Daily Photo Dose

One of the most recognizable landmarks along historic Route 66, the Conoco Tower Station in Shamrock, Texas has been drawing the attention of travelers since it opened in 1936. Designed in the Art Deco style, the station’s distinctive tower and geometric façade were created to stand out among the endless miles of highway crossing the Texas Panhandle. Today, it remains one of the best-preserved examples of roadside architecture from Route 66’s golden age.

While driving west across the country, I made a point to stop and photograph this iconic structure. The symmetry of the building, the vertical emphasis of the tower, and the soft colors of the restored façade felt perfectly suited to medium format film. Photographed on a Pentax 67 with a 75mm f/4.5 lens using Kodak Ektachrome E100 film, the larger negative captured the architectural details and subtle color palette that make the Conoco Tower Station such a memorable landmark. E100 rendered the muted greens, cream-colored masonry, and dramatic Texas sky with remarkable clarity, helping preserve the character of this Route 66 icon.

Nearly ninety years after welcoming its first motorists, the Conoco Tower Station continues to stand as one of the most photographed examples of Art Deco roadside architecture in America and a favorite destination for architectural and film photographers exploring historic Route 66. See more of my commercial architecture work here.

This scene caught my attention near the base of Cecilia Cavazos Red Rock Monument. An abandoned gas station sits quietly beneath towering sandstone cliffs, a scene that feels frozen in time along this stretch of the American Southwest.

What initially looked like a forgotten building became a study in scale—the weathered structure nearly disappearing against the massive red rock formations rising behind it. These are the kinds of places that make a cross-country road trip memorable: locations with no destination, no crowds, and no signs directing you to stop.

Photographed on a Pentax 67 with a 75mm f/4.5 lens using Kodak Ektachrome E100 film. The combination of medium format film and E100’s vibrant color palette rendered the deep blue sky and warm sandstone tones exactly as they appeared on that clear desert afternoon near the Arizona–New Mexico border.

This felt like a quintessential rural Alberta scene. Had to pull over and document it.

Ok, just one more panoramic then I’ll post something new. The views from the top of Kicking Horse mountain were just too unbelievable!

Above the cloud inversion at Kicking Horse Mountain in Golden BC.

Just a short snowshoe trek away from the cabin we were staying at in Golden BC.

Silversprings 2005, Fuji 400 35mm

Circa 2006

City workers on Granville Street, Vancouver. Shot October 29, 2016