Being an artist is a challenge. Truly, it is one of the most challenging things one can do in their life. The artist must be controversial, tell a story, and be true to oneself. Being true is often a hard road. That very truth is what we must find, and as often what we are searching for. Every artist has to find their own way. Of course it's easier said than done. One of the hardest paths we, as artists, we have to figure out, is our way. Your work should mean something. Your work should be what defines you. 

However, as I'm out looking for images, constantly scanning, I don't have these thoughts in my head. I will let other define me. I am not concerning myself with what will define me what my next image should look like why I should do anything. Ultimately, I'm going to put out lots of work. Some people aren't going to like some of it. There isn't much I can do about that. Truthfully, if they don't like it, that's OK. Everyone is not gonna make everything. It's just like hip-hop, some people like classic hip-hop, some people like 90s boom BAP, and some people like the new stuff that's out now. There is room in art for all of these ideas.

Most of my time was spent in post production, trying to find the best crop for this work. I shot this with a 28 mm lens, and the subject is quite far away. So, a lot of the image was unusable to my eye. 

Using the raw image (28mm, f/4.0, 1/160th sec, ISO 320), I always like to use one of my presets as a starting point. I applied one of my presets, specifically 7th Ave Express. Try-X is my favorite film, and I thought this could use that that type of contrast and grain structure. 7th Ave Express was ok, but needed some serious tweaking. I turned down the grain, and enhanced the blacks in the scene. Finally, I did some small and very specific brush work, to increase the visual contrast with white and black around the subject. 

Let me know what you think

-Maurice