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Try an alternative approach to nature photography. Try shooting like as an artist rather than a documentarian. Feel free to break as many rules as you like.

For the full story on this read my full blog post about it at https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com/alternative-approach-nature-photography/ or click the "Click Here For More Information" button.

Unity of Houston is a non-denominational church in Houston. The church’s architecture is very unique and non-traditional. As a result, I wanted a non-traditional photo to highlight the unique design. The first shot I took was a detail view looking skyward up the glass spine of the building. This spine is the centerpiece of the architectural design and is the first thing that captures your interest. For my second shot I chose a more conventional composition. Basically, I backed away from the building to capture the entire structure but trying to still emphasize the spine as the focal point. Although the composition is conventional, I decided to continue with the non-standard processing of long exposure black and white.

For the full story on this read my full blog post about it at https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com/unity-of-houston/ or click the "Click Here For More Information" button.

This week I got a good reminder on the importance of perseverance and patience in photography. This wasn’t a new lesson but one I was happy to re-visit nonetheless. A useful reminder is something we all need occasionally to help keep bad habits from slowly tarnish our photography skills. Sometimes you may have to re-shoot multiple times but still be patient enough to wait for right conditions.

For the full story on this read my full blog post about it at https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com/perseverance-and-patience/ or click the "Click Here For More Information" button.

Qualified assessments of "great for an amateur" etc., lull us into thinking our photography is great. It can be fool’s gold for our ego. In any other case it wouldn't be considered great. Why this matters and what to do if you receive this kind of feedback.

For the full story on this read my blog post about it at https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com/qualified-assessments/ or click the or hit the "Click Here For More Information Button"

A black and white fine art, long (6 minute) exposure photo of the Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago’s Millennium Park. It is more commonly known as “The Bean”. When photographing an iconic structure, it is very difficult to come up with an original composition. For example, just about any possible composition for the Eiffel Tower has already been done. But we make our photos anyway. Even though we weren’t the first it is a way of saying, “I was there and this is my image”. Somethings are so beautiful and iconic they just beg to be photographed over and over. The Cloud Gate (aka “The Bean”) sculpture in Chicago’s Millennium Park is one such place. It may not have the history and stature of the Eiffel Tower but it calls to us nonetheless. So, this is my take on “The Bean”.
For the full story on this photo read my blog post about it at https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com/cloud-gate-the-bean/

In one of my earlier blog posts I talked about not rushing the creative process either while taking the shot or when processing it. This included understanding the importance of marinating in the creative process. Marinating in this case means stepping back from your work for awhile. Because you are emotionally invested in it and may not be able to objectively judge your work.
This is why I was happy to see an interview with author Stephen King on the CBS Sunday Morning Show. About 3 minutes in to the interview, King mentions he has just finished a novel and is letting it marinate. He goes on to say that if you don’t, it is too easy to say that the work is no good. Conversely, thinking it is the best work ever done is even worse. King is talking about a different art form but the importance of marinating in the creative process is the same.

For the complete blog post including a video of the interview please visit https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com/the-importance-of-marinating-in-the-creative-process/

A friend and fellow photographer recently related an unusual experience they had in a discussion with a professional photographer. They asked the professional if they had seen a photo by a well-known photographer. The professional replied, “Oh no, I never look at other people’s work.” Unfortunately, my friend wasn’t able to follow-up on that comment. In our discussion, about it we both felt it was a rather strange practice not to want to study other photographer’s work. Or is it? Let me tell you why you should study other photographer's work.

For the complete blog post please visit https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com/why-you-should-study-other-photographers-work/

𝗠𝗰𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸 - 𝗟𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀, 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗫 - Located at the confluence of Onion Creek and Williamson Creek, these creeks join and meander through the park over limestone formations and two waterfalls. In the grand scheme of waterfalls, these two falls aren’t jaw-dropping spectacular. The falls are about 15 feet in height. What they lack in height and drama they make up for by completing the scene; rock formations, trees, quiet (normally) streams and a waterfall or two.

A traditional waterfall shot has the waterfall filling a major portion of the frame. I chose to show the Lower Falls encompassing the entire scene since the falls by themselves are relatively small. The Lower Falls is still the subject, I just wanted to show it in context to its environment. Given all that, I needed to pay extra attention to some composition and post-processing techniques to indicate the falls as the subject.

For the full story on this photo read the my blog post about it at https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com/mckinney-falls-state-park-lower-falls/

During a recent getaway trip to Central Texas, we stopped at Lange’s Mill along Threadgill Creek. It’s a beautiful old grist mill. For being built in 1849, it looks to be in pretty good shape. They don’t build them like that anymore. At first glance, the siting of the mill relative to the creek appears strange as it above and set back from Threadgill Creek. However, the water wheel was on the left side of the mill (hidden from view behind the trees in front) powered by a stream from the hill behind the mill. It would have been fun to explore inside the mill but it is on private property and well posted as such.

For the full story on this photo read the my blog post about it at https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com/langes-mill/

Timothy H. works security at Jones Hall. Although we did not know each other agreed to let me photograph him in his work environment.

This is a blend of styles; environmental portraiture and street portraiture. With environmental portraits, you pose people in their normal environment. Typically, this is at work or home. It is a way of presenting and defining a person in relation to their normal environment; where they work or live. Their environment is part of their story and helps bring out their story in ways a standard studio portrait cannot.

Street portraits are also posed but the subjects are not models. Street portraits are of strangers you approach in the street and ask to take their photo. The subjects agree to pose for you but unlike studio shots there is not a lot of setup and preparation. Although posed, they are very candid in nature. These types of portrait can be considered a sub-genre of street photography. However, the subjects are not posed in street photography and usually they don't know that you are taking their picture.

For the full story on this photo read my blog post about it at https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com/environmental-street-portrait/

Last week the Stony Brook Camera Club (SBCC) meeting included the Image of the Year competition. I was interested to find out what this was about and figured I would be able to at least see some great photos. Since I am a newbie to SBCC, I had no idea how photos were entered for this or how the contest was run. To my surprise I found out that since I “ribboned” in one of the monthly contests I was automatically in the Image of the Year competition. The even bigger surprise was when my photo won Image of the Year in the Color – Open – Digital, Class B category. As a result, it got me thinking about competitions and I’ve compiled eight reasons to enter competitions as a way to grow and learn as a photographer and artist.

Entering competitions can seem daunting and intimidating but there are good reasons to enter competitions. Here’s the list I compiled.

Go to https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com/reasons-to-enter-competitions/ to see the full blog post

I enjoy watching the PBS show, Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. I recently saw an episode (“On Broadway”, Season 7, Episode 9) featuring renowned actor and singer, Mandy Patinkin. It was a very emotional show, both for Patinkin and viewers alike as the story of his family was revealed and Patinkin learned for the first time of family members lost in the Holocaust. I was struck by the emotion and power of his family’s story but also by his comments in response to what he learned. Patinkin’s comments gave us a glimpse into the significance, the importance and the power of imagination in his life as an artist. This is something that all artists of any type can draw on and learn from.

Patinkin’s comments weren’t centered on imagination, they were about his reactions and feelings concerning what he was learning about his family. However, the comments reveal that the ability to imagine is the framework, the lens, through which he embodies and processes his feelings. The same holds true for all of us in our artistic endeavors. Simple statements but profound messages.

Go to https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com/the-importance-and-power-of-imagination-to-an-artist/ for the full blog post.

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 variety of reasons, I haven’t been able to do a lot of shooting in a while so when friend and fellow photographer suggested we go to a place she knew of along the San Jacinto river I jumped at the chance. As we walked along the river, she was first to spot this tree. Bent and twisted, it still clung tightly to its place on the sandy river bank. It survived numerous floods and its shape indicated it wasn’t a life without difficulty. But it prevails and therein lies its beauty.

Go to https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com/bent-and-twisted-tree/ to read the full blog post.

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.

Go to https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com/church-in-ruin/ to read the full blog post.

Thanks to modern technology, we now find that the camera is the computer and because it is simple to use, we often relinquish creative control to the built-in technology in our camera. The question is whether we are using the technology as an efficiency tool to make our work easier or we are turning over the responsibility artistic and technical choices to the technology. In the case of the latter, if we are honest with ourselves, we have to ask ourselves a few questions: “Who is the artist? Me or some unknown engineer at Canon/Nikon/Sony/… ?

Go to https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com/technology-in-your-camera/ to read the full blog post.

One of the age-old discussions in photography is whether or not photography is art. Personally, I believe that some photography is most definitely art and some is most definitely not art. Some of that is by design. Photo-journalism is intended an accurate documentation of the scene. At the other end of the spectrum, we have creative photography that is intended to be an artistic representation of the photographer’s vision which is not necessarily realism. However, the area in between these two points is a bit murkier as to whether it is journalism or art. Often, we are unconsciously cowed by the tyranny of rules for photography that push our photography away from the realm of art and solidly into the more documentary realm. Whether or not this is an issue depends on our intention; were we intending to create art or photo-journalism? Are you making photos or taking photos?

Go to https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com/tyranny-of-rules/ to read the full blog post.

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 joy of the unexpected. Even though we may be very familiar with the location we never know what we’ll see or encounter.

Street photography is story telling; both the real story that we see and the story we all write in our imagination when viewing the image. Story telling is one of the strongest forms of engagement with the viewer, after all, who doesn’t like a good story?

It’s the story telling aspects, the human component that is without artifice or affect that appeals to me. Simply put, I describe it this way: "Street photography lifts the veil and exposes the beauty, the hidden wonder, the mystery, of the quotidian life. It allows us to become voyeurs of the human condition'

Click on the "Click here for more information" button or go to https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com/street-photography/ to read the full blog post.

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, the Robie House, Tribune Tower, Marina City, Chicago Theater, and on and on. Aqua is one of Chicago’s newer and more innovative designs. It’s also what’s made Aqua a Chicago landmark.

Click on the "Click here for more information" button to read the full blog post.

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. Very inhospitable indeed. Yet hidden away in a one of the valley’s many side canyons is a beautiful little waterfall, Darwin Falls. You could even consider it two waterfalls as there is are separate upper and lower falls.

For the full blog post click the "Click Here For More Information" button.

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 building's past lives and how it looked at various times.

The red bricked-up doorway, while a significant focal point in the photo, isn't the subject of the photo. As a result, this is one of those photos where the entire photo is the subject. It's about it being colorful and textured with interesting details.

We can see varying layers and color in the stucco.  Complimenting this, there is beautiful texture resulting from the stucco cracking into many pieces some of which we see on the ground. Clearly, this is an on-going process of transformation. Where the stucco has sloughed off, we can see a wonderful rainbow of painted brick work. I presume some of this could have been from painted advertisements. The faded red bricked-up doorway presents a wonderfully large splash of color.

For the full blog post click the "Click Here For More Information" button.

The PBS American Masters program has long had cinematographer Dyanna Taylor‘s film, Dorothea Lange: Grab a Hunk of Lightning on Amazon Prime. Although it is on Prime, it was a premium offering. This meant that you had to either subscribe to the PBS Living “channel” or rent/buy it. That is, till now. The film is included in the regular Prime subscription 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟯𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭. So, if you belong to Amazon Prime this is your chance to see this film free. But don’t delay, it’s only included in the Prime subscription until the end of the month.

For the full blog post click the "Click Here For More Information" button.

Good black and white photography is all about controlling the tones and contrasts in our image. One of the major influencers of tone and contrast in B&W photos is the color in the original scene. By managing color during post-processing, we can effect tone and contrast changes in the black and white photo.

For the full blog post click the "Click Here For More Information" button.

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 think a good part of this landmark status is derived from the view of the church set against the Heritage Plaza skyscraper located just outside the park. For me, it represents a study in contrasts.

For the full blog post click the "Click Here For More Information" button.

As one who really enjoys black and white photography, I admit I get frustrated when someone suggests that you “try black and white, maybe that can rescue the color photo”. This treats black and white as an add-on or afterthought to color photography. For me, black and white should be made with deliberate intent to take you to a destination different from color. This deliberate intent all starts with seeing the scene in black and white, visualizing what the final outcome will be. Although our eyes physically see color, we can train our mind to see, to visualize in black and white.

For the full blog post click the "Click Here For More Information" button.

“Interesting” may be the most over-used word in photography. How often have you heard something along the lines of “I saw this and it looked interesting so I decided to photograph it.”? And then you look at the photo and wonder, “What am I supposed to be looking at?” It’s like we’re being forced to play “Where’s Waldo?“

If you ask about what they found “interesting” they mumble that it caught their attention. Further probing questions as to why just lead to more vague responses. While this perceived bit of “interesting” may mean something to photographer it generally doesn’t mean a lot to the viewer. So how do we go beyond “interesting” to something that is engaging for both the photographer and the viewer? How do we help others see what caught our attention without having to try to explain it to them?

For the full blog post click the "Click Here For More Information" button.

I love old cemeteries. Amidst all the sadness they represent, there is also a sense of peace and solitude. They’re rich in history and tell wonderful and amazing stories. I especially love the way the memorials, both grand and insignificant, display the emotions of loss and grief in such beautiful ways. I guess this classifies me as a taphophile but to appropriate General Patton’s remark I can only say, “God help me, I do love it so.”

I sometimes refer to cemeteries as “gardens of stone”. This comes from a 1987 movie Gardens of Stone based upon a book of the same name. It’s about a group of soldiers serving in the “Old Guard” at Arlington National Cemetery during the Vietnam war. For them, the cemetery is a garden, a garden of stone. For some reason, that simple phrase has always stuck with me. Somehow, it seems very fitting.

Click the "Click Here For More Information" for the full blog post where I discuss a few of my old cemetery photos.

A halo was originally defined as a bright circle around the head of a person that signifies holiness. That’s great for saints but not for photos. Assuming you haven’t photographed a saint, halos are “unholy” in photos. They’re flaws. They don’t belong and we need to eliminate halos from our photos.

Halos appear as a thin line along the border of objects. The line is usually white or light gray but can be other colors when it involves chromatic aberration. Halos aren’t big, just a few pixels wide, but they can be very distracting. The particularly bad thing about them is that once you notice them you can’t un-see them. A viewer’s eye keeps going back to them and away from the subject where you want to focus the viewer’s attention. Most often, you see them along the horizon, at the edge of the sky as it meets the earth or even buildings. However, they can appear other places where contrasting objects meet.

Click the "Click Here For More Information" for the full blog post where I discuss what halos are, what causes halos, how to prevent them and if you can't prevent them how to fix them.

Back in the old days (meaning pre-Covid) my wife and I visited Nashville, Tennessee over a long 4th of July holiday weekend. Nashville is a great city with lots to see and do. The surrounding area is beautiful with forested hills and valleys; so different from the Houston, Texas area where I live. We wanted to get out and see the countryside and decided to take a short (by Texas standards) 1½ hour drive to Lynchburg to visit the Jack Daniel’s distillery. Knowing that we’d be going through hills and valleys it meant one thing – waterfalls! The possibility of a waterfall was exciting. In Houston, if you want to see a waterfall you have to build your own. I did some research and found a beautiful waterfall to visit; Machine Falls near Tullahoma.

After photographing Machine Falls, I like both the color and B&W version but for different reasons. Let me know which you prefer. You can also learn why I used a tilt-shift lens, a so-called "architectural" lens, for a landscape.

For the full blog post click the "Click Here For More Information" button.

Neutral density (ND) filters are used extensively in making long exposure photos. They create wonderful images with smooth water and streaky clouds in the sky. However, you might need to do some camera and ND filter math when using them. It’s not overly difficult but can be cumbersome when trying to set up gear while figuring out the settings.

We’ve all heard of the exposure triangle where we balance our desired setting of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO to get a good exposure. We’ve been spoiled by our technology. The camera’s metering system makes it easy to make the needed trade-offs without needing to know a lot about the underlying math. Via the metering system I can see the effect of adjusting any, some or all of those 3 elements and quickly balance them to get a good exposure. The problem with long exposure shots is that once you hit a shutter speed that puts you into Bulb mode, you’re on your own. The metering system won’t help you here. This is where you have to do some camera and ND filter math.

To see the full blog post click the "Click Here For More Information" button. Thanks.

This photo is about “Abstract Contrasts In Line, Shape, Form and Tonality”. It is also about unexpected results and how you deal with them as it isn’t the photo I envisioned. I’m a believer in planning your shots but I also believe that you have to be flexible enough to recognize unexpected results as a possible opportunity as well as a possible problem. As the saying goes, “Chance favors the prepared mind.”

For the full blog post click on the "Click Here For More Information" button.

Metaphorically we need to return to base before we use our camera; something custom shooting modes makes easy. What this means for a photographer is to have your camera ready with the settings that you know, understand and are right for type of shooting you have planned. It’s your comfort space, your “home”.

For the complete post click on the "Click Here For More Information" button.

On my photograph blog (https://mikeschaffnerphotography.com) I discuss 3 types of photos (documentary, eye candy, and art) and then get more specific as to what the purpose of art is. Although centered around photography this is applicable to other media types also. To see the full article click on the "Click Here For More Information" button.

Receiving good feedback on your photography can be invaluable. It can give you insight in to how others see your photography. Because of our emotional attachment to our images, we can become “blind” to issues with our photography. I’ve seen numerous instances where once the photographer was made aware of issues they become immediately obvious and the photographer wonders “How did I not see that?”

Additionally, good feedback can guide us along a path to achieve our goals. The person providing the feedback knows us and what our goals are along with our strengths and weaknesses. This knowledge provides context specific to us. Feedback in this scenario has credibility. Photographer Sean Tucker has a video on how to get good feedback from others. Click on the "Click Here For More Information" for the complete blog post and Sean's video.

Happy New Year! The new year represents a new beginning; a chance to start afresh. It's a good time to set goals for upping your game in photography in the coming year. This can be in the form of trying new genres, learning new techniques, or honing your skills. Maybe it is just going out to shoot more often. What ever it is, you need to prepare. That means making sure your gear is ready too. In that regard, here is a checklist to prepare your photography gear. Click on the "Click Here For More Information" to see the full blog post.

A recent blog post on how to make and use custom brushes in Photoshop to create a dispersion effect. Click on the "Click Here For More Information" for the full post.

To all my photographer friends, a present of this bit of doggerel to wish you Merry Christmas! With apologies to Clement Clarke Moore, I give you " 𝘼 𝙑𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙩 𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙎𝙩. 𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙨". (Clearly I've been in staying at home far too long). Click on the "Click Here For More Information" button below to read the "poem". Merry Christmas to all.

Whether you’re an experienced photographer or a “newbie” sooner or later someone will make a comment about your photography that you may think is, well, rather insulting. The typical scenario is when someone says something along the lines of "“These are beautiful photos. You must have a really good camera.” Do they really think a good photo is all in the camera. Painter rarely get told they "must have really good brushes". Click on the "Click Here For More Information" button below for my 2 part blog post on this. Why do we get these types of comments and how to handle them.

I've posted a new story about serendipitous find that resulted in this photo. This isn’t the picture I intended to get the day I visited Galveston Island. However when you plans don't work out you have to figure out a Plan "B". Fortunately luck with with me. To read the full story click the "Click Here For More Information" button below.

In an effort to expand my "reach" in promoting my photographs I've decided to use a separate individual blog. In this new blog I hope to talk about some of my photos. Why I did what I did and my thought process while taking and processing the image. Along the way I’ll discuss photography techniques and processes, do some gear reviews, make some recommendations on a variety of topics and talk about whatever else captures my fancy. I'll try to post excerpts here that link to the full blog post.

Come take a look and join in the discussions. Simple click the "Click Here For More Information" button below.

This photo always brings fond memories back for me. They are not for the Chicago theater even though it’s a Chicago cultural icon. They aren’t for what it took to get the shot. Rather, it is about the fond memories for Chicago and John Prine.

Back in November, 2016 my wife and I were in Chicago visiting family. We got together downtown for dinner and then went to went to see a play. Leaving the theater, I looked up to see the marquee of the iconic Chicago Theater across the street. That’s when I saw on the marquee that John Prine was playing that night. Oh man, I could have gone to see John Prine perform instead of a play I no longer remember.

Click the link below for the full blog post.

When I decided to start blogging about photography and my images, I wasn’t sure where to start. And then I remembered the old cliché “Start at the beginning”. So here goes.

This photo represents a number of “firsts” for me. It was first photo that I thought had the potential to be something worthwhile when I took made it. It was my first street photo. It was among the first film photos that I would be developing myself. And, it was the first of my photos that I really like. I took this image in 1980, over 40 years ago and it still resonates with me.

My wife and I were on a driving vacation through eastern Canada in July, 1980 and decided to stop in the very picturesque town of St. Andrews, New Brunswick. I saw this gentleman standing outside the restaurant as we parked the car. The way he was standing there with the newspaper carefully folded in his jacket pocket, his cap and posture just grabbed my attention.

I’ve always enjoyed street photography but up to that point I had never tried it. Looking back on this I’m sure part of my hesitancy was lacking the nerve to photograph people candidly. It being 1980 it was long before digital cameras and very much automation. I was using film SLR camera with manual focus and you had to cock the shutter after each shot. The only exposure automation was 2 arrows in the viewfinder indicating over or under exposure although it never indicated how much over or under.

The manual focus was done using a split image mechanism; you had to align the image in both halves using the lens focus ring to achieve proper focus. Focusing in this manner and then manually adjusting shutter speed, ISO and aperture could take what seemed liked an eternity all the while pointing your camera at an unsuspecting stranger.

Nervous that he couldn’t help but notice I was taking his picture I decided to instead get my focus and exposure by aiming at something near him that wouldn’t make him think I was taking his picture. Once I was set, I swung the camera back to him and took the shot. He didn’t seem to notice or react.

After taking the shot I’d have to cock the shutter and advance the film. The voices in my head kept screaming that he’d notice that for sure – RUN!!!! I was simply too nervous to take a second shot or to check my settings.

For days afterward I kept second-guessing myself. What if the focus was off? What if the exposure was wrong? Doubt can be a powerful emotion. Fortunately, when I developed it I could breathe a sigh of relief. I had something I could work with.

Despite all of this it still almost came to a tragic end. I was never able to get a print that matched my vision. So, the negative sat in an old box in the attic for 33 years until I was able to scan and digitize it. It would take another 4 years for my Photoshop skills to progress to the point where I finally could get the image I was thinking about. Thirty-seven years is a long time to “work” on a photo but it makes the end result all that much sweeter. I guess it turns out I was a "man waiting" too.