Paul W. Baker

Peak District meet up

Last weekend I travelled to the beautiful Peak District (12th April 2024) to meet up with the F7.1 team and others from the Thumbs up Photography Facebook page. It took me about 4 hours to get there and we spent the afternoon in the woodland and the evening in the bar chatting or eating.

The Saturday was the meet up and I struggled with my knee pain from the off, I was unable to walk after about 2 hours in the woods, it was a very challenging time on Saturday.

Taking things easy and allowing myself to rest was a bit beneficial however I did have to cut my time with the guys short as I was just unable to walk, close to tears at one point.

I did however get a vlog done on the Friday, seems to be OK, nothing too special as the condition were awful, but do please drop by watch and let me know your thoughts.

Paul W. Baker

Scotland

Scotland Trip Cut Short

We had been looking forward to our week in Scotland, but unfortunately, the weather had other plans for us. The heavy rain, persistent winds, and cold temperatures made it impossible to fully enjoy our trip. As a result, we made the difficult decision to cut our visit short and return home earlier than planned.

Despite the circumstances, we still managed to appreciate the unique beauty of Scotland, and we look forward to returning under more favourable weather conditions in the future.

I managed to capture some great images of the Breakwater in St. Monan’s, the Forth Bridge and the Kelpies, all of the vlogs are currently being uploaded, one is available for your viewing now.

Remember you can view my content on my YouTube channel www.youtube.com/@paulwbakerphotography

Thank you

Paul W. Baker

How is it going?

It’s not uncommon to encounter some challenges while setting up a website.

I have decided not to go all, just yet, in regard to what is offered on WordPress as it is simply too expensive, especially when you have two websites up and running at the same time. As good as WordPress is I cannot justify paying for two websites with all guns blazing at this time.

That does limit what I can do, so no newsletter for instance, not at this time. I know a lot of you enjoyed that whilst I was on the SquareSpace platform, but it is simply not affordable at this time, it will come at some point in the future.

The shop well let’s be honest, it was not that good on the previous platform. Just know all the photographs are for sale and all you need do is contact me and we will sort something out.

The template is not the best, I just knew how to work with this one. I will peruse all that are available in time and make the required changes over a period.

I am sorting out the landing page where you will be able to click an image of all the available location to view those images, that’s just time. Please use the drop-down men option in the meantime.

If you see any issues with the website in the meantime, please let me know so I can get that resolved as soon as possible.

Paul W. Baker

Move

I decided to move away from SquareSpace and bring my web site back to WordPress as it is a platform I am used to and it has many more options. Please note the new domain name

paulwbakerphotography.com

Thank you for continuing to follow me.

Paul W. Baker

Leg Injury / Scotland

I slipped down a bank last Friday afternoon ending up in hospital on the Sunday damaging the ligaments in both my left knee and ankle, which is proving to be quite challenging. I have been trying to get out but it is proving to be very difficult at this time.

We prepare for Scotland

I am still going into work, that is just about bearable at the moment but sometimes the pain is a just little too much and I am having to take that which I hate doing – tablets.

With our trip to Scotland only a week away I hope and prey that the discomfort subsides as it could spoil what is, or should be, a great mini holiday.

I am visiting four lour locations over the 5 day period so plenty of vlogs to edit on my return. There may be a lull in proceedings for a week so please bear with me as I try and keep up.

Thank you :)

Paul W. Baker

Evolution

I have decided to sell a couple of my lenses to MPB, very sad really.

Landscape photography, a demanding craft that hinges on precision and vision, often entails tough decisions when it comes to gear selection.

The weight of each piece of equipment can be a burden, prompting photographers to carefully curate their kit for each outing.

Today, I bid farewell to the 70-200mm F2.8 lens, along with its trusty X2 teleconverter, as I own both the 100-400mm and the 70-200mm lenses.

Parting with the 70-200mm F2.8 was a poignant moment for me; its exceptional clarity and performance have left an indelible mark on my photographic journey.

This separation echoes the regret I still feel from letting go of the remarkable 50mm F1.2 in 2023.While the loss is palpable, adapting to new equipment is an inevitable part of growth in this pursuit.

Paul W. Baker

Moving up in the world

I decided to sell the Nikon Z7II and move up in spec to the Nikon Z8 because I am constantly seeking to elevate my photography game. The enhanced features of the Z8, such as higher resolution, improved autofocus capabilities, and better low-light performance, align more closely with my needs and will enable me to capture even more stunning images. The decision to upgrade reflects my commitment to staying at the forefront of technology in order to deliver the best possible images I can for all to see.

Paul W. Baker

Vlog

I apologise, I keep meaning to place a link to the last Vlog on the website so it is easy to navigate to from the website. I do tend to add them in the gallery relevant to the vlog but not everyone sees them I am told.

The last Vlog was done in Ayrmer Cove and that video can be seen by following this link:

https://youtu.be/z_mkzOFSdGg?si=ThW2UX5AtyfQfNey

Thank you for your support by the way, we have now gone over the 470 subscribers which I find rather humbling, it is a slow climb rate but I am truly grateful for all your support to date, thank you!

If you have not already, please subscribe by clicking this link and hitting the Subscribe button:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwHSGvLoNBeRaOwBqXAvAmA

Paul W. Baker

Additions

I have over the past couple of weeks had some time to review and edit some of the images taken at locations I decided not to use initially. I sometimes think that few is better but do like to return to them and then add those to the collections on another day.

Today I have added images to the Barmouth and Ayrmer Cove collections, not too many but you may enjoy reviewing those?

I have done others in other collections previously so please have a look around the site.

Thank you.

Paul

Paul W. Baker

My Soggy Start to 2024

As I ventured out for my first photography walk of 2024, I found myself navigating through a waterlogged woodland, my lens battling against the elements. The recent storm had left its mark, with newly fallen trees strewn across my path, reminding me of the powerful forces of nature.

Amid the challenges and concerns for safety, I focused on capturing the essence of the sodden woodland. The abundant water added a reflective dimension to the surroundings, creating striking mirror-like surfaces that held fragments of the sky and the surrounding trees.

Despite the hurdles, I was able to seize the opportunity and document the resilience of nature in the face of adversity. The images captured are a testament to the beauty found within the chaos, showcasing the intricate details of the rain-kissed leaves and the ethereal mist that enveloped the woodland.

While the day presented its challenges, it also underscored the timeless allure of photography—the ability to find and immortalize moments of beauty even in the most unexpected circumstances.

Unfortunately, I was unable to view the images provided in the prompt. However, I can only imagine the captivating scenes you were able to capture in the midst of such a sodden woodland.

View the images HERE