Western, in Baths Glasgow.
What do the swimming pools that appear in the new work of the photographer Soo Burnell , pool side ? With the naked eye we could detect reasonable resemblances between all the photos of her without asking her first. For example, The stillness , the apparent tranquility and calm that reigns in all of them, also the color balance and that elegance of the ancient pools.
Asking about all of them confirms our suspicions. Minimalism is part of her style as she photographs storied pools in her hometown of Edinburgh, he says it can take up to 20 minutes to get the pool water calm.
Soo Burnell is a born perfectionist, a lover of swimming pools that he has been photographing since 2018. “I have been working as a photographer for 19 years, specifically since I graduated. But since 2011 I have focused on my passion: interiors and architecture ”, He tells Traveler.es.
Glenogle, Edinburgh.
'Poolside' focuses on six Victorian-era swimming pools in Edinburgh , Scotland. “The first pool I photographed was glenogle , the pool where I learned to swim. I also did it as a teenager in the swim club Warrender , and of portobello it is the pool in which my grandmother swam until she was 90 years old. Actually, all the pools have a personal connection with me, ”he qualifies.
Symmetry, mosaics, architecture are some of the most valuable features for him. “ We are very lucky to have so many beautiful pools in our city. . They are amazing hidden spaces.”
As for the secrets of photography, he warns that there are not too many, because he confesses that many of the Victorian swimming pools They have glass roofs so the light sneaks everywhere creating very interesting reflections on them.
His work focuses on searching historic pools , he currently has a long list and many people also send him some locations through social networks. As well as Edinburgh, he has recently traveled to London, Glasgow, Manchester and Paris to photograph what he describes as awesome pools.
The best thing is that many of them are public and well cared for . Do you want to have some locations?
In Edinburgh, Soo points out Warrender, Dalry, Leith Victoria either Drumsheugh . While in London he tells us about marshall street , from Manchester, victoria baths ; and in Paris, Molitor . From Glasgow he points Western Baths.
When we ask him if he has been lucky enough to bathe in all of them, he confirms that yes, in all of Edinburgh at least. “I didn't have time to swim at Molitor, and that was a big mistake. I will definitely plan a return trip as soon as I can. It's a really special place."