Scott Hyde 1975

This is Mike Mandel’s photo of Scott Hyde. It’s a small, mass produced photograph, like a baseball card. The snap is super grainy, with a stark monochromatic palette, like a newspaper print or a xerox. But that’s what gives it its punch. I love the way the dark areas, like the baseball glove, are almost solid black, like charcoal or tar. The photo is a study in contrasts: Scott Hyde’s open mouthed expression against the dense, caged net behind him. This builds up a really physical sense of tension. Look at the space between Scott’s hand and his mitt. It is like the negative space in a Matisse cutout. The light carves out a shape in the air and draws attention to the reach and potential of the human form. It reminds me a little bit of those old, beat up black and white photos by Lisette Model; pictures that just seem to grab life by the scruff of its neck.