My name is Jeff Baldock. A native of Indiana, I have lived on the beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast for more than 50 years. I have seen the beauty of our Coast as well as the destruction that Mother Nature can unleash. Though I consider myself a number-oriented person, I have always realized that pictures have an important story to tell. The photos that we take are capturing history, emotions and moments.
I received my first camera, a Kodak 110, at the age of 8. Most of my early photography experiences came from shooting family pictures and travels. Over the past 20 years, I have taken many photos of our grandchildren as they have grown, as well photographed the many journeys that my wife and I have made. In 2014, before I retired from a DuPont company, I decided that it was time to step it up a notch. Seeing some of the photography that others were doing, I became intrigued with HDR photography and long exposures as well as landscapes. I began asking lots of questions to learn more before I took that initial step of purchasing my first DSLR camera in April, 2014 ... a Canon T3i. In addition, I wanted to step right off into manual settings on my camera. Having zero experience, I spent many evenings watching YouTube videos and asking other photographers specific questions so that I was somewhat prepared when I bought my camera. Having come from a family where many family members were artistically inclined, things like composition just comes naturally. I still spend several hours each week learning something new about photography, honing my photography techniques. I have since upgraded to a Canon 6D full-frame camera as I continue this photographic journey. Like many of the photographers that I know, my camera is usually along for the ride in case that special moment or scene is there to be captured.
I have seen where I started and how I have grown as a photographer. I have made it a point to go out and shoot somewhere along the Mississippi Gulf Coast at least several times a week. In those ventures, I have met many people along the way, including photographers from other areas. I have a passion for photographing landscapes as well as the many shrimp boat fleets along the Gulf Coast. I have stopped at many small towns throughout Mississippi in my travels; trying the capture the old downtown scenery as well as beautiful landscapes of places that I have visited. My current “mission” is to capture most, if not all, of our old Mississippi downtown areas at night…when the sidewalks are rolled up, cars are gone and the downtown void of people. This allows the viewer to see their towns in a new light. In fact, I have heard that comment many times as I share my photography on-line and at festivals.
As I progress further into the photographic world, I realize that I have so much yet to learn and plenty of opportunity to share the beauty that sometimes we take for granted.
Visit me at my Creative Visions Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/jbaldock74
