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New York-based photographer and videographer Ben Franke captures the beautiful, acrobatic movement of parkour. The photographer followed New York City free runners, known as tracers, for a few years, documenting their athletic prowess as they freely roamed about the urban streets with a zest for life. Finally, he decided to take his personal project to the next level by producing a collection of dramatically captivating portraits of these athletes for his series titled Parkour Motion.
With a Canon 5D Mark II in hand, equipped with a 24-70mm lens, the photographer took some stunning shots of these urban athletes engaging in gravity-defying stunts across the concrete jungle. To further highlight their agile skill, the photographer used flour to artistically trace their vibrant motion. Franke's intent with the project was to present a series of portraits similar to those that praise dancers for their physical accomplishments and present the elegance in their action. The photographer says, "It’s a challenge for any photographer to convey authentic movement in a photograph — as it’s a 2D medium — but my series Parkour Motion attempts to translate motion by displaying the energy and power of these athletes."
