Harold Edgerton
Harold Eugene “Doc” Edgerton was a photographer, engineer, inventor, and life-long educator known for his iconic images taken with the aid of the electric strobescope. Originally developed by Edgerton during his time as a doctoral student to study the motion of motors, the strobescope was able to capture motion too fast to be observed by the naked eye through the use of use of rapid, short electronic flashes. Edgerton later applied this signature technique to observe and document everyday phenomena: the wings of a hummingbird in flight, a golf swing, the splash of a drop of milk, or a bullet piercing a balloon. While rooted in scientific observation, Edgerton’s powerful visual aesthetic produced unique and groundbreaking photographs that lie at the intersection of science, technology, and art.
Edgerton was the recipient of numerous awards for his contributions to both photography and engineering including a bronze medal by the Royal Photographic Society in 1934, the Howard N. Potts Medal from the Franklin Institute in 1941, the David Richardson Medal by the Optical Society of America in 1968, the Albert A. Michelson Medal from the Franklin Institute in 1969, and the National Medal of Science in 1973. In 1940 he won …
Harold Eugene “Doc” Edgerton was a photographer, engineer, inventor, and life-long educator known for his iconic images taken with the aid of the electric strobescope. Originally developed by Edgerton during his time as a doctoral student to study the motion of motors, the strobescope was able to capture motion too fast to be observed by the naked eye through the use of use of rapid, short electronic flashes. Edgerton later applied this signature technique to observe and document everyday phenomena: the wings of a hummingbird in flight, a golf swing, the splash of a drop of milk, or a bullet piercing a balloon. While rooted in scientific observation, Edgerton’s powerful visual aesthetic produced unique and groundbreaking photographs that lie at the intersection of science, technology, and art.
Edgerton was the recipient of numerous awards for his contributions to both photography and engineering including a bronze medal by the Royal Photographic Society in 1934, the Howard N. Potts Medal from the Franklin Institute in 1941, the David Richardson Medal by the Optical Society of America in 1968, the Albert A. Michelson Medal from the Franklin Institute in 1969, and the National Medal of Science in 1973. In 1940 he won an Oscar for his high speed short film Quicker’n a Wink. His photographs are exhibited widely and are included in the collections of prestigious institutions around the world.
Courtesy of Sikkema Jenkins & Co.
