In Ruscins' photograph we see a very different portrayal of Mission San José. Ruscin photographs the Mission as a single building within the environment. The dark browns and blacks of the sepia print emphasize the sturdiness of the Mission chapel. Ruscin chooses to include large sections of a dark stormy sky that create a striking backdrop to the white walls of the Mission chapel. It would be easy to think these two works of art are of different buildings entirely.

Both Tupa and Ruscin have chosen to include the front entrance of the chapel in their pictures. For Tupa this is a small whimsical feature seen on the building at left. The lines surrounding the door are squiggly and cartoon-like. Notice also that Tupa has included four sets of wood inlays in the door while in Ruscin's photograph, we see there are only three sets. Perhaps this tells us about Tupa's approach to painting: his overall use of color and the lively, uplifting feeling of the painting are dominant. To depict every detail with accuracy, such as the wooden door inlays, would create an entirely different feeling in Tupa's paintings.

By contrast, Ruscin's photograph of the Mission is dark and somber. Artists, particularly those who work outdoors, often respond to the physical location of their subject. Ruscin's photograph shows a fascination with the contrast of the milky white building to the dark sky and hills that embrace it. Ruscin's photograph tells us he is interested in portraying the natural world that surrounds the Mission San José.