Patrick Van Daele has used black and white to photograph ocean and harbour pools throughout New South Wales. In a series of generally well-resolved observations he conjures something of the scent of the gritty, but much loved swimming spots that have featured in Sydney life since the Domain baths were built in 1825.

Van Daele's Northbridge-1998 echoes some of the European pool photographs made famous by the German fashion photographer Hoyningen-Huene , who visited N.S.W in the 1930's. I enjoyed the extreme tonality and compressed perspective of Van Daele's photograph of Coalcliff-2001, with it's blinding ocean highlights and subtly observed cliffs...

OBSESSION - IT'S DEPTHS AND SHALLOWS - SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 14.11.2001 - Robert McFarlane

Unique but under-exposed: our pools seen in a new light - Sydney Morning Herald Article