Melvin Sokolsky is a self-taught photographer who has created amazing fashion editorials. When I saw this image in a recent issue of Harper’s Bazaar, I immediately ripped it out and stuck it on the inspiration board right above my desk.
The Bubble series, which depicted a unique journey from New York to Paris, was created for the magazine in 1963.
In 1965, Melvin created a follow-up series featuring another intriguing spread of aerial women for Harper’s Bazaar called Fly.
If you’d like to learn about Melvin’s process of creating these shots, watch this interview by David E. Warner. Spoiler alert: These images were created in the 60s, pre-Photoshop.
How do you feel when you look at these photographs? My first reaction to nearly every piece of art I really connect to is, “Oh my God that is so cool!” I say it quietly inside my head rather than scream it throughout echoey museums. I usually feel something fluttery in my chest and inhale sharply when I’m really moved by a piece.
When I’m inspired by something I see or hear or taste, I often feel like the flying woman hovering above the restaurant. Joyful rather than lost, and excited to be taking everything in high above the crowd. She’s not encased with a bubble, she’s actively interacting with her environment. Experiencing the moment emotionally is part of her observation method. She analyzes what she sees, but also feels it.
How do you observe the things you’re creatively drawn to?