Recently I found a binder of old negatives from High School tucked away in my office. One of my favorite images, I took it during my Junior year, features a homeless man, at least he appeared to be homeless, who sat on the steps of an old church on the Westside of Manhattan just above Hell’s Kitchen. I remember the cool Spring day, early in the morning; the dingy grey stairs and the warm simplicity of this man’s smile. His smile was easy and without manipulation. He seemed happy to let me take his picture and there was no ulterior motive. His expression was such a contrast to his presumed living situation and I felt compelled to capture the contrast.
At the time, I was toying with different film speeds in order to emulate texture within my images. This particular roll of film had an ASA of 1600, which established a grit and grain within my photos. It was the perfect film speed to capture the filth of the stairs, the worn wrinkles of this man’s face, the dirt-caked jacket- everything that stood in juxtaposition to that sweet and cheery smile.
Photo by Matt Black (1999)