Ornette Coleman, NYC, 1981

There’s a quiet stillness in this shot that feels exactly right for Coleman—his gaze seems to carry the music with it. The black-and-white tones give it a timeless grain that makes 1981 feel immediate. It’s now the centerpiece of my study, and I keep noticing something new in his expression each tim

The matte finish and deep blacks really make the 1981 NYC setting feel timeless, and Ornette’s quiet expression draws me in every time I glance at it. It’s already up in my study, and the calm mood it brings is exactly what I hoped for.

The way the photograph captures that quiet, contemplative moment of his is exactly what I hoped for — you can almost feel the calm before he picks up the horn. Printed on matte paper, the tones in his face and the NYC background come through beautifully.