbrellas play an integral part in the "leap shot," as is evident in the following rainy day photos.
Richard Avedon - Homage to Munkasci, 1957
Elliott Erwitt - Paris, 1989 (Tour Eiffel)
Like to see some of these works in person? Never purchased a work of fine art photography? Take the LEAP (see what I did there?!) and stop on in the John Cleary Gallery. Happy Leap Day everyone? and don't forget those umbrellas!
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