About Me

Hi, I'm Steve Baker. I've been working in the oil and gas industry since 1979. While I'm currently working as an operator/electrician at natural gas processing facilities in the Fort Nelson area of northern BC, Canada, my real passion is in photography and computers.

My photography interests started years ago during high school when my Dad started me out with an instamatic camera and a simple darkroom setup in the basement. The next five years would find me out shooting pictures every possible opportunity and spending long hours into the night in the darkroom. During the years of raising a family the pressures of life began to squeeze out the photography until the camera eventually sat idle in the closet.

Later I developed a keen interest in computers and, in 1999, bought a used Canon autofocus SLR and started taking pictures again. We were in a bookstore shortly after getting this camera and my wife, Sue, showed me a book called "Virtual Wilderness" by Tim Fitzharris. The price of book was about $40 and I asked her if she knew the real cost of buying me that book. Being the supportive wife she is she just said "Go for it!!" This book introduced me into the amazing opportunities opened up when cameras and computers are used together. Knowing absolutely nothing about digital imaging, I discovered the first thing I had to do was immerse myself in every book I could find about the subject... and buy a lot more equipment! I bought a film scanner to scan negatives into the computer... and a better computer... and bigger hard drives... and an inkjet photo printer... I was hooked!

In the spring of 2003 I made the decision to take my photography seriously, and bought a Canon 10D Digital SLR Camera , some better lenses, an Epson SP2200 printer and framing equipment. After many years of hard work, and lots of ups and downs, I framed my first print in spring 2004. I can't believe how the people of Fort Nelson have supported me by encouraging me, offering places to display my work, and of course... Buying my pictures! Thank you Fort Nelson!

Spring of 2006 has me upgrading to a Canon 5D camera and an Epson Stylus Pro 4800 printer... and realizing a dream is coming true for me.

Why "dirty little puppy?"

In 2000 our seven year old Rottweiler died and left a big hole in our hearts. We picked up a rescued Rottweiler female named Holly. She had been left in a kennel to starve and was just skin and bones. You can see how her nose had been rubbed raw trying to get out of the kennel. In the cab of the truck on the way home she proceeded to wash my head... all of it! Sue said I must be a dirty little puppy... The name stuck.

I would love to hear from you. My email is dlp@dlpgraphics.ca

Rottie puppy graphic by LBB. Animated by DLP.

Monitor Settings and Calibration

Every monitor displays colour differently. Calibration helps to get some consistency. If your monitor is not calibrated, you can use the grey scale below as a guide for adjusting the contrast and brightness of your monitor. First set your contrast to maximum, then adjust your brightness until you can best see all the shades from pure white to black.