Checkmate in the Park

I had a morning ticket for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s much praised exhibit, "The New Women Behind the Camera." I decided to cut through Central Park, which proved to be my downfall. When I arrived at the terrace overlooking the Bethesda Fountain, I was amazed by the scene. The fountain formed the center of a giant wheel, with each spoke composed of blue-and-white-checkered chessboards sitting atop long tables. I had stumbled upon New York City's annual Chess in the Schools tournament. Irresistible: I spent about 20 minutes photographing one of the early rounds, and then continued to the Met. As I walked through the exhibit, my mind raced back to the chess tournament. I started to hear the voices of the women who made the photographs on the walls, "Don't look at our work; get out there and make your own." And that is exactly what I did. I would have stayed until the end of the competition, but, due to a scheduled family function, I only had two hours to work. When I head out on photo walks, I often have a destination or plan in mind. I rarely arrive at the destination or stick to the plan. Something catches my attention, and off I go. On this Saturday in September 2021, the Met was the destination, but chess caught my attention.