The Drummer has been graced by a few of Don Shaw’s photos recently, and if you check out the Granby Land Trust website, you will see a veritable gallery of his glorious pictures. You might think he has spent his lifetime taking photographs as a profession, but that is definitely not the case. He has been occupied with much more serious matters; it is only in retirement that the hobby has become a passion.
It is an understatement to say that Shaw is local: he grew up in Simsbury, where his ancestors have lived for generations. After graduating from Henry James Memorial High School, he received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Ohio Wesleyan University and a master’s in public administration from the University of Hartford, both of which honored him with their Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award. Between his undergraduate years and his graduate education, he enlisted in the Navy, and that is where his interest in photography began.
Shaw purchased his first 35mm camera while on R&R from a ship in the South China Sea. He discovered taking pictures was a great diversion during his infrequent down time. When he returned to the states, he took a basic photography course at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD), where he learned that “a camera is a tool; it is up to the photographer to understand what it can and cannot do. It’s up to the person to use the camera’s technical capabilities to help make the image one hopes to achieve.”
We’ll get back to his wonderful photos in a while, but first a bit about Shaw’s career of service to others. His initial career was as an associate partner with Accenture, a global consulting firm. A highlight of his work is his commitment to affordable housing.
Since 1998, he has served Hartford area Habitat for Humanity in many capacities, including as chair of its board of directors. Under his leadership, Hartford Habitat built Swift Village, a 30-home community in one of Hartford’s northeast neighborhoods.
From 2003 to 2010, he worked for the City of Hartford as a senior executive directing city operations improvement initiatives. In 2008, Governor Jodi Rell recognized him for his excellence in leadership and contributions to Hartford Habitat, the city of Hartford and the state of Connecticut.
In 2011, Shaw co-founded the South Marshall Interfaith Coalition, a collaboration of diverse faith communities, non-profits and Hartford businesses organized to support revitalization of the city’s South Marshall Street area where Habitat eventually built 22 new homes. During this time, he served as Hartford Habitat’s interim executive director.
Even before he retired in 2003 from Accenture, he was a crew member on former President Jimmy Carter’s Habitat construction projects. He worked in South Africa, Mexico, India, Thailand, Haiti, Canada and back in the states in Nashville. His most recent stint with Carter’s Habitat was in 2019. He led the initiative to build the Habitat home here in Granby in 2016, and that year, Hartford Habitat elected him Board Director Emeritus.
In addition to his work with Habitat, Shaw helped develop Hartford’s “Plan to End Chronic Homelessness,” and Journey Home’s 10-year “Plan to End Homelessness” in the Capitol Region. He later served on the boards of Mercy Housing and Shelter, Community Housing Advocates, and Heads Up! Hartford.
In 2021, he received Junior Achievement of Southwest New England’s Spirit of Hope Award, which recognizes an individual who has exhibited a strong commitment to providing hope for the future of others in the community.
Now, back to the photos. For many years, while Shaw and his wife Peggy were raising their family, Shaw concentrated on making really good pictures of family life and travel, but in the past few years, nature and wildlife photography have been his favorite subjects. He has been coached by a good friend from the Hartford Audubon Society, taken YouTube lessons, and followed several excellent photographers online, some of whom are Granby-based.
He has created makeshift blinds to hide his presence: a white sheet works to cover him in the snow, and a Christmas present of a camouflage blanket helps blend him into the shrubbery. Sometimes he just stays in his parked truck. “Chasing after birds and other wildlife is frustrating and mostly futile,” notes Shaw, so he tries to learn where they might appear and waits there for them. He does enjoy hiking to places where that may happen, as well. He says he’s an amateur, “trying to learn and challenge myself,” but if you’ve seen his photos, you would take issue with the amateur part.
Although Shaw does not take photographs for any publications on a regular basis, he has had some published in non-profit print and online newsletters. Several Drummer articles have been enhanced by his work. He says that his joy in photography is in creating images to share with others. He is happy to take special requests from friends and non-profits, whose pleasure and thanks are all the compensation he needs.
In the past, Shaw has not had the inclination or time to enter competitions or do a show, but he says maybe this year he will. “I have many other interests,” he notes. He still volunteers with Hartford Habitat, he is active with First Congregational Church, enjoys reading history and of course there are still family photos to be taken, especially with four grandsons, ages 7 through 18. He and Peggy, who will celebrate their 50th anniversary this year, try to spend as much time as possible with their daughters Sarah and Katie, who graduated from Granby Memorial High School and now live in New York and New Jersey.
It’s safe to say that Don Shaw has perfected the things he learned back at UCSD about understanding light and composition. To see his beautiful photos of nature scenes and amazing close-ups of birds, check out his Instagram page. And if you are hiking up in Dismal Brook and come upon a white sheet or a camouflage blanket, do not disturb: Photographer At Work.