Photo Discussion are posts telling the story of the photo. Why I did what I did and general thoughts regarding the image including my feelings and intent.
There’s something special about trees that makes them such wonderful photographic subjects especially if it is a bent and twisted tree. They are so many shapes, forms and textures. Trees are majestic in life and in death. There is simply a beauty to them that draws us like a moth to a flame. For a…
Street photography is one of the more exciting genres in photography. It forces us to get out of our comfort zone and go out in public to photograph random strangers. How will they react? How do I respond to that reaction? It’s about overcoming your anxiety and pushing those boundaries. It is also about the…
Through a friend I learned of a beautiful old church in ruin. It wasn’t abandoned but was no longer an active church; and it was slowly deteriorating. Its character, however, wasn’t diminished by the relentless process of aging. The church stands tall and proud as if waiting for its members to return for worship services….
Known for innovative and experimental architecture Chicago is a great town if you love architecture. Famous architects such as Louis Sullivan, Daniel Burnham, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and Frank Lloyd Wright, just to name a few, have buildings there. It is home to stunning buildings; the Rookery, the Sullivan Center, Union Station, Willis Tower,…
After visiting Vicksburg National Military Park and the Vicksburg National Cemetery (my wife’s great-great-grandfather who died in the Civil War is buried there) we took an indirect route back home. Along the way we stopped at St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge near Natchez. My wife is a bit of a “birder” and I like…
Death Valley certainly isn’t the kind of place you’d normally think of where you would go to photograph a beautiful scene such as Darwin Falls. The name “Death Valley” instantly brings to mind a harsh, inhospitable environment. The perception is not without merit. Consider some of these Death Valley weather facts from the National Park Service….
While exploring a small central Texas town I came across this beautiful wall that just grabbed my attention. It’s a wall, just a simple wall with a bricked-up doorway. But it has weathered in such a way that it beautifully reveals its colorful and textured past. Standing in front of it, you can imagine the…
Sam Houston Park sits at the edge of, you guessed it, downtown Houston. It contains 10 buildings representing the buildings and culture of Houston’s past. One of these is St. John Church. Built in 1891 in northwest Harris County it was relocated to Sam Houston Park in 1968 and has become a Houston landmark. I…
My dad, James E. Schaffner, Sr., passed away at age 100 last August. I came across a photo of dad at 93 the other day that is one of my favorites. So, I thought sharing this photo and a little about him would be a good way to honor his memory. Dad died of old…
