Yesterday, Alcy, Clayton and I returned to Anderson, Texas,
with the Northwest Houston Photo Club. Having been there two weeks ago I wasn’t
excited about the trip but I always enjoy shooting with the club so l went
along. Didn’t get much in Anderson, but we made a couple of stops on the way
home.
The first was in Shiro, Texas, and the second at a newly
built skate park near where Alcy lives. It is rumored to be the largest skate
park in Texas or maybe in the U.S. Was pleased to learn that they are very
photographer friendly. Which leads me to the retelling.
In the 1950’s Aaron Siskind did a series of photographs
titled The Pleasures and Terrors of
Levitation. I first saw them at the Dallas Museum of Art probably during a
trip to the State Fair. I purchased the catalogue even though I really didn’t
like the photographs much. They grew on me. Every time I have shot at a skate
park they come to mind because I find the same thing in the skaters that
Siskind found in the young men jumping off of pilings into the water of the
Chicago water front. [I always thought that Siskind shot these photographs at
the East River in New York City. Just recently learned that I have been
mistaken all these years.] Anyway, I hope to get back to this new skate park
with the right lenses in the near future and do more photographs.
It was late Saturday afternoon and there were not many
skaters. I found the forms of the empty ‘arenas’ to be interesting enough in
themselves. Which brings me to another oft repeated story—I am seldom interested
in showing in my photographs what something looks like: I am more interested in
showing what else something looks like. That is apparent in the processing of
the photographs of the shapes. I know they are ‘over’ processed and someday I
may redo them closer to how they actually appeared because I like those images
also. But for now I am enjoying the richness of the colors and the almost
etching feel of the images. I may continue with this series but my main intent
when I return will be the skaters.
Shiro, Texas
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