Lesann Berry

I stumbled across Natsumi Hayashi’s photographs last year and really enjoyed learning how she makes these remarkable compositions. Each is staged in an area of the cityscape or countryside where she can leap, hop and jump repeatedly until she captures the shot that pleases her artistic senses. She says that some photographs have taken upwards of 200 attempts to achieve success.

What I find so fascinating is the impression she is really levitating in these pictures. Finding that right confluence of physical factors and perfect timing make her appear to float!

Aren’t these wonderful fun? I think Natsumi is a great inspiration for some fantastic fiction. I really love the pictures where the public surge around her and pay no attention…as if levitating girls are just so commonplace in Tokyo they garner no notice.

This makes me feel like if I looked long enough I might catch her floating alongside a building and discover it isn’t a trick after all. There is such grace in the way she appears to move. Even when you know she tries repeatedly for the end result, they really look like snapshots.

All images are by Natsumi Hayashi. She hasn’t updated her website lately but I’ve heard rumors she is still levitating and I suspect we’ll someday see her floating in a lot of famous locales. Don’t you want to grab your camera and try this?