Shutterbug: Web Profiles

There are no accidents in Mark Baylin’s work. Everything is where it should be and although there are no people in any of his images, their footprints and handiwork are much in evidence. As is his.
© 2004, Mark Baylin, All Rights Reserved

“Hard work never killed anybody, but why take a chance?”—Edgar Bergen

Last year, Take Your Camera To Work Day was celebrated with a website (www.takeyourcameratoworkday.com) where amateur and professional photographers around the world, from the Ukraine to New Zealand to Canada and the U.S.A., could post images made during their workday beginning at midnight on May 21st. This unique website provided a snapshot of the world and, unlike other Day in the Life style projects, anyone with a camera could participate in this non-profit venture whose only goal is to demonstrate that photography is the universal language.

Take Your Camera To Work Day was originally my idea and AllSolutions.NET’s Dave Hall helped me implement the concept of having a single day when photographers could celebrate the world around them. My goal for this annual project is to use photography to change the world for the better—one person at a time. Although last year was the first time, I was gratified that so many people participated with workplace images and even photos made on the way to work.

Pardon My URL
At this particular time in America there’s no excuse for not having an easy to remember (and type) URL. Even if you’re in Canada. It can be a pain in the butt to set up a website but domain registration is inexpensive; check out www.dotster.com and find out how cheap it can be. I typed Mark Baylin’s (www.cyberus.ca/~mbphoto/ssg) address wrong twice before giving up and entering his name in a Google (www.google.com) search to find it. When you finally get there, you’ll find a cleverly designed site that has images for “the enthusiast and collector alike.” Baylin’s meticulously constructed work can be found in six monochrome and color galleries. There are no accidents in his work, although “Menagerie” may look like one. Everything is where it should be and although there are no people in any of his images, their footprints and handiwork are much in evidence. As is his.

His black and white collection contains three galleries with each image mounted on a digital mount board for a striking gallery effect. And while there is certainly evidence of Richard Kirstel’s work in “Derelict Doll,” the Relics gallery is ultimately less bleak in its outlook and more a reflection of a disposable culture that affects much of the industrialized world. Interestingly, his Rural Scenes show the same kind of viewpoint.

This outlook is strikingly contrasted with color work that, while containing a similar theme of color-as-design, seems more hopeful, as if waiting for something that will change things for the better. Nothing says this more than “Flower” in the Urban Scenes color gallery. Ask yourself this question: Would you have thought to crop that image they way he did? Baylin’s subtly effective site was designed by Bats in the Belfry Creative Inc. (www.batsinthebelfry.com) and was recommended to me by Roberta Douglas.