ICP Member Spotlight: Q&A with Calvin Roth
What first brought you to ICP, and why did you decide to become a member?
When I retired I realized one of my favorite activities had been attending museums. There is hardly a better place in the world for museums than New York City. In the course of deciding which museums to join I also realized I loved photography. So joining ICP was a natural. I also wanted to improve my photography skills and signed up for classes.
What has been your favorite ICP moment?
I’ve enjoyed all the exhibitions, particularly those that focus on the past. Capa, Weegee, etc. Being able to attend galleries after hours while the new space was being prepared was also very interesting.
Do you take photographs? If so, what type of photographs? And what inspires you?
I have been taking pictures since high school. I attended a YMCA class where we learned dark room skills. One thing I discovered about myself is I seem to prefer taking pictures of things rather than people. I find myself fascinated by shapes and colors and patterns. On a trip to China one of my co-travelers was taking a picture of a woman selling fruits and vegetables while I was taking a picture of her colorful cart.
I have made four road trips out west, avoiding interstates. I take a picture every hour. Sometimes it is just a cornfield. Once it was a street sign in the middle of nowhere saying 317th St. Actually, the last two trips I changed to an hour plus/minus 5 minutes to allow more of a chance for an interesting picture. The best time was when the hour corresponded with going through a small town. There might be an interesting courthouse, a mural, a derelict building, or a funny sign. I once saw a motel advertising push button phones (this was a few years ago).
If you could meet a photographer, who would it be and why?
It may seem strange but I would love to meet someone from the past like Charles Marville. I love his documenting the changes in Paris and of course most of his pictures were not of people. Similarly I would love to meet the great photographers of the American West like Ansel Adams. I have to find a time machine, I guess.
What inspires you to want to become more involved with photography? What do you love about taking photographs?
First, I am not as involved as I would like. But I do love the documentation of my life aspect. The taking of hourly pictures, for example.
