JPG Magazine: Photos: "If I could play pool a little better for every time I saw a photo of a pool table" by Jason Schupp

If I could play pool a little better for every time I saw a photo of a pool table

By Jason Schupp

On 28 May 2008

Favorited 8 Times

If I could play pool a little better for every time I saw a photo of a pool table

...I would shark everybody. I could buy a small nation.

No, wait, hold on. I'm not actually criticizing anyone who's ever taken a picture of billiards, ever. I'm not. Let's face it, there's lots of reasons the game makes for fun subject matter: lots of bright colors in one place, there could be action or it could be still, the playing field is almost built for bokeh and other matters of depth of field, and a bunch of spheres with easily-recognizable printed patterns which easily convey a sense of perspective... I could go on. Hell, this isn't the only billiards shot that I took on this roll, and I've got other shots on other rolls, both 35mm and 120, man you don't even know.

But whenever I get a roll back and I look at the shots of pool tables, I can't shake the feeling that I've seen that shot before. The memory of a thing is not the thing, undoubtedly, but maybe every memory of billiards is the same memory of billiards.

I have rolls of unscanned film stacking up in my three-ring binder, because I can't motivate myself to edit them down and spend the time at the computer getting them digitized, because they're all starting to feel the same. I have to start doing something different, I think. Either that or find new ways of looking at what I have. And yet, I've gone on a couple out of town trips and have been shooting like crazy. Could be that I'm just overwhelmed with all the work of it. That's my own fault.

Anyway, this was taken in Chicago, at a place that wasn't there when I moved away, not far from where my old apartment, that's basically a cafe with internet access and a billiards hall on the side of it. You can get a mocha latte and play Cutthroat. I love places that work on unusual combinations.

Taken with my now-usual LOMO LC-A+, Agfa Vista 35mm film, 400 ISO.

11 Responses

On 29 May 2008 Frederic Frognier gave props:
Very cool shot
On 29 May 2008 Paul Lavallee gave props:
yes, there are a lot of billiards photos out there, but if its any consolation, I knew this one was yours before I saw your name. There's nothing wrong with having a strong sense of style.
On 5 June 2008 Struan Oglanby said:
Take half the negs - cut them into little strips - throw them in the air - glue them back together - scan the results (when you feel like it)
.
Or just start again...
.
But this one's awesome - put away the xacto!
On 12 June 2008 Devin Hayes gave props:
LOVE this! great, great colors!!
On 25 June 2008 Adam Teixeira gave props:
Haha. I still like the "now-usual" LOMO. Good stuff!
On 26 June 2008 Tammy Espino gave props:
Great pov & capture :)
On 27 June 2008 Jason Schupp said:
Thank you, everyone! Struan, I like that idea, I might shoot a roll specifically for that purpose.
On 28 June 2008 Scott Baker said:
It's a nice shot. It's true, the pool table is full of photo opportunities. In my case, I love the game. This makes it a little different, as I try to capture something that is meaningful to me.
I did my first photo essay (http://www.jpgmag.com/stories/2045) on jpgmag on this subject.
I sometimes feel like I am in a rut with my photography. This place is a good one to help with that because there is a lot of variety and experimentation.
Anyway, I like your work. Maybe you are thinking to much.
On 29 June 2008 Chris Piazza gave props:
It's working for me!
On 6 July 2008 Gary Hughes gave props:
nice light!
On 30 July 2008 Ben Collins gave props:
I like the contrast here! Makes the green stand out...