Photographing the Steven Holl Pool House

The Steven Holl pool house

I photographed my first pool house in June of 1983, and still today feel the thrill of that experience, and I will tell you why. Even though I proceed with the same unknown solution to the puzzle when I begin I always feel very comfortable knowing that the process will unfold in a very natural manner. It usually starts with maintaining awareness to the natural light ultimately available and best using how it plays on the subject throughout the day.

In most cases my pre- visualization of the composition is based on the simple elements the designer is revealing to me. To really be aware of the juxtaposition of elements materials proportions  and their relationships to the entire space like Matisse is ultimate. Never taking any one aspect or individual portion of it for granted because it takes time to understand how a sculpture or structures occur within an environment.,

Dragging a large 4×5″ view camera and tripod for many years helped to make these decisions quickly. However on this day in June, I had the supreme luxury of being a young fledgling professional architectural photographer standing next to the architect Steven Holl. “Stand and set up here,” and he was right.

Those photos of my first pool house went on to be published on the cover of the then prestigious Progressive Architecture magazine, Princeton Architectural Press and hung in the Museum of Modern Art for one of Steven’s exhibits. I am proud to have been a part of that process.

Today I still rely on the same methodical way of working, which still works for my clients as you can see in the unfolding pictures of this modern pool house overlooking Cayuga Lake in Ithaca New York, which I recently photographed for Ikon.5 architects.

I can feel the relief on my shoulders not lugging my trusty 4×5 any more, but still find it important to make the same sort of considered decisions that one must with a view camera. I am also still amazed at the wonders of architecture and how buildings evolve in space.