Chester, with background.img536, with story

When I first took this image, I was interested in both Chester Pepper and the surroundings.  Chester was a boxer in the 1950s and 60s in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.  He was a tough, yet kind man with high morals and pride.  Boxing had taken a bit out of his mentality, but not his character.  Sadly he died young, only a few years later, but I was glad to have known him.

There is an interesting bit of writing on the wall to his right, and the mailboxes on his left let you know he was outside a downtown residential apartment building.  This wider shot allows a more proper sense of his pride in appearance, as it includes more of his sport coat.  I especially liked the pop-top circlet in his hat, self made I'm sure.  Going in closer makes a more dramatic portrait, but you lose the surroundings which also add to the image.  I included this other previous shot for you to decide which you choose.  The other tighter photo is posted in my gallery.

The sepia tone is what my Agfa Portiga III contrast, double weight, high silver paper looks like with it's warm glossy black image.

Taken in 1972 with a Leica M2 and 50mm F2.0 Summicron on Ilford FP4 black and white panchromatic 135mm film.

Feel free to download, just give me photo credit.