Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, New York — April 5, 1972
Captured by John Rowlands at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, this striking full-frame black-and-white photograph immortalizes Elvis Presley mid-karate kick—an explosive moment of athleticism, flair, and absolute stage command. Hand-signed by John Rowlands, strictly limited edition.
The Full Story
The Moment
Shot at 1/250th of a second at f/5.6, Rowlands anticipated Presley's speed and precision, freezing the action while still allowing a trace of motion blur in Elvis's leg. That blur—something Rowlands has always valued—conveys not just movement, but the physical intensity and immediacy of Presley's performance. The composition captures the full frame of this explosive karate kick, preserving both the technical mastery and theatrical command that defined this era.
The Heritage
This performance marked the opening night of Elvis Presley's 33rd U.S. tour, a 15-city run later documented in the Academy Award–winning film Elvis on Tour. The concert was a complete sell-out, drawing 17,360 attendees and setting a new attendance record for the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. Presley appeared at the height of his early-1970s resurgence, fully in control of both his physicality and his myth. Dressed in the iconic Blue Nail (Powder Blue) jumpsuit, Presley fused martial-arts movement with rock-and-roll theatrics, a visual language that defined this era of his career. This period represented a peak of discipline, power, and theatrical confidence—Elvis not only playing the part, but embodying it completely.
Provenance & Release Previously unreleased in full, professionally restored form from the John Rowlands archive. Though a cropped, low-resolution version circulated previously, this edition presents the complete composition for the first time with unprecedented clarity. Hand-signed by John Rowlands, strictly limited and hand-numbered. Museum-grade scanning and archival pigment printing on heavyweight, acid-free fine art paper .
Size:
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, New York — April 5, 1972
Captured by John Rowlands at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, this striking full-frame black-and-white photograph immortalizes Elvis Presley mid-karate kick—an explosive moment of athleticism, flair, and absolute stage command. Hand-signed by John Rowlands, strictly limited edition.
The Full Story
The Moment
Shot at 1/250th of a second at f/5.6, Rowlands anticipated Presley's speed and precision, freezing the action while still allowing a trace of motion blur in Elvis's leg. That blur—something Rowlands has always valued—conveys not just movement, but the physical intensity and immediacy of Presley's performance. The composition captures the full frame of this explosive karate kick, preserving both the technical mastery and theatrical command that defined this era.
The Heritage
This performance marked the opening night of Elvis Presley's 33rd U.S. tour, a 15-city run later documented in the Academy Award–winning film Elvis on Tour. The concert was a complete sell-out, drawing 17,360 attendees and setting a new attendance record for the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. Presley appeared at the height of his early-1970s resurgence, fully in control of both his physicality and his myth. Dressed in the iconic Blue Nail (Powder Blue) jumpsuit, Presley fused martial-arts movement with rock-and-roll theatrics, a visual language that defined this era of his career. This period represented a peak of discipline, power, and theatrical confidence—Elvis not only playing the part, but embodying it completely.
Provenance & Release Previously unreleased in full, professionally restored form from the John Rowlands archive. Though a cropped, low-resolution version circulated previously, this edition presents the complete composition for the first time with unprecedented clarity. Hand-signed by John Rowlands, strictly limited and hand-numbered. Museum-grade scanning and archival pigment printing on heavyweight, acid-free fine art paper .
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