Lot #89 Schenley Park Pool, Summer 2005

This past weekend I participated in the Silver Eye Center for Photography Benefit Auction. Held every two years it offers some interesting and exciting opportunities for the photography collector. They had a great turnout, SRO. I was fortunate to be in the front of the SECP as Sam Berkovitz (of the Concept Art Gallery)the auctioneer handled 134 lots, including a Duane Michals, Luke Swank, Mary Ellen Mark, W. Eugene Smith, Clyde Hare, David Graham and yours truly. It is aways an honor to be included in these benefit auctions I have been invited to many, over the years. I also added to my personal photography collection by buying a print from photographer Mark Roh, "Abandoned Treatment Room in Alcatraz" lot #17.
I created this photographer's sketchbook, to discuss ideas and photography, I thought I would elaborate on the creation of the image that I donated to SECP, "Schenley Park Pool, Summer 2005, Lot # 89. (sold to bidder #352 for $400).

I pass this city parks swimming pool many times in a week. It is in the Pittsburgh Schenley Park. I had been commissioned to document the City Park for an arts project back in 2005. To benefit The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, I knew that I wanted to photograph aspects of the parks that related to fun, family interaction, rather than nature.

There seemed to be many aspects of the parks that we all utilize and I thought the pools, tennis clay courts and basketball courts offered photographic opportunities that I could capture. I decided to use a 4x5 Super Graphic camera with a Schnieder 210 lens and using ready load Kodak Portra 160VC film.

I chose a morning that I knew would light the lifeguard chair. On previous mornings, I had arrived too early, the pool sits in an area of the park surrounded by trees on a high ridge. I did not want to arrive too late or I would have people to contend with. This probably comes as a surprise to many people that know me, as I am known for my photographs of people. But as I mature I find myself really enjoying landscapes sans people. I found my spot to set up the tripod, as I had envisioned the image in my mind. I pulled the dark cloth overhead and composed the image. I use a technique of swinging the lens plane out of focus so that only one key area of the image plane is in sharp focus. I moved the tripod and tried a couple of different angles. Working for Art Kane in the 1980's, taught me to always start with a concept - either in your mind or on paper, and then be willing to try another angle or idea once you get there. Not just be willing, but push yourself to try something different. It is important to cover as much as you can while you have the light, the subject and the camera together. Editing the image(s) later is where the concept and idea finally gel together into the selected photograph. More importantly the photograph selected by the photographer.