Richard Shay Biography:

I am a long-time resident of Schuylkill Haven, a retired Senior Marketing Manager from the high-tech industry, and a serious photography hobbyist for the past five years.

While there are numerous photography genres, and most photographers tend to gravitate towards at least one, my interest in photography remains rather diverse. As a student of photography, I enjoy both the technical as well as the artistic elements of the discipline.

The photographer's goal is to create an image that tells a story. This was the inspiration behind the Santa Claus image. My vision was to create a Christmas theme that incorporated a local iconic scene. The Schuylkill Haven train station presented me with the ideal location. The introduction of Santa Claus catching the train, perhaps on his way to the North Pole, was my vision for the final image.

Lacking my own personal Santa, and realizing that the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad sponsored a Santa Train, I hauled my photographic equipment to the train station on the day of the Santa Train. I waited patiently for the final excursion of the day and was able to persuade Santa Claus to partner with me in creating the image. I positioned Santa on the bench, introduced a vintage suitcase, and asked Santa to strike a pose by checking his watch. Lights, action, camera. I decided the final image was not complete without the introduction of a snow fall which I added during post-processing.