16 replies to this topic

[Kasey2601]

Quote

It's an understatement to say photographer Kerry Skarbakka puts himself in perilous situations. He leaps from great heights--often a cliff or ledge--and then clicks the shutter. He photographs himself falling in a series titled The Struggle to Right Oneself. Using a clever combination of daredevil imagination, martial arts, and some rigging gear, Skarbakka captures that proverbial 'point of no return,' the space in between an action or an event, of scary mid-air suspension. The concept behind the work originated as a way for Skarbakka to deal with the loss of his mother to brain cancer and then to the events of Sept 11. "I was dealing with issues of control and the sense of loss of control...and how I could realize this project through the act of giving up control and falling, flying, dreaming and levitating."

10 Picture Gallery

[Ciss]

YIKS!

[wolfknight]

Great photos but the dude as a serious problem LOL

[EllJay]

The slip in the shower was hysterical.

[Kasey2601]

EllJay, on 30 January 2013 - 04:22 PM, said:

The slip in the shower was hysterical.

That is my worst nightmare.

[pallidin]

Dang. I'll keep my feet on the ground.

[FinnYellow]

Aw man! The ladder one! He had to have fallen on it!

[freetoroam]

How can he click the shutter when in those positions? Great, although a some what depressing set of pics, but i just can`t figure out how he can click, unless he has set it up to remote control? but it says he jumps then clicks the shutter, theres nothing in his hands.
If the camera is set up then his timing has to be absolutely perfect.

[orangepeaceful79]

Does anyone else think some of these shots look "shopped"?  There are wireless remotes for cameras, granted, but there are several shots where clearly there is nothing in the subject's hands at all.  I agree that they are interesting shots in a sort of dark way.  I am just not sure if I totally buy their authenticity.  But thats just me.

[pallidin]

orangepeaceful79, on 30 January 2013 - 06:58 PM, said:

Does anyone else think some of these shots look "shopped"?  There are wireless remotes for cameras, granted, but there are several shots where clearly there is nothing in the subject's hands at all.  I agree that they are interesting shots in a sort of dark way.  I am just not sure if I totally buy their authenticity.  But thats just me.

Right. There are several possibilities:

- "shopped" as you mentioned.

- Wireless remote camera.

- Someone else taking the pics.

- A digital movie mode on the stand-alone camera upon which he went through the frames on a computer and chose a pic.

[pallidin]

From the article:

"Using a clever combination of daredevil imagination, martial arts, and some rigging gear, Skarbakka captures that proverbial 'point of no return..."

[orangepeaceful79]

pallidin, on 30 January 2013 - 08:15 PM, said:

From the article:

"Using a clever combination of daredevil imagination, martial arts, and some rigging gear, Skarbakka captures that proverbial 'point of no return..."

I wonder if thats where the photo-manipulation comes in....to edit out evidence of the rigging gear.

[pallidin]

orangepeaceful79, on 30 January 2013 - 08:25 PM, said:

I wonder if thats where the photo-manipulation comes in....to edit out evidence of the rigging gear.

Certainly possible. Good call.
Wouldn't be hard to do at all.

[orangepeaceful79]

If there is one thing this site has taught me a lot about, it would be the reality most photos can't be taken at face value.  There's usually something else going on.

[sarah_444]

I think they're great. I have a feeling that he might be setting up some of the shots and getting someone else to click the shutter.  I mean even with the ropes and other rigging gear you'd think there would be someone else with him anyway helping somehow, if not just only to witness that nothing goes wrong. (safety wise)
If the photoshopping is only hiding a clamp or rope, then whatever. It's not really a big deal.  I mean what isn't shopped or manipulated in some form these days? Especially in competitive/commercial/art photography.