powerful enough to overcome even
the dimmest lighting. The strobe
fired at regular intervals so the separation between images increased
as Desjardin’s speed increased –
overlapping body images at the
beginning and a separated and
defined “Superman” graceful entry
into the water. Edgerton constantly
refined the elements of the problem, always looking for faster films,
better lenses, more efficient flash
tubes and reflectors (initially hand
made). He involved students and
other interested people to aim the
flash reflectors, help set up the
equipment, and tender their insight
and ideas. The total experience was
often greater than the simple sum.
created a black velvet kimono outfit
for his subjects – in particular the
athletes – to wear whilst they were
being shot. The multi flash process
could fire around 50 times in half
a second, and hence a white outfit
would be totally overwhelmed and
all the details lost. However headstrong Moran felt that her image
dictated that she should wear her
short white skirt (and lacy knickers!) and therefore in this image
there is almost a look of ‘white
blast’ where the figure should be.
Moran was an American born tennis player, who played at Wimbledon
in 1949. Famously well known for
wearing short skirts (whereas the
other female players would all wear
long ones) and scandalously lacy
knickers, Moran was accordingly
renowned on the tennis circuit.
Edgerton counted the photographers Etienne Jules Marey and
Eadweard Muybridge as inspirations for his work, but saw that
their exposure times were not short
enough – and only gave an indication of the flow of the action – rather than the specific details as well
as the flow as seen in this print.
Gus and his fellow students often
noted Edgerton’s luck – given that
this shot in particular was once
again made in total darkness, the
ball can be seen at the center of
the racket – and yet the flash was
started ahead of time.
Edgerton’s wife (Esther May Garrett)
7