Jumping the Verzasca Dam Photo

Photographer’s Note

Just a mere 2 kms off the shores of Lago Maggiore - or 5 kms by the road - to the northeast of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in southern Switzerland, the narrow valley of the river Verzasca is blocked by a huge concrete wall. This 220m (722ft) high hydro-electric dam was erected between 1960 and 1965, creating Lago di Vogorno and holding back some 100 million cubic meters of water.

This is where - in the opening scenes of the 1995 James Bond movie "GoldenEye", placing the dam in the far north of the Soviet Union - the Pierce Brosnan double set a world record in bungy jumping off the ground. 220 meters (722 feet) in seven-and-a-half seconds reaching 120 kmh (75 mph)!! In 2002 voted 'Best movie stunt of all time'.

Today YOU can re-enact this stunt 5 days a week during high Summer (mid-July to mid-August). It's still world record for jumps off the ground and this is almost the fastest a human body will free fall. And then you bounce back...

And that's just what this young lady is doing somewhere in the middle between top and bottom. My son did the jump, but when I tried to catch him on camera - I was standing on top - he just disappeared out of sight (see WS). This angle gave a much nicer point of view.

Now I'm gathering courage to do this next year!

jiherka has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

batalay (21366) 2008-11-01 21:36

Hello Kaj,

What an astonishing capture! It is a shame to make the image so narrow, but the height appears to be the full 800 pixels allowed. Of course, the narrow image does accentuate the verticality of the scene.

I am not sure I could have even tried to photograph my son doing a bungy jump, yet alone do the jump myself, but good luck to you. A few years ago some of my university students tried to get me to do a skydive in honor of their graduation. I tentatively agreed, until my son, a physician, absolute forbade me! I had a very good reason then to submit my regrets to my students.

Warm regards,
Bulent

baba_flies (8175) 2008-12-24 5:39

Hello Kaj! I mean I would never do it, but I enjoy seeing this, and I am acutally surprised that such a great post, such an exciting photo makes two points only but never mind, people are sometimes a little busy and oversee treasures, I do too, I admit. Your son was VERY brave, congratulations. In this picture I like the minimal appraoch, just grey, concrete grey, and this young lady on the rope. Great, I like it a lot. Merry Christmas, Kay, to you and your family, enjoy the Season, the eating :))) Warm regards, Barbara.

jiherka (4465) 2009-04-21 10:13

Hello KAj,
A good view of this jump..... I will never do it.
And you, you have try it??? with the camera I hope... it is the next picture that you will post?
Well done.
Salutations
Jacques

Isabelle (9018) 2009-05-20 17:45

astonishing image, Kaj! and what a brave man you are for having the gutts to photograph your kid while jumping! I would NOT AT ALL allow mine to do so, although I am sure he wouldn´t consider my adice in such a case :))
absolutely excellent image. The pov you chose gives the impression the person will be crushed against that wall. impressive. goes to my favs.