Baton Rouge Photos

This is the view straight down Forth Street from the observation deck of the State Capitol. I’m glad we have more trees than buildings in Baton Rouge. Hazy skies, brown water, and blue tarps are a familiar sight around here.

This is a 5 shot panorama. Canon 20D & Canon EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM lens. ISO 100, 17mm, f/10, 1/200

The Mississippi River Bridge is my most frequented spot. It takes a good bit of time and effort to shoot the same subject over and over while still keeping the images different and interesting. Fortunately, there are several different vantage points where good shots can be captured. This is also a great spot for sunsets because the sun goes down right behind the bridge during most of the year.

This is one of my favorite bridge shots. I was kneeling down at the edge of the water to get a low perspective because I wanted to include as much of the sky and clouds as possible.

Canon 20D & Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens. 3 exposure auto bracketing (1/20, 1/50, 1/125 @ f/14) blended in Photomatix. I was kneeling at the edge of the water to get a low perspective.

I’ve taken many pictures of the brige, but this was the first one that was good enough to print. I went early to scout for a spot and set up, then just waited for the right colors in the sky. The mosquitos were vicious here and I was eaten alive despite wearing a hat, gloves, and jacket to keep them off.

Canon 300D & Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM lens. ISO 100, 28mm. f/16, 1.6 seconds on a tripod.

This one made me late for work. I could see the heavy fog on the river as I was driving down River Road and knew that there would be a good opportunity near the bridge. The fog was lifting just enough to reveal some of the water by the time I was ready to shoot.

Canon 20D & Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens. ISO 100, 17mm. f/11, 1/125 seconds

I love the mood of this shot. It has a real “Louisiana” feel to it. It seemed more like I was in a swamp than in Downtown Baton Rouge on this day.

Canon 300D & Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM lens. ISO 200, 35mm, f/5.6, 1/600 seconds

This one was interesting for me because I had never seen the water so low on the river. It was probably 10 feet lower than usual which allowed me to walk out past the USS Kidd. I was out at sunset as usual and was able to capture the blue and orange sky that we have so often.

Canon 20D & Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens. ISO 1600, 17mm, f/10, 1/4 second hand held. I gave it a little saturation boost in post processing for some added effect.

The bridge is also nice at night and you can capture some nice reflections and colors depending on the angle of your shot. I was on the levee near a homeless camp for this shot and they all came out to ask if I was filming a crime scene. At the same time, a group of walkers approached from the opposite direction because they thought I was with a news crew. You should have seen it when those two groups met. I think they were both scared.

Canon 20D & Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens. ISO 200, 38mm, f/10, 30 seconds on a tripod with cable release.

There are a few other things of interest around the bridge. Another one of the shots that I have taken many times looking for a new perspective is the benches on top of the levee.

The levee in daytime can be very inviting. Simple, relaxing, and a great place to watch the sunset. I’ve been here many times and I’ve taken this same shot many times, but I have always liked this one.

Canon 20D & Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM lens. ISO 400, 105mm, f/16, 1/800 seconds

Unlike the levee during the day, the levee at night can be something completely different. At this time of night you might see someone taking a late night stroll, but it is more likely that you will run across someone looking for an isolated place to sleep or maybe asking for money. At least I hope they will only ask. I like the solitude but it can be scary as much as it is peaceful.

Canon 20D & Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens. ISO 100, 37mm, f/11, 10 seconds on a tripod.

The Lousisiana State Capitol is another obvious place to shoot. Just like with the bridge, I put some effort into going back at different times to get fresh perspectives. It is usually pretty busy around there and it can be difficult to get a shot without cars or people passing by.

The Louisiana Old State Capitol building shot just after dusk. I picked this time of day because I knew it would be a good blend of lighting inside and outside of the building.

Canon 20D & Canon EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM lens. ISO 1600, 17mm, f/10, 1.3 seconds hand held

This is the view you get if you are driving south on I-110 and look over at just the right time. I saw this while driving and had to come back the next day for a shot. I arrived about 45 minutes early and set up my gear. Lucky for me the sky was purple and pink again just like the night before when I saw it.

Canon 300D & Canon EF 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. ISO 100, f/16, 28mm, 4 seconds on a tripod. Taken from the empty lot across from the Governor’s mansion.

What can you say about the State Capitol building? 450 feet tall with 10 foot tall guardians posted at the front door. It just begs to be photographed and I do it fairly often.

Canon 20D & Canon EF-S 17-55mm IS USM lens. ISO 800, 17mm, f/3.5, 1/20 second hand held.

If you return to the same spots over and over again you will start to notice certain patterns. During the early summer months, the “blue hour” comes along right about the same time that the exterior lights are turned on at the capitol. This makes for a well lit building with the sky light enough to still see the clouds. This shot was taken from the back of the building.

Canon 20D & Canon EF-S 17-55mm IS USM lens. ISO 800, 17mm, f/6.3, 1/8 seconds on a tripod. This is another one that I planned for and arrived early to set up my gear.

This was a spur of the moment capture. I had just finished taking the shot at the back of the capitol and packed all my gear in the trunk. As I turned around to leave, I saw that the sky had changed colors and some more clouds rolled in while I was packing up. I grabbed the camera out of the car and fired off a quick shot.

Canon 20D & Canon EF-S 17-55mm IS USM lens. ISO 100, 17mm, f/3.5, 1 second hand held.

Dowtown is my favorite area to shoot and I often end up there when I am in the mood for pictures but don’t have anything particular in mind. Even so, I sometimes make it to other parts of town.

This was a great sunset on River Road. I could see the sky changing colors, but didn’t get a good look at the sun until I came around the curve and saw it in my rear view mirror. I pulled the car over and laid down in the middle of the road to get this shot. Glad I didn’t get run over!

Canon 20D & Canon EF-S 17-55mm IS USM lens. ISO 100, 55mm, f/2.8, 1/400 seconds

Also on River Road, I saw this single tree being lit by the sun as I was coming around a curve. It seemed very relaxing like I could have spent the rest of the afternoon there. I settled for 10 minutes to get the shot.

Canon 20D & Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM lens. ISO 200, 30mm, f/14, 1/125 seconds.

Another of my favorite shots comes from Siegen Lane. The Bethany crosses tower over everything else in the area and probably suck up as much electricity as half the other buildings on Siegen combined. They are nice to photograph when you have a good sky in the background. I walked circles around them until I found the right perspective then had to get on my stomach on the sidewalk to set up the shot.

Canon 300D & Canon EF 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. ISO 100, 24mm, f/22, 2 seconds on a tripod.

Finally, this is me as I can often be seen. Taking time alone to sit back and watch everything around me. If I look hard enough, I might be able to find a good picture out there. Sitting in Port Allen looking at Baton Rouge.

Canon 300D & Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM lens. ISO 200, 38mm, f/10, 5 second exposure and using the camera’s built in timer so I can run up to levee and sit on that bench.

[Ed Note: These pictures were taken by local photographer Mark Bienvenu. You can view more of his work here or follow him on Twitter.]