Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Motion Capture

I am currently obsessed with the photographs of Eadweard Muybridge - coined the Father of the Motion Picture and known for his ground-breaking work in the 1870's. His rapid action photography of all things in motion pushed the limits of early photography. As the creator of the Zoopraxiscope, he was quite a force to be reckoned with. This extended beyond photography. Upon discovering that his wife had a lover, he sought out the culprit with the following words, "Good evening, Major, my name is Muybridge, and here's the answer to the letter you sent my wife". He then promptly killed the Major with a single gunshot. In court, he pleaded insanity due to a blow to the head in a stagecoach accident!
It is doubtful that he filmed his wife's lover in rapid motion. 














Pics via here, here, here

2 comments:

  1. Before Muybridge, now one knew the motion of a horse's legs while galloping. Early paintings depict horses with all four legs off the ground at the same time. His work revolutionize equine art. This is a brilliant post with a great concluding sentence.

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  2. Love this. Especially love the donkey.....makes me grin.

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