we’re reading…
05/04/11 / MAY
 .......................................................................................................................................... what can we learn about a person’s psyche from the way he or she jumps? that’s a question phillipe halsman set out to answer in his joyous jump book. halsman, a celebrated photographer, was traveling the globe in the 1950’s, shooting portraits of the mega-famous for life magazine and other glossies, when he had the idea to ask his sometimes-uptight subjects to jump in order to diffuse their inhibitions. he realized how this simple, child like gesture not only relaxed his models but also, when caught on camera, revealed their fundamental character. halsman’s book captures the personalities of 191 of the most well-known people ever, as they happily launch themselves into the air. it’s hard to decide among the duke and duchess of windsor, richard nixon, john steinbeck, salvador dali, brigitte bardot, sophia loren, marilyn monroe and their contemporaries from film, literature, art, industry, politics and more, whose jump is the most exuberant. |
