High Wire Act, Circus, New York 1936

Ilse Bing made this photo, High Wire Act, Circus, New York, with a camera, of course, and a great eye for composition. Just imagine her, craning her neck back to capture the performers above. You know, it's funny how photographs can freeze a moment, especially one so precarious and fleeting. What was the atmosphere like? Can you feel the palpable sense of anticipation and collective breath-holding of the audience as the acrobats moved? I bet Bing felt it. You almost get a sense of the circus sounds, smells, and maybe even the taste of popcorn. Thinking about the geometry, the high wire’s strong diagonal cuts across the space, creating a sense of drama, and the stark contrast between the bright spotlight and the deep shadows, I'm reminded that photography also plays with light and dark. And the ladder! That might be the most compelling compositional element of this work. The performers on the high wire, and the ladder going nowhere. I wonder, what kind of conversations are photographs having with painting about capturing movement and emotion?