Beim Morgenduschen at Schule Schloss Salem
Will McBride Salem Suite is a landmark in postwar photography, and “Beim Morgenduschen – Schule Schloss Salem” is one of its most iconic images. Taken in the 1960s, this silver gelatin print captures a group of young male students washing up during their morning routine. The edition is a signed, titled, and numbered 1/12 later print, measuring 36 x 54 cm (photo) and 58.20 x 77.00 cm framed.
The image is dynamic and intimate. At the center, one boy pours water over himself with a jug, caught mid-motion. Around him, classmates talk, scrub, or lean forward into sinks. The composition mirrors everyday rhythm, but the photograph elevates it into something timeless and emotional.
Will McBride Salem Suite explores themes of adolescence, male bonding, and vulnerability. Rather than objectifying, McBride humanizes. He captures a community in transition—physically and emotionally—without staging or judgment. This quiet observational style is a hallmark of his work.
The image was published in Will McBride: Salem Suite (Salzberger & Co, Berlin, 2014) and exhibited at ClampArt Gallery in New York in 2015. It continues to spark dialogue around youth, privacy, and beauty.
Will McBride
Will McBride (1931–2015) was an American photographer who made Germany his home and his canvas. Known for his fearless work on adolescence, male identity, and sexuality, he often broke taboos with integrity and grace.
The Will McBride Salem Suite reflects this ethos. In images like Beim Morgenduschen, McBride captures fleeting moments that transcend the everyday. His lens exposes vulnerability while preserving dignity. As a result, he forged a new path for photographic intimacy and human connection.
