Gravity-Defying Self-Portraits Capture Ballet in Midair

It’s not a bird… It’s not a plane… It’s Berlin-based dancer Mickael Jou, who appears to be flying through the air with the greatest of ease in his magical self-portrait photo series, 365.

At first glance, Jou’s perfect poses seem to be the triumph of photo manipulation, or the wire-and-harness wizardry of levitating photographer Li Wei. Jou’s elevated elegance, however, is the result of much more DIY gravity-defying efforts: similar to Tokyo-based photographer Hayashi Natsumi, Jou creates his photographs with physical skills and a remote-controlled tripod.

For each photograph, the dancer picks a setting, like the bustling city streets of Paris and Berlin, or a vibrant natural landscape, sets up his tripod, and leaps. In spite of curious tourists, challenging lighting situations, and the athletic mastery required of his poses, Jou maintains pristine posture and form, achieving a series of fantastical photos that pay glorious tribute to the beauty of dance.

Keep up to date on Jou’s graceful installments on his website and his Tumblr. Via Dailymail

Related:

The Art Of Levitation: 6 Photographers Who Feature Gravity-Defying Subjects

Gravity-Defying Self-Portraits From Hayashi Natsumi

Photographer Li Wei Levitates in His Debut US Performance