At first glance, Tokyo-based photographer Hayashi Natsumi's levitation self-portrait series is reminiscent of the photographic works of Creator Li Wei. Hovering in mid-air, both artists capture nanoseconds of impossible-seeming, posed performance.But what perhaps makes Natsumi's shots even more jaw-droppingly beautiful is the fact that she works without all the gargantuan machinery, heavy-handed production crews, meters of wire and meticulous Photoshop post-production that Li Wei often relies on. Sure, the magnitude of her concepts are entirely different—Natsumi’s work is a little more down to earth, but still achieves that same sense of wonder and enchantment. It’s hard to believe she works with only a simple tripod and a 10-second self-timer, her self-portraits manage to deliver a tantamount impact yet remain effortlessly graceful, relaxed and composed. You could even say she looks natural suspended in mid-air.
With a selection of city settings from neighborhood alleys, playgrounds, and subway platforms, she intervenes in everyday setting and situations with her elegantly evocative, gravity-combating photographs. Keep up with more of Natsumi's levitated life on her daily blog.