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Robert Duvall, a Hollywood veteran known for movies like The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, To Kill a Mockingbird, and more, has passed away at the age of 95. His demise was announced by his wife, Luciana, on Monday, February 16, on Facebook. “Yesterday we said goodbye to my beloved husband, cherished friend, and one of the greatest actors of our time,” she said, before adding, “Bob passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and comfort.” The actor was an Oscar winner, having received the golden statuette for his 1983 movie Tender Mercies.  Luciana, in her tribute to her husband, said that Duvall “gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented.” Robert Duvall’s life and career revisited amid his demise Image credits: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images Duvall was born in San Diego, California, in 1931. His father was a rear admiral in the US Navy, leading Duvall and his two brothers to be raised in Annapolis, Maryland, near the Naval Academy. Duvall’s father expected him to follow in his footsteps, but he chose to carve his own path. Image credits: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images “I was terrible at everything but acting. I could barely get through school,” the actor told People magazine in 1977. Duvall joined the Army after high school and served in Korea, but when he returned home, his parents encouraged him to pursue his passion.  Image credits: CBS/Getty Images Duvall studied drama at Principia College in Illinois before moving to New York to study under Sanford Meisner at New York’s Neighborhood Playhouse. His classmates included Gene Hackman, James Caan, and Dustin Hoffman. Image credits: Warner Bros. Pictures Duvall’s Oscar for Tender Mercies was for his role as Mac Sledge, a washed-up country musician seeking redemption. Image credits: American Zoetrope In The Godfather, Duvall portrayed Tom Hagen, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, though he did not win — like the five other times he was nominated for movies including Apocalypse Now, The Great Santini, The Apostle, A Civil Action, and The Judge. Duvall shared a message with his fans just months before his passing Image credits: Bill Nation/Sygma/Getty Images “To all my fans, have a happy Thanksgiving and a great year coming up,” the actor said in a Facebook clip in November 2025. “God bless.” Duvall’s final social media post, meanwhile, was a Facebook message on February 3 about his 2003 film Secondhand Lions, starring Haley Joel Osment and Michael Caine. Image credits: GP Images/Getty Images “One day while filming Secondhand Lions, the lion got out,” Duvall joked just days before his passing. “Had he turned in my direction, I wouldn’t be here today!” Image credits: Library of Congress Duvall had celebrated his milestone birthday on January 5 with a video clip that included pictures from his childhood as well as more recent footage. His wife put the video together. Image credits: Robert Duvall/Facebook Duvall was married four times: to Barbara Benjamin (1964–1981), Gail Youngs (1982–1986), Sharon Brophy (1991–1995), and Luciana Pedraza, whom he wed in 2005. He did not have any children. “One of the greatest to ever grace the silver screen. RIP, sir!” a netizen expressed  Robert Duvall, Star Of ‘The Godfather’, Passes Away At 95

12:53
Robert Duvall, a Hollywood veteran known for movies like The Godfather , Apocalypse Now , To Kill a Mockingbird , and more, has passed aw...
Robert Duvall, a Hollywood veteran known for movies like The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, To Kill a Mockingbird, and more, has passed away at the age of 95. His demise was announced by his wife, Luciana, on Monday, February 16, on Facebook. “Yesterday we said goodbye to my beloved husband, cherished friend, and one of the greatest actors of our time,” she said, before adding, “Bob passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and comfort.” The actor was an Oscar winner, having received the golden statuette for his 1983 movie Tender Mercies.  Luciana, in her tribute to her husband, said that Duvall “gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented.” Robert Duvall’s life and career revisited amid his demise Image credits: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images Duvall was born in San Diego, California, in 1931. His father was a rear admiral in the US Navy, leading Duvall and his two brothers to be raised in Annapolis, Maryland, near the Naval Academy. Duvall’s father expected him to follow in his footsteps, but he chose to carve his own path. Image credits: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images “I was terrible at everything but acting. I could barely get through school,” the actor told People magazine in 1977. Duvall joined the Army after high school and served in Korea, but when he returned home, his parents encouraged him to pursue his passion.  Image credits: CBS/Getty Images Duvall studied drama at Principia College in Illinois before moving to New York to study under Sanford Meisner at New York’s Neighborhood Playhouse. His classmates included Gene Hackman, James Caan, and Dustin Hoffman. Image credits: Warner Bros. Pictures Duvall’s Oscar for Tender Mercies was for his role as Mac Sledge, a washed-up country musician seeking redemption. Image credits: American Zoetrope In The Godfather, Duvall portrayed Tom Hagen, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, though he did not win — like the five other times he was nominated for movies including Apocalypse Now, The Great Santini, The Apostle, A Civil Action, and The Judge. Duvall shared a message with his fans just months before his passing Image credits: Bill Nation/Sygma/Getty Images “To all my fans, have a happy Thanksgiving and a great year coming up,” the actor said in a Facebook clip in November 2025. “God bless.” Duvall’s final social media post, meanwhile, was a Facebook message on February 3 about his 2003 film Secondhand Lions, starring Haley Joel Osment and Michael Caine. Image credits: GP Images/Getty Images “One day while filming Secondhand Lions, the lion got out,” Duvall joked just days before his passing. “Had he turned in my direction, I wouldn’t be here today!” Image credits: Library of Congress Duvall had celebrated his milestone birthday on January 5 with a video clip that included pictures from his childhood as well as more recent footage. His wife put the video together. Image credits: Robert Duvall/Facebook Duvall was married four times: to Barbara Benjamin (1964–1981), Gail Youngs (1982–1986), Sharon Brophy (1991–1995), and Luciana Pedraza, whom he wed in 2005. He did not have any children. “One of the greatest to ever grace the silver screen. RIP, sir!” a netizen expressed  Robert Duvall, Star Of ‘The Godfather’, Passes Away At 95 
Robert Duvall, a Hollywood veteran known for movies like The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, To Kill a Mockingbird, and more, has passed away at the age of 95. His demise was announced by his wife, Luciana, on Monday, February 16, on Facebook.

“Yesterday we said goodbye to my beloved husband, cherished friend, and one of the greatest actors of our time,” she said, before adding, “Bob passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and comfort.”

The actor was an Oscar winner, having received the golden statuette for his 1983 movie Tender Mercies. 

Luciana, in her tribute to her husband, said that Duvall “gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented.”

Robert Duvall’s life and career revisited amid his demise

Image credits: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

Duvall was born in San Diego, California, in 1931. His father was a rear admiral in the US Navy, leading Duvall and his two brothers to be raised in Annapolis, Maryland, near the Naval Academy.

Duvall’s father expected him to follow in his footsteps, but he chose to carve his own path.

Image credits: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

“I was terrible at everything but acting. I could barely get through school,” the actor told People magazine in 1977.

Duvall joined the Army after high school and served in Korea, but when he returned home, his parents encouraged him to pursue his passion. 

Image credits: CBS/Getty Images

Duvall studied drama at Principia College in Illinois before moving to New York to study under Sanford Meisner at New York’s Neighborhood Playhouse. His classmates included Gene Hackman, James Caan, and Dustin Hoffman.

Image credits: Warner Bros. Pictures

Duvall’s Oscar for Tender Mercies was for his role as Mac Sledge, a washed-up country musician seeking redemption.

Image credits: American Zoetrope

In The Godfather, Duvall portrayed Tom Hagen, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, though he did not win — like the five other times he was nominated for movies including Apocalypse Now, The Great Santini, The Apostle, A Civil Action, and The Judge.

Duvall shared a message with his fans just months before his passing

Image credits: Bill Nation/Sygma/Getty Images

“To all my fans, have a happy Thanksgiving and a great year coming up,” the actor said in a Facebook clip in November 2025. “God bless.”

Duvall’s final social media post, meanwhile, was a Facebook message on February 3 about his 2003 film Secondhand Lions, starring Haley Joel Osment and Michael Caine.

Image credits: GP Images/Getty Images

“One day while filming Secondhand Lions, the lion got out,” Duvall joked just days before his passing. “Had he turned in my direction, I wouldn’t be here today!”

Image credits: Library of Congress

Duvall had celebrated his milestone birthday on January 5 with a video clip that included pictures from his childhood as well as more recent footage. His wife put the video together.

Image credits: Robert Duvall/Facebook

Duvall was married four times: to Barbara Benjamin (1964–1981), Gail Youngs (1982–1986), Sharon Brophy (1991–1995), and Luciana Pedraza, whom he wed in 2005.

He did not have any children.

“One of the greatest to ever grace the silver screen. RIP, sir!” a netizen expressed 

Robert Duvall, Star Of ‘The Godfather’, Passes Away At 95 Reviewed by New Viral Feed on 12:53 Rating: 5

You don't need to know much about photography to know it goes hand-in-hand with gravity. And we ain't talking about trying to capture your little sibling or significant other in mid-air for that Instagrammable pic (we've all been there). We're talking about turning the world on its axis with a simple click of your camera. With over 43,000 mind-bending photography enthusiasts, the Confusing Gravity group is a go-to place for pics that make dear old Newton look silly and our brains confused. From people standing on top of filing cabinets as if it's some sort of skyscraper to vehicles hurtling through the air, we're still not sure what kind of cheat codes these photographers were using. But the results, mind-boggling as they are, speak for themselves. Click here & follow us for more lists, facts, and stories. #1 If You Flip Your Phone, It's A Completely New Story © Photo: krakenman24 Before we go on and speak about gravity-defying photographs, let's take a step back and look at the origins of motion photography. In a bold move back in 1872, Leland Stanford, the former governor of California and a savvy railroad tycoon who would go on to establish Stanford University, made a daring decision. Fueling an ongoing debate whether, during its gait, all four of a horse's hooves are simultaneously off the ground, he sought to settle the score once and for all. His solution? Hiring the eccentric English photographer, Eadweard Muybridge, to capture the elusive truth. #2 If You Turn The "Frozen Water Under A Pier" Photo Upside Down It Turns Into An Industrial Cityscape © Photo: AliisAce Muybridge, driven by this audacious challenge, embarked on a six-year quest to unravel the mysteries of the stallion movement. In a groundbreaking experiment, he strategically positioned twelve trip-wire cameras along a racetrack, aiming to freeze every stride of a galloping horse. After a while, he had it: a fleeting instant when the majestic beast soared through the air, liberated from earthly constraints, with not a single hoof touching the ground. Perhaps the first levitation photo in the history of photography which paved the way for motion pictures. #3 This Picture Of My Kitten In His Cat Tree Always Makes Me Laugh © Photo: caroliner416 #4 Perspective © Photo: hayaimonogachi Now that we know a silly bet propelled the way for moving pictures, let's get back to the present day - a time when technology allows us to plant cameras on pretty much anything (thanks, GoPro!) and bend the laws of gravity without using only a pinch of Photoshop. But what is it about these gravity-defying stills that capture our attention? #5 Free Fall © Photo: jaymz668 #6 Confusing Gravity © Photo: User Well, for one, this style of photography may seem effortless and whimsical, but it demands meticulous planning, technical expertise, and flawless execution. Also, a lot of experimentation, as Erick Hercules, a Sony Alpha Ambassador whose gravity-defying works have been featured on billboards in Times Square and auctioned at the Guggenheim Museum, told us.  #7 Stargate Effect Done By Aerial Drone Shot © Photo: User #8 Crow Hopped As I Took His Photo © Photo: Jedi_JJ "When I started out, I was not aware of levitation photographers. It was years later I discovered Natsumi Hayashi who was doing the same some years earlier," Hercules explained to Bored Panda over an email. However, Hercules attributes his initial inspiration to a serendipitous encounter with a 2006 Lacoste campaign by Tom Munro, a London-based fashion photographer, right across from Lincoln Center, across the street from where he studied. #9 ? © Photo: Goonbag_ #10 When One Sits On The Wall, Obviously The Other Has To, Too © Photo: alocacoc4 "That image always stuck with me. So when I first started in 2014, I kind of replicated the person jumping. It was a couple of months later that I began to develop and experiment with my own different techniques. At first with my hand in the picture and then later throwing things in the air and making them appear like they were really floating." It was only a few years after that, the Hercules technique really kicked off, inspiring him to launch the #WeLevitate movement in 2015, a global community of aspiring levitation photographers under the slogan of "original no-photoshop levitation creators." #11 Bicyclist Emergency © Photo: reddit.com #12 Went For A Walk This Morning © Photo: reddit.com As Hercules tells us, "It quickly became a global niche for dancers and photographers who were into this sort of aesthetic. Some of them helped further the way in which levitation was used so they became part of the team." #WeLevitate is currently endorsed by Sony, Nike, World of Dance, as well as artists like J Balvin.  #13 Storm Damage In Iowa © Photo: User #14 Someone Had A Bad Day But Got A Great Pic Out Of It © Photo: ArmadilloDays "Most of the visual stories being told through levitation have a high degree of tension that needs resolution," Hercules explained, noting that he enjoys the surrealistic quality gravity-defying photography employs. "As humans, we are creatures that search for stability, but by showing a subject in mid-air, we are taking away the 'before and after' of the image, leaving the audience in a state of limbo, giving them a chance to question 'How was this done?'"  #15 Streets Of San Francisco © Photo: NotUniqueUsernameee #16 I Have Built Tensegrity Table © Photo: adseipsum Speaking of achieving such mind-bending pictures, Hercules says a truly remarkable levitation image possesses three essential elements: sharpness, refinement, and composition. "Sharp because the object needs to look still. Otherwise, blur adds motion to the stillness, taking away from the momentum that makes levitation so special. Refined, because the subject needs to have grace." Whether it's a person in mid-jump or an object suspended in mid-air, flawless execution is key to conveying the illusion of weightlessness. A tense, awkward posture betrays the act as a mere jump, while an out-of-place object disrupts the elegant levitation narrative, appearing more haphazard than ethereal. #17 This Dog © Photo: Jake_Ilinnuc #18 Flying Cruise Ship © Photo: User #19 Confusing Gravity © Photo: Royklein12 #20 Confusing Perspective © Photo: Thisfoxhere #21 Floating Bin © Photo: seyfaro #22 Marble Floor Of The Florence Cathedral © Photo: sverdrupian #23 Hmmm © Photo: joef1000 #24 Falling Off Sand Dunes © Photo: Tyedied #25 This Tree © Photo: Anthonyonio #26 Yes, I Feel Comfy Here © Photo: demigodmode #27 I Genuinely Thought My Car Was Hovering Over The Parking © Photo: theam107 #28 Camera Malfunction © Photo: mfb- #29 My Cats Like To Sleep In Very Odd Positions © Photo: AutoCrosspostBot #30 Stop © Photo: Southruss000 #31 Confusing Gravity © Photo: outc4sted #32 Hiking Spot © Photo: User #33 Confusing Gravity © Photo: User #34 The Wreck Of Costa Concordia With Tilted Lens © Photo: DeflectedSparrow #35 Perfect Angle © Photo: _Eulenmongol_ #36 Visual Confusion Look Two Times You Might Also Like: 48 memes that cat owners might find relatable © Photo: arund18 36 Times The World Said ‘No, Thank You’ To Gravity, As Seen On This Group

11:53
You don't need to know much about photography to know it goes hand-in-hand with gravity. And we ain't talking about trying to captur...
You don't need to know much about photography to know it goes hand-in-hand with gravity. And we ain't talking about trying to capture your little sibling or significant other in mid-air for that Instagrammable pic (we've all been there). We're talking about turning the world on its axis with a simple click of your camera. With over 43,000 mind-bending photography enthusiasts, the Confusing Gravity group is a go-to place for pics that make dear old Newton look silly and our brains confused. From people standing on top of filing cabinets as if it's some sort of skyscraper to vehicles hurtling through the air, we're still not sure what kind of cheat codes these photographers were using. But the results, mind-boggling as they are, speak for themselves. Click here & follow us for more lists, facts, and stories. #1 If You Flip Your Phone, It's A Completely New Story © Photo: krakenman24 Before we go on and speak about gravity-defying photographs, let's take a step back and look at the origins of motion photography. In a bold move back in 1872, Leland Stanford, the former governor of California and a savvy railroad tycoon who would go on to establish Stanford University, made a daring decision. Fueling an ongoing debate whether, during its gait, all four of a horse's hooves are simultaneously off the ground, he sought to settle the score once and for all. His solution? Hiring the eccentric English photographer, Eadweard Muybridge, to capture the elusive truth. #2 If You Turn The "Frozen Water Under A Pier" Photo Upside Down It Turns Into An Industrial Cityscape © Photo: AliisAce Muybridge, driven by this audacious challenge, embarked on a six-year quest to unravel the mysteries of the stallion movement. In a groundbreaking experiment, he strategically positioned twelve trip-wire cameras along a racetrack, aiming to freeze every stride of a galloping horse. After a while, he had it: a fleeting instant when the majestic beast soared through the air, liberated from earthly constraints, with not a single hoof touching the ground. Perhaps the first levitation photo in the history of photography which paved the way for motion pictures. #3 This Picture Of My Kitten In His Cat Tree Always Makes Me Laugh © Photo: caroliner416 #4 Perspective © Photo: hayaimonogachi Now that we know a silly bet propelled the way for moving pictures, let's get back to the present day - a time when technology allows us to plant cameras on pretty much anything (thanks, GoPro!) and bend the laws of gravity without using only a pinch of Photoshop. But what is it about these gravity-defying stills that capture our attention? #5 Free Fall © Photo: jaymz668 #6 Confusing Gravity © Photo: User Well, for one, this style of photography may seem effortless and whimsical, but it demands meticulous planning, technical expertise, and flawless execution. Also, a lot of experimentation, as Erick Hercules, a Sony Alpha Ambassador whose gravity-defying works have been featured on billboards in Times Square and auctioned at the Guggenheim Museum, told us.  #7 Stargate Effect Done By Aerial Drone Shot © Photo: User #8 Crow Hopped As I Took His Photo © Photo: Jedi_JJ "When I started out, I was not aware of levitation photographers. It was years later I discovered Natsumi Hayashi who was doing the same some years earlier," Hercules explained to Bored Panda over an email. However, Hercules attributes his initial inspiration to a serendipitous encounter with a 2006 Lacoste campaign by Tom Munro, a London-based fashion photographer, right across from Lincoln Center, across the street from where he studied. #9 ? © Photo: Goonbag_ #10 When One Sits On The Wall, Obviously The Other Has To, Too © Photo: alocacoc4 "That image always stuck with me. So when I first started in 2014, I kind of replicated the person jumping. It was a couple of months later that I began to develop and experiment with my own different techniques. At first with my hand in the picture and then later throwing things in the air and making them appear like they were really floating." It was only a few years after that, the Hercules technique really kicked off, inspiring him to launch the #WeLevitate movement in 2015, a global community of aspiring levitation photographers under the slogan of "original no-photoshop levitation creators." #11 Bicyclist Emergency © Photo: reddit.com #12 Went For A Walk This Morning © Photo: reddit.com As Hercules tells us, "It quickly became a global niche for dancers and photographers who were into this sort of aesthetic. Some of them helped further the way in which levitation was used so they became part of the team." #WeLevitate is currently endorsed by Sony, Nike, World of Dance, as well as artists like J Balvin.  #13 Storm Damage In Iowa © Photo: User #14 Someone Had A Bad Day But Got A Great Pic Out Of It © Photo: ArmadilloDays "Most of the visual stories being told through levitation have a high degree of tension that needs resolution," Hercules explained, noting that he enjoys the surrealistic quality gravity-defying photography employs. "As humans, we are creatures that search for stability, but by showing a subject in mid-air, we are taking away the 'before and after' of the image, leaving the audience in a state of limbo, giving them a chance to question 'How was this done?'"  #15 Streets Of San Francisco © Photo: NotUniqueUsernameee #16 I Have Built Tensegrity Table © Photo: adseipsum Speaking of achieving such mind-bending pictures, Hercules says a truly remarkable levitation image possesses three essential elements: sharpness, refinement, and composition. "Sharp because the object needs to look still. Otherwise, blur adds motion to the stillness, taking away from the momentum that makes levitation so special. Refined, because the subject needs to have grace." Whether it's a person in mid-jump or an object suspended in mid-air, flawless execution is key to conveying the illusion of weightlessness. A tense, awkward posture betrays the act as a mere jump, while an out-of-place object disrupts the elegant levitation narrative, appearing more haphazard than ethereal. #17 This Dog © Photo: Jake_Ilinnuc #18 Flying Cruise Ship © Photo: User #19 Confusing Gravity © Photo: Royklein12 #20 Confusing Perspective © Photo: Thisfoxhere #21 Floating Bin © Photo: seyfaro #22 Marble Floor Of The Florence Cathedral © Photo: sverdrupian #23 Hmmm © Photo: joef1000 #24 Falling Off Sand Dunes © Photo: Tyedied #25 This Tree © Photo: Anthonyonio #26 Yes, I Feel Comfy Here © Photo: demigodmode #27 I Genuinely Thought My Car Was Hovering Over The Parking © Photo: theam107 #28 Camera Malfunction © Photo: mfb- #29 My Cats Like To Sleep In Very Odd Positions © Photo: AutoCrosspostBot #30 Stop © Photo: Southruss000 #31 Confusing Gravity © Photo: outc4sted #32 Hiking Spot © Photo: User #33 Confusing Gravity © Photo: User #34 The Wreck Of Costa Concordia With Tilted Lens © Photo: DeflectedSparrow #35 Perfect Angle © Photo: _Eulenmongol_ #36 Visual Confusion Look Two Times You Might Also Like: 48 memes that cat owners might find relatable © Photo: arund18 36 Times The World Said ‘No, Thank You’ To Gravity, As Seen On This Group 
You don't need to know much about photography to know it goes hand-in-hand with gravity. And we ain't talking about trying to capture your little sibling or significant other in mid-air for that Instagrammable pic (we've all been there). We're talking about turning the world on its axis with a simple click of your camera.

With over 43,000 mind-bending photography enthusiasts, the Confusing Gravity group is a go-to place for pics that make dear old Newton look silly and our brains confused. From people standing on top of filing cabinets as if it's some sort of skyscraper to vehicles hurtling through the air, we're still not sure what kind of cheat codes these photographers were using. But the results, mind-boggling as they are, speak for themselves.

Click here & follow us for more lists, facts, and stories.

#1 If You Flip Your Phone, It's A Completely New Story

© Photo: krakenman24

Before we go on and speak about gravity-defying photographs, let's take a step back and look at the origins of motion photography. In a bold move back in 1872, Leland Stanford, the former governor of California and a savvy railroad tycoon who would go on to establish Stanford University, made a daring decision. 

Fueling an ongoing debate whether, during its gait, all four of a horse's hooves are simultaneously off the ground, he sought to settle the score once and for all. His solution? Hiring the eccentric English photographer, Eadweard Muybridge, to capture the elusive truth.

#2 If You Turn The "Frozen Water Under A Pier" Photo Upside Down It Turns Into An Industrial Cityscape

© Photo: AliisAce

Muybridge, driven by this audacious challenge, embarked on a six-year quest to unravel the mysteries of the stallion movement. In a groundbreaking experiment, he strategically positioned twelve trip-wire cameras along a racetrack, aiming to freeze every stride of a galloping horse. 

After a while, he had it: a fleeting instant when the majestic beast soared through the air, liberated from earthly constraints, with not a single hoof touching the ground. Perhaps the first levitation photo in the history of photography which paved the way for motion pictures.

#3 This Picture Of My Kitten In His Cat Tree Always Makes Me Laugh

© Photo: caroliner416

#4 Perspective

© Photo: hayaimonogachi

Now that we know a silly bet propelled the way for moving pictures, let's get back to the present day - a time when technology allows us to plant cameras on pretty much anything (thanks, GoPro!) and bend the laws of gravity without using only a pinch of Photoshop. But what is it about these gravity-defying stills that capture our attention?

#5 Free Fall

© Photo: jaymz668

#6 Confusing Gravity

© Photo: User

Well, for one, this style of photography may seem effortless and whimsical, but it demands meticulous planning, technical expertise, and flawless execution. Also, a lot of experimentation, as Erick Hercules, a Sony Alpha Ambassador whose gravity-defying works have been featured on billboards in Times Square and auctioned at the Guggenheim Museum, told us. 

#7 Stargate Effect Done By Aerial Drone Shot

© Photo: User

#8 Crow Hopped As I Took His Photo

© Photo: Jedi_JJ

"When I started out, I was not aware of levitation photographers. It was years later I discovered Natsumi Hayashi who was doing the same some years earlier," Hercules explained to Bored Panda over an email. However, Hercules attributes his initial inspiration to a serendipitous encounter with a 2006 Lacoste campaign by Tom Munro, a London-based fashion photographer, right across from Lincoln Center, across the street from where he studied.

#9 ?

© Photo: Goonbag_

#10 When One Sits On The Wall, Obviously The Other Has To, Too

© Photo: alocacoc4

"That image always stuck with me. So when I first started in 2014, I kind of replicated the person jumping. It was a couple of months later that I began to develop and experiment with my own different techniques. At first with my hand in the picture and then later throwing things in the air and making them appear like they were really floating."

It was only a few years after that, the Hercules technique really kicked off, inspiring him to launch the #WeLevitate movement in 2015, a global community of aspiring levitation photographers under the slogan of "original no-photoshop levitation creators."

#11 Bicyclist Emergency

© Photo: reddit.com

#12 Went For A Walk This Morning

© Photo: reddit.com

As Hercules tells us, "It quickly became a global niche for dancers and photographers who were into this sort of aesthetic. Some of them helped further the way in which levitation was used so they became part of the team." #WeLevitate is currently endorsed by Sony, Nike, World of Dance, as well as artists like J Balvin. 

#13 Storm Damage In Iowa

© Photo: User

#14 Someone Had A Bad Day But Got A Great Pic Out Of It

© Photo: ArmadilloDays

"Most of the visual stories being told through levitation have a high degree of tension that needs resolution," Hercules explained, noting that he enjoys the surrealistic quality gravity-defying photography employs. "As humans, we are creatures that search for stability, but by showing a subject in mid-air, we are taking away the 'before and after' of the image, leaving the audience in a state of limbo, giving them a chance to question 'How was this done?'" 

#15 Streets Of San Francisco

© Photo: NotUniqueUsernameee

#16 I Have Built Tensegrity Table

© Photo: adseipsum

Speaking of achieving such mind-bending pictures, Hercules says a truly remarkable levitation image possesses three essential elements: sharpness, refinement, and composition. "Sharp because the object needs to look still. Otherwise, blur adds motion to the stillness, taking away from the momentum that makes levitation so special. Refined, because the subject needs to have grace."

Whether it's a person in mid-jump or an object suspended in mid-air, flawless execution is key to conveying the illusion of weightlessness. A tense, awkward posture betrays the act as a mere jump, while an out-of-place object disrupts the elegant levitation narrative, appearing more haphazard than ethereal.

#17 This Dog

© Photo: Jake_Ilinnuc

#18 Flying Cruise Ship

© Photo: User

#19 Confusing Gravity

© Photo: Royklein12

#20 Confusing Perspective

© Photo: Thisfoxhere

#21 Floating Bin

© Photo: seyfaro

#22 Marble Floor Of The Florence Cathedral

© Photo: sverdrupian

#23 Hmmm

© Photo: joef1000

#24 Falling Off Sand Dunes

© Photo: Tyedied

#25 This Tree

© Photo: Anthonyonio

#26 Yes, I Feel Comfy Here

© Photo: demigodmode

#27 I Genuinely Thought My Car Was Hovering Over The Parking

© Photo: theam107

#28 Camera Malfunction

© Photo: mfb-

#29 My Cats Like To Sleep In Very Odd Positions

© Photo: AutoCrosspostBot

#30 Stop

© Photo: Southruss000

#31 Confusing Gravity

© Photo: outc4sted

#32 Hiking Spot

© Photo: User

#33 Confusing Gravity

© Photo: User

#34 The Wreck Of Costa Concordia With Tilted Lens

© Photo: DeflectedSparrow

#35 Perfect Angle

© Photo: _Eulenmongol_

#36 Visual Confusion Look Two Times

You Might Also Like: 48 memes that cat owners might find relatable

© Photo: arund18
36 Times The World Said ‘No, Thank You’ To Gravity, As Seen On This Group Reviewed by New Viral Feed on 11:53 Rating: 5
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