Joseph Kittinger

In 1960 the pilot Joseph Kittinger carried out what must surely be the ultimate fall. He travelled in a balloon to 102,800 feet (31,330 m) - the outer edge of the earth's atmosphpere - and then threw himself out into space. Eventually, at 18,000 feet (5,500 m) he opened a parachute, but most of the journey he spent in free fall.

It is said that, as he jumped, he was sure he would die; and that for him the most testing part was not the thought of death, or the physical pain, but the extreme loneliness at what is really the edge of the world. Even if I didn't know about the background to this image, I would guess that it portrays someone who is risking his life - survival does look unlikely.

In my opinion, the most stunning part is that he came down largely unscathed, took part in a number of similar adventures and is apparently still alive to date. Sometimes life really does tell the best stories - Münchhausen, eat your heart out.

Sam Taylor - Wood

Just like Paddy Jolley's mattress photograph, this image offers a lot more questions than answers. How was this photograph made? Is it a real-time shot or was it staged, Jackie-Chan - like, with wires? On another level, why did the woman stand on the chair? Will she break a leg? On yet another level, what and who does she stand for? Immortality?

Of course the answers are well-known, but I find it so much more pleasurable to pretend ignorance and to speculate.

Ordinary People

From The Times front page earlier this year, during the season of extremely high winds. What is it about falling, flying, being in mid-air that fascinates us so much?

There is a link between falling and mortality: angels and gods can fly and hover, but us mortals are slowly falling to our deaths. The hope is that somehow we will never hit the ground. Photography freezes a moment in time and creates an image of immortality. We all can hover.


Even worse than falling is being thrown, even if it is for the best.
(Metro front page, 5th of Feb this year.)

Denis Darzacq

Denis Darzacq's series La Chute (The Fall) depicts young people falling in urban environments. He persuaded street dancers to pose, asking them to look expressionless. Apart from being a series of stunning, stirring, poetic images, it is a political comment about a generation in freefall.

His comment is: 'I like the fact that you can read into these photos whatever you want. Will we let them hit the ground? Will anyone rush out to scoop them up?'