This image was where I started to realize that I could take pictures anywhere. Before this image and this point, I would constantly lament about my circumstance. I had recently gotten medically retired from the military. I did not fully know what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I did not want to do medicine full time. I also knew I wanted to do something artistic.

I ‘discovered’ street photography around this time. I didn’t know how much street photography would dominate my life at this point. I did know that something compelled me to keep a camera with me everywhere I went.

My misconception about photography was location. I thought I had to be at a certain place to get shots like this. Then I purposefully started trying to find high contrast images in more obscure places. This is taken in downtown Fayetteville, North Carolina. Very much small town America.

I did not do much for editing this image. The natural shadows and light of the scene were enough. Let me know what you think.

-Maurice