Midnight Swim

"Midnight swim"- isn't this a romantic title for a test shoot? The few times in my life when I went to this antique public bath I always wondered how it would be to photograph in there. The tiles, the water, everything in a green color. But the question remained: Can one photograph in a public bath? No! Someone would always mind. And who to ask for permission? The owner? It is probably city owned. So the mayor? The city council? Haha, I imagined it would be complicated. And it probably is. But... I have a friend.

This is the short answer. The long answer would be: She is in an association to maintain this old bath which is not "economic" and up to latest standards anymore. She likes my pictures and suggested me to photograph there. However, I was not so sure if this is the right place for me. There is barely natural light coming in. The building is still in use for all kinds of water activities (swimming for young and old, even canoeing - don't ask me how), so there would be hardly time to have the place for oneself. And the parts with no people are in a bad shape, just empty rooms with no radiator (and it is winter). So that's why I wanted to have a test: test out the light, test out the people (including the staff), test out the rooms and backgrounds. It is so many things to take into consideration. And don't forget the moisture. Would it be ok for my camera? 

Fortunately I had a very passionate team to help me with those tasks! A friend of mine is keen on photography and she tried to help me with holding the lights and finding the model, which was not so easy in the end. Because January is also the season of colds and models had to cancel the appointment. So thankfully Bel jumped in the very last minute, who I know through another good friend. It was a bit of a struggle I admit. When selecting the pictures I saw what worked out and what didn't. I saw the flaws in the scenery (but hey... it's photography, not painting) and I guess I am better prepared for my next shoot there. - or more excited? Well, time will show. Here are some of the pictures which I thought work well. A big thank you to all the friends involved who made this midnight swim possible! 

January 2020