Access

I have plotted picture taking spots in numerous locations on maps, and I have been disappointed many times. Sometimes there’s no path through a section of dense woods, other times, where I wanted to go would only be accessible by a transport I didn’t have. More and more I find some areas are just forbidden, either by signs, or fences, or “I wonder what the hell that thing is, but it doesn’t look safe!” I’m not one to let a little thing like a sign stop me from snapping a picture of a breathtaking view, but I’m not foolish either. If the sign read “rattlesnake breeding area” I would retreat and regroup.

I have frequented Marsh Creek State Park many times over the past years because it is close to my home, it’s well kept, clean, and friendly. There are many parts of the lake that are not visible from the main boat launch areas, and one area in particular that had peaked my interest. A park official explained to me that last winter Marsh Creek’s volume was decreased by six feet because Hurricane Sandy,as a preventative measure against flooding. I didn’t quite fully understand the complexities of water table maintenance for the tri state area, but I nodded politely. The notion of being able to control the amount of water in this lake led me to the conclusion that there must be a dam somewhere, and it was probably in the one place I had never seen directly. This thought, buried in the back of my brain for months, rushed forward a few weeks ago when I was viewing the lake from an elevated position that I had never seen it from before. I spied the dam!

Arriving atop the dam a week or so later yielded the view you see here. Of course this area was no well kept secret from anyone except me; there were plenty of hikers, canoers, and bikers already there.

Nikon D800 Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 30mm f/16 ISO 100 9 image HDR

Philadelphia Phoenix vs. D.C. Breeze Ultimate

Last Saturday I got to photograph the second half of the Ultimate game at Cheyney University. It was sensational. The Phoenix rose from the flames during the fourth quarter to take the wind out of the Breeze. These are a few of my favorite pictures from the game. Come out and support the Phoenix this Saturday as they take on the New York Empire at home at Cheyney at 3:30.

Nikon D800 Sigma 300mm f/2.8 + x2 Sigma teleconverter f/5.6 ISO 100 1/1000 sec

#TravelTuesday Old San Juan

Back in January my wife and I took a little trip to Puerto Rico and spent an afternoon in Old San Juan. We were there during one of the many festivals the city is known for so finding a vacant street like the one pictured below was rare indeed. Most every block is lined with colorful houses and lively people enjoying the sun and entertainment. Old San Juan, at least on the day we were visiting, and possibly because of the festival, had an astonishing number of police; some on motorbikes, some walking, but at least one every block.

Old San Juan is actually an island that lies along the northern coast of Puerto Rico. It is connected with the bigger land mass by three bridges. Many of the buildings date back to the 16th and 17th centuries. In 1508 Ponce de Leon sailed into San Juan Bay and set up the original settlement named Caparra. By 1509 the original village was scrapped and a new site was erected which was named Puerto Rico or “Rich Port”. By 1521 the title San Juan was birthed.

The Cemetery in the pictures is the “Cementerio De Santa Maria MgDalena DePazzis” and is located on the northern side of the island just east of El Morro. To see more of El Morro you can see my post about it here.

The Streets of Old San Juan

All taken with a Nikon D800 and Nikkor 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6  

Muckfest 2013 Newtown Square PA

I photograph some local sporting events that are open to the public, like mountain bike races, triathlons, 5k runs for fun, etc. This past weekend I got to experience "Muckfest". A friend of mine contacted me a few months ago and explained that she was entering to raise money for the National MS Society, and asked if I wouldn’t mind photographing her and her team as they became very, very dirty.

Before the event started on Sunday, I was able to hitch a ride with one of the course designer/constructors and had a short tour of what a participant could expect to encounter. The planning, safety and organization of this event appeared to be a massive undertaking, not to mention the actual building of the course. My hat goes off to the people involved.

Suffice it to say that if you decide to play in the mud, every inch of your body will be covered with the brown ooze, from your hair, to inside your shoes, in your ears, your mouth, and often other unmentionable locations I heard people talking about. Muckfest is a grand obstacle course which takes place over approximately 5 miles, mostly in the mud. Participants crawl under obstacles through mud, swing/walk on ropes over mud pits, climb through/over pools of mud, and most eventually end up at one time on another face down in the mud. It’s not for the faint of heart, but....

What I thought was wonderful is that all kinds of people come out and give it their all. I saw athletes running and conquering the course with gusto and spunk, but I also saw people walking and taking their time. Anyone could bypass any challenge they felt was too much. So next time they come to town you have no excuse. Come out and support a great cause.

P.S. While I was out on the course MANY people asked me to take their pictures. If you recognize anyone in the gallery or you yourself participated and found your picture, just drop me an email at GavinBakerPhotography@gmail.com and I’ll make sure you get a copy.

The Late Summer Sun

June brings opportunities for lighting scenes I don’t get to see often during the year. Driving around servicing clients after 5PM, at this time of year yields hours of daylight, and very special sunlight indeed. If I took this picture while the Sun was high in the sky the bottom half of the horses would be deep in shadow and the trees would have dark holes where the sun couldn’t reach. Late in the evening, when sunshine skirts the Earth, light spreads out across the landscape bathing objects in warmth and beauty.

This picture is from the West side of Marsh Creek State Park looking East over a horse farm towards the lake. The Sun was setting at my back (a bit to my left) lighting the horses, lake, boats and picnic area on the opposite shore. The only thing I needed to compensate for was my shadow, so I raised the camera high above me on the tripod, and chose a focal length to get a little farther away.

Nikon D800 Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 @ 50mm f/16 ISO 100 5 image HDR