Behind the camera with a rocket scientist

(First appeared in the Baldwin Times for Gulf Coast Media, March 13, 2026)

A beautiful pastel sunrise over the Gulf State Park Pier. Chris Baker said, "I utilized a 30-second-long exposure with my camera mounted to a tripod to smooth the water and give the image a softer, more peaceful mood." (Photos courtesy of Chris Baker.)

Given the natural beauty of the Gulf Coast — and the cameras built into today’s smartphones — most of us can capture a decent sunrise or sunset.

But give a rocket scientist a camera — along with some careful planning — and the results can be stunning. That’s certainly the case with Chris Baker. I first met Chris in 2024 when I was editor of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s digital newsletter, The Marshall Star. I wrote a feature story on some of his work behind the camera.

A trio of brown pelicans perched atop some pilings at the dock near the ferry at Dauphin Island. Baker: “Pelicans are an endlessly fascinating bird to photograph, no matter if they are flying, fishing or sleeping.” (Photo by Chris Baker.)

A crystal-clear reflection in one of the many small canals along the walking paths in Gulf State Park. Chris Baker: “I was enamored with the still water reflecting the blue sky and scattered clouds. It was like looking down into an upside-down world.” (Photo by Chris Baker.)

Baker, an engineer at Marshall, has turned his love of nature photography into an award-winning hobby and business. And with spring a week away, I thought it would be a good opportunity to ask him for some tips on getting the best shots of all things sand and sea. He sent a few of his best images from here, along with a few tips for the rest of us.

Visit his website — cscottphoto.smugmug.com — to see more of his photography, including recent images from a trip to Hawaii. Baker travels for photography, but many of his favorite images have been captured right here in Alabama. He enjoys telling wildlife stories through the camera eye from places such as Lady Ann Lake near his home in Madison or the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge in Decatur.

Photography provides a way for him to relax from work. And it’s more than just a hobby. Last month, his photo of a sunbathing turtle won the Black and White category in the 2026 World Nature Photography Awards. He has won multiple local, national and international photography awards.

Lydgate Beach Sunrise, Lihue, Hawaii. Baker: “With any kind of seashore photograph, I deliberately experiment with exposure time to accentuate the movement of the water. For this photo, I took advantage of the foreground rocks and receding waves to create leading lines from the foreground to the background. The spaces between the clouds generated pockets of sun rays to enhance the sky.” (Photo by Chris Baker)

Painted Waves, Lihue, Hawaii. Baker: “There is an entire genre of photography called Intentional Camera Movement that is based on purposefully moving the camera during the exposure to create an abstracted look to the scene. There are many applications of this technique, but, in this case, I use a long shutter speed and pan the camera along with the movement of the wave. After some trial and error, I dialed in the right shutter speed to get the effect I was after.” (Photo by Chris Baker)

Back to the Gulf, what does he enjoy most about photographing this area?

“I am a nature lover, so the Gulf Shores area provides me opportunities for both wildlife and landscape photography,” he said. “Obviously, the beaches are the highlight. I can take a telephoto lens and capture a variety of shorebirds or bring my wide-angle lens and tripod to capture a beautiful seascape. I love using the iconic Gulf State Park Pier as a foreground object with my beach scenes. What differentiates the Gulf Shores beaches from the other major U.S. coastlines is their south-facing shoreline. This affords photographers chances at shooting both sunrises and sunsets from the same beach. And, in the summer, nighttime seascapes that include the Milky Way.”

So, what is his advice on getting that perfect sunrise or sunset photo?

Roseate Spoonbill, Orlando Wetlands, Florida. Baker said, “I recently made my first visit to the Orlando Wetlands and had the opportunity to photograph Roseate Spoonbills for the first time. A boardwalk that cuts through the marsh allows visitors to get very close to the breeding grounds for dozens of Spoonbill families. I spent over two hours and walked away with some wonderful captures. (Photo courtesy of Chris Baker.)

“One key to a good sunrise/sunset photo is recognizing the conditions that will produce a memorable image,” he said. “Photographing with the sun low on the horizon (aka golden hour) or just below the horizon (aka blue hour) will generate the best light and, when clouds are present, the best color. A second key is exposing for the highlights in the scene. In most cases, the photographer is shooting into the sun, so it’s important to expose the image for the brightest areas of the sky. This ensures the image will retain the sky color and cloud details.”

For Baker, a little “rocket science” helps when it comes to getting the perfect photo.

“A quality photo relies on a blend of technical and artistic elements,” said Baker, who was born in New Hampshire and raised in Englewood, Florida. “I view every scene I encounter as an engineering problem where my understanding of cameras, lenses and light are tested to come up with the proper settings. That is then coupled with compositional techniques and color theory to create a successful image.”

His other career will take him to Kennedy Space Center in Florida to support the Artemis II launch next month. Baker said the launch will be a culmination of more than a decade of hard work and cooperation by an extensive team of NASA employees, contractors and vendors.

“I am part of the SLS (Space Launch System) Booster Launch Support Team and we’ll be stationed at a control room at the Booster Fabrication Facility,” he said. “I’ll be monitoring the health of the systems responsible for steering the SLS vehicle during the first two minutes of flight. I’m proud and honored that I’ve made a contribution to returning humans to the moon for the first time since 1972.”

I can only imagine the photos he could capture there. After all, if you give a rocket scientist a camera, there’s no telling what he might see.

Wayne Smith has worked as a writer and editor at newspapers across Alabama, Florida and South Carolina. His weekly column focuses on navigating Gulf Shores alone after losing his wife to cancer, and the places he discovers and the people he meets. Read his previous columns on www.GulfCoastMedia.com. Contact him at wwsmith6410@gmail.com.

Chris Baker