Might As Well Jump

October 17, 2006 12:00 PM

When He Said "Jump..." Photographer Philippe Halsman starting asking his subjects to jump at the end of photo shoots in 1952. This Smithsonian article features some of the photos. [via; more inside]
posted by kirkaracha (24 comments total)

The Smithsonian article has photos of Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin, Philippe Halsman and Marilyn Monroe, Mrs. Edsel Ford (his first jumping subject), the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and Richard Nixon.

Some other jumpers of note include Colette Marchand, Donald O'Connor, a fashion model, Aldous Huxley, Lewis and Martin again
Gina Lollobrigida, Bob Hope, Peter Ustinov, Salvador Dali, and Philippe Halsman.

The photos are collected in Philippe Halsman's Jump Book.
posted by kirkaracha at 12:02 PM on October 17, 2006 [1 favorite]

These dudes look like Will and Jack.
posted by matthewr at 12:20 PM on October 17, 2006

Thanks! I'd never placed the Dali photo within the wider context of Jumpology.

Halsman, of course, has been inspiration for people on flickr.
posted by vacapinta at 12:24 PM on October 17, 2006

No kidding, I would have just thought the Dali one was... Dali.
posted by arcticwoman at 12:27 PM on October 17, 2006

This is fantastic! Wish there were an accompanying exhibit at one of the museums here in DC.
posted by CaptApollo at 12:31 PM on October 17, 2006

Trouble is, once you start jumping you just can't stop.
posted by Astro Zombie at 12:33 PM on October 17, 2006

You might as well jump.
*DavidLeeRothfilter*

I thought one could live a life devoid of a Salvador Dali leaping into the air photo. But really, one can’t. Thank you kirkaracha .
posted by Smedleyman at 12:36 PM on October 17, 2006

Previously.
posted by koeselitz at 12:36 PM on October 17, 2006

*DavidLeeRothfilter*

I thought one could live a life devoid of a Salvador Dali leaping into the air photo. But really, one can’t. Thank you kirkaracha .
posted by Smedleyman at 12:37 PM on October 17, 2006

Why does Marilyn have a halo?
posted by smackfu at 12:37 PM on October 17, 2006

Although the old Smithsonian link in the original post is obviously dead by now.
posted by koeselitz at 12:37 PM on October 17, 2006

*lame psuedo-snarky comment follows*

Toyota from the 1980s called, they want their ad campaign back.
posted by owenkun at 12:39 PM on October 17, 2006

*DavidLeeRothfilter*

Ok, is there some reason my computer just went insane?
I blame Dali. Still - worth it.
(My apologies)
posted by Smedleyman at 12:41 PM on October 17, 2006

Why does Marilyn have a halo?


I noticed that too and was guessing either enough hairs jumped off her head to catch the light and blow out the highlights in the dynamic range of the film or this is a rough print where Halsman was dodging out loose hair.
posted by spicynuts at 1:15 PM on October 17, 2006

I think it's interesting how many years seem to shed off of subjects when they're jumping.
posted by NationalKato at 1:15 PM on October 17, 2006

The floating Nixon is possibly one of the most frightening things I've ever seen. You can just see him flying out the window and shooting lasers out of his eyes, turning cars and people to ash...
posted by buriednexttoyou at 1:43 PM on October 17, 2006

Philippe will make you jump, uh huh uh huh... Halsman will make you jump, uh huh uh huh...

Now if only he could have convinced Nixon that outside was wiggeda-wiggeda-wack....
posted by jonp72 at 2:13 PM on October 17, 2006

You can just see him flying out the window and shooting lasers out of his eyes, turning cars and people to ash...

I apologize profusely in advance. You guys happened to catch me in the middle of procrastinating for a photoshop class, of all things. No offense meant to the original thread or the images (the Dali one is one of my favorites, can you imagine shooting that under hot lights, waiting between each shot to develop the negative and ensure you got the shot you wanted?)

Anyway, I apologize, especially for the quality:

posted by ztdavis at 2:44 PM on October 17, 2006 [1 favorite]

Mod note: Here's an essay on the Salvador Dali photo. It took 28 takes over six hours. They were inspired by Harold Edgerton 's Milk Drop Coronet. (They decided not to use milk because wasting milk might have been offensive in the scarcity of post-World War II Europe. The cats would've liked it, though.) The title ("Dali Atomica") is a reference to Dali's Leda Atomica Danger: boobies from the same year.

Halsman and Dali also collaborated on this striking image that inspired the poster for The Descent.

More jumping: Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Phil Silvers, Carol Channing, Robert Oppenheimer, Audrey Hepburn, and Ray Bolger.

The National Portrait Gallery's 1999 Philippe Halsman: A Retrospective has a gallery of some of his non-jumping photos.

Although the old Smithsonian link in the original post is obviously dead by now.
It's not even listed on their January 1999 page.
posted by kirkaracha (staff) at 4:53 PM on October 17, 2006

Too awesome. Jumping makes everyone look ten years younger.

I had a print of Dali Atomicus on my wall when I was in High School, and could never figure out how the cat(shapes) on the painting in the background looked just like the cats being tossed. I assume the photo was retouched.
posted by oneirodynia at 5:58 PM on October 17, 2006

I love that Oppenheimer picture. I want a print of that on my wall.
posted by ErWenn at 6:55 PM on October 17, 2006

I have a very nice print of Halsman's portrait of John Kenneth Galbraith. nice stuff, thanks for the post
posted by matteo at 8:51 AM on October 18, 2006

Not related.
posted by vertriebskonzept at 9:33 AM on October 18, 2006

Seeing Nixon—airborne or otherwise—always brings to mind Richard Nixon's head from Futurama.

"Computers may be twice as fast as they were in 1973...but your average voter is still as drunk and stupid as ever!

The only thing that's changed is me. I've become bitter and—lets face it—crazy over the years.
And once I'm swept into office I'll sell our children's organs to zoos for meat, and I'll break into people's houses at night and wreck up the place!

Muhuhahahahahahaha!!"
posted by Merlyn at 11:06 AM on October 18, 2006