My Take

Shooting the James Brown thing was supposed to be an exclusive deal but in the end, due to disorganization and general enthusiasm on the part of photojournalists and fans alike, there was no real angle I could take that others weren't able to access as well. I was just another photographer making my way through the scene trying to make a unique shot. Seeing the newspapers the next day was fun because I had many of the same shots. There are lots of good photographers out there, the real trick is getting the best position and that's no small feat when hundreds of others are shooting the same exact thing.

Pallbearers

This particular shot is probably my favorite because it's not traditionally journalistic. It's more a mood piece and to me it shows a certain amount of confusion and fatigue that everyone was feeling right about then. It's taken just as James Brown's coffin is being set down onto some wheels inside the Apollo Theater. The man in the middle is Charles Sewell.

I thought about converting the photo to black and white but the strange, almost monochromatic thing that happened won out for now.

Take Pictures.