Not your average friendly neighborhood boy.
Meet Bailey. Vermonter, gymnast, professional leap-of-faither, pakour artist, and the model of this shoot.
Honestly. Sent me flying with this one.
“I’ve been doing this for six years. I just love jumping around, you know. It looks beautiful and it feels good, too.”
You probably would not notice Bailey when you first see him walking around. But on Instagram, he has been flipping for a long time, literally.
But when he’s done stretching, then that’s a whole different story.
“I’m gonna go over this railing, do a front flip, and land over there.”
Pal, that’s like 15 feet drop, but you do you.
I set my shutter at 1/2000 and waited for him.
Boom.
“I can do this as many times as you want. Just get the perfect shot.”
Oh you bet. I will probably do this once and have at least one broken bone somewhere.
This was not my first exposure to Pakour but first to ever shoot someone of that hobby/profession. I was amazed by how elegant shapes human bodies can stretch into while mid-air.
I was also amazed by Bailey’s hang time.
“What are you thinking before you jump or take a leap of faith?”
“Nothing.”
He's not lying.
He jumps, folds, and stretches.
Then he spreads out.
As simple as that.
“I train basically like everyday.”
Well I believe you on that…
“I’m gonna do this flip off a sculpture, if I did it it’s going to be epic with the clouds.”
Bailey, I just wanted you to know when I say I got you on camera, I MEAN IT.
Probably one of my favorite shots in a long time. I call it “The leap of faith.”
As we wrap up the shoot, we were caught in a brief but fierce thunderstorm. We were soaked, although for Bailey it might have been more sweat instead.
My impression? Just like this license plate I captured sitting in my car.
CHILL. Pakour is definitely not for me, but shooting Pakour photos is my jam.
