Thomas Schaeffer, born in 1965, was infected with the virus of photography by his father at the age of 10. He started with 35mm b/w, slide film, and view finder cameras with fixed lenses.
It was in 1981 when he bought his first SLR, a Canon AE-1, that he started more serious shooting, consequently buying more lenses, then in 1983 a Canon A-1. By that time he also become familiar with b/w lab work and joined some photography classes in school. After school and during military service, university, and the early working years as an engineer, photography was reduced to just holiday shooting. Then in 1993 he bought a new Canon EOS 100 during a trip to the US southwest as a replacement for his broken Canon A-1.
The motive-rich southwest and the new technology re-ignited his love for photography. So after returning from the US Southwest he started photographing regularly as well as conducting slide shows on a small scale for regional audiences. Over the years he has added to and upgraded his equipment both for cameras and projection, preparing slide shows about every trip he and his wife made to the US west and Canada in the 1990s. He also authored two travel-guide style CDs about the US west and Alaska, which ran on PCs.
It was in 2001, after some terrorist spoiled a planned trip in September to the southwest, that he bought his first Canon EOS D30 instead. The switch to fully digital boosted both his skills and picture frequency immediately. Now the complete connection between his two passions, photography and computers, was available. Moving on to the D60 and 20D cameras, replacing all lenses to better ones along the way was only logical. Another boost for the passion came in 2005 on a workshop on Vancouver Island with pro-photographer Rolf Hicker, where he not only learnt a lot but also shot stunning pictures of whales and the canadian landscape. Today he specializes in Travel, Landscape and wildlife photography, which he conducts mainly during his holiday trips to Europe, the US and Canada.
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Lake Tutshi Mine Yukon A mine ruin on the banks of Lake Tutshi near Carcross, Yukon Territory, Canada. Everywhere in the Yukon territorry the visitor stumbles over relics from the past. This gold rush... |
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Vorupoer Harbor Boats Fisher boats on the sandy harbor of Vorupoer in Denmark, Europe. The fishermen at the danish west coast are still working with small boats, setting their nets with... |
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Dallas Dhu Museum Scotland Whisky Destillery at Dallas Dhu Distillery Musuem in Scotland, Europe. To learn everything about the Whiskymaking in Scotland you should visit the museum distillery of... |
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Manhattan Skyline New York Views of the Manhattan skyline from the Ferry to Liberty Island, New York. While travelling on a ferry to Liberty and/or Ellis Island on clear days some stunning views unfold... |
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Cawdor Castle Gardens The pretty gardens of Cawdor Castle in Scotland are well worth a visit. Cawdor castle is the second castle in Scotland claiming the place to be where Shakespeares Duncan... |
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Gretna Green Scotland Marriage Blacksmith, Gretna Green is a famous marriage spot in Scotland. Gretna Green is the most notorious and famous spot for runaway marriages in Europe. In the old... |
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Royal Castle Of Balmoral The Royal Castle of Balmoral in the Scottish Highlands of Scotland. On Balmoral castle the royal family and especially the Queen spends usually the summer months. The... |
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Urquhart Castle Night Urquhart Castle on the banks of Loch Ness, Scotland at night. The ancient ruin of Urquhart Castle on the banks of the famous "monster infested" Loch Ness is a... |
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Glamis Castle Statue A statue stands proud in the ground of the Glamis Castle in the Scottish Highlands, Europe. Glamis Castle in the southern parts of the Scottish highlands is one of the castles Shakespeare... |
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Cow Statue Scotland Statue of a painted Highland cow in Edinburgh, Scotland. Like some other cities around the world also Edinburgh had it's "cow painting" event some time ago... |
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Lady Liberty The famous landmark of New York is Lady Liberty otherwise known as the Statue of Liberty. Undoubtedly THE symbol of America is represented by Lady Liberty, the french build statue of... |
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Fraserburgh Lighthouse Scotland A lighthouse and Museum along the Fraserburgh coast in Scotland. On the scottish north coast near Fraserburgh this colorful scenery awaits the visitor. This... |
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Hot Air Balloon Basket Frankfurt The start of the Montgolfiade a colourful hot air balloon event in Frankfurt, Germany. During the annual montgolfiade near Frankfurt, germany, one can enjoy the mass start of the hot air... |
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Stirling Castle Scotland The main entrance to the Stirling Castle in Scotland, Europe. On Stirling castle for centuries the scottish kings ruled and lived. Only after the final english... |
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Manhatten New York USA The view of Manhattan from the top of the highest building in New York, USA. The magnificent views from the now highest building in new York, the Empire State building, are... |
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Casole D Elsa Italy The ancient Italian town of Casole d Elsa in Tuscany, Italy. The narrow streets of the old towns in Tuscany are very typical italian. While the sun is burning... |
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Wildkogel Sunrise Austria Sunrise on a winter morning over the Wildkogel in the Pinzgau region of Austria, Europe. When the sun is raising over the eastern alps in Austria and lights up the tops of the surrounding... |
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Manhattan Dusk New York The lights of Manhattan at dusk in the city of New York, USA. From the Brooklyn side of the bridge one can experience these maginficent views of the Broodklyn... |
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Campo Of Siena Italy The Campo of Siena the main square in the city of Siena in Tuscany, Italy. Main place of the city of Siena in Tuscany, Italy. This place is usually bustling with crowds of... |
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Isle Of Skye Lighthouse Lighthouse Off the Isle Of Skye in Scotland, Europe. Lighthouses like this one on an island between the Isle of Skye and the scottish mainland are very... |
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Mainfest Frankfurt Germany Cathedral during the Mainfest in Frankfurt, Germany, Europe. During the annual main fest, a big festival in Frankfurt, Germany, one of the main attractions is... |
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Sandy Harbor Fisher boats on the sandy harbor of Vorupoer in Denmark, Europe. The fishermen at the danish west coast are still working with small boats, setting their nets with... |
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Loch Etive Loch Etive With Remnants Of A Boat Pier The small, remote valley of Glen Etive in the Glencoe area near Fort William rewards the visitor... |
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SS Klondike Whitehorse Sternwheeler SS Klondike on display in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada. Ships like the sternwheeler SS Klondike, today on display in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, were the... |
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Bridge Of Oich Scottish heritage, the Bridge of Oich in central Scotland, Europe. The ancient bridge of Oich near invergarry in central Scotland was once an important part of the... |
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Central Park New York View From Rockkefeller Center of Manhatten and Central Park in New York, USA. Besides the view from the Empire State Building a visit to the Rockefeller center, the "Top of the... |
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Statue Of Liberty New York The iconic Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island in New York, USA. Undoubtedly THE symbol of America is represented by Lady Liberty, the french build statue of... |
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Barn Owl Picture The beautiful plumage of the Barn Owl at a show in Germany, Europe. Owl during a flight show in a zoo in Germany. The Barn Owl, Tyto alba, is the most common and... |
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Danish Fishing Boats Fishing boats on a sandy beach along the Danish coast of the North Sea. The fishermen at the danish west coast are still working with small boats, setting their nets with... |
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Windmill Germany Windmill Of Backband The nice windmill of backband on Germany's west coast was photographed with fast rotating wings. |
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Sunrise Rannoch Moor Scottish sunrise over Rannoch Moor in the Highlands of Scotland. One of the best experience a visitor to scotland can make is to get up early (in the summer around... |
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Rannoch Mhor Sunrise A bright Scottish sunrise over Rannoch Mhor in Scotland, Europe. One of the best experience a visitor to scotland can make is to get up early (in the summer around... |
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Snowcapped Mt McKinley A glimpse at the snowcapped Mt McKinley in Denali National Park, Alaska, USA. During a scenic flight which started in overcast weather at Kantishna airport in Denali National... |
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Playful Bears A couple of playful grizzly bears on the banks of Naknek Lake in Alaska, USA. While waiting for the path before and behind us to cleared of bears we watched this pair of younger... |
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Glamis Castle Scotland Highlands The ancient Glamis Castle in the Highlands of Scotland. Glamis Castle in the southern parts of the scottish highlands is one of the castles Shakespeare... |
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Cawdor Castle The green gardens of Cawdor Castle are well worth a visit. Cawdor castle is the second castle in Scotland claiming the place to be where Shakespeares Duncan... |
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Slot Canyon Arizona Light reflects on the intricate grooves on the walls of this slot canyon, Antelope Canyon in Arizona, USA. The not-so-secret-anymore slot canyons of Page, Arizona are providing a wealth of light situations... |
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Denmark Fishing Boats Small fishing boats on a sandy beach in Stenbjerg, Denmark, Europe. The fishermen at the danish west coast are still working with small boats, setting their nets with... |
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Culross City Hall The City Hall building of the small fisher town of Culross, Fife, Scotland, Europe. On coast of the scottish region Fife, just across Edinburgh and not far from Stirling, lies the... |
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Brooks Falls Grizzly Bears A couple of Grizzly Bears fishing for salmon in Brooks Falls. Every year in July the grizzly bears gather on brooks falls in Katmai NP to catch the spawning... |
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Bear Cub Small Cub Trotting Behind His Family in Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA. While watching the bears in Katmai NP a mother with 4 cubs came wandering just beneath the safe... |
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Bindalm Bavaria Hiking trail in the Alps of Bavaria near Berchtesgaden enroute to Bindalm. The lovely surroundings of the well know town of Berchtesgaden in Bavaria are inspiring for hikes... |
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