D.P.A.O. End of an Era Continued photos

Bill Baker, owner and mastermind behind Stage Door Images, has had a camera in his hands since he discovered the joys of photography at the early age of 9. His business savvy and appreciation for customer service has developed through more than 40 years in the photography and the music business. After earning a degree in business administration, he entered the music field via retailing. Bill emerged as a leader in his field as manager and buyer for Leonard Smith Inc., out of Latham, NY. This led to stepping up as a sole proprietor, opening three of his own retail locations in Upstate NY. The Stage Door quickly reached a high plateau for their excellent customer service and the ability to find hard to locate albums, CDs and videos. While involved in the music business, Bill began making contacts in the concert arenas throughout New York State and Southern Canada. He has photographed over 400 performances including Shinedown, Godsmack, Black Top Mojo, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Lady A, Tommy Castro, Coco Montoya and Joe Satriani just to name a few. The opportunity provided Bill a unique perspective, developing into appreciation of photographing images under extreme conditions. This led to capturing amazing images of extreme sports including World Cup Snowboarding, Downhill Competition, PBR Bull Riding, Mixed Martial Arts and Motocross events including the international superstars of the Nitro Circus. Bill is a photographer, a photojournalist as well as an author. He has images and published works in the Black River Review, Watertown Daily Times, The Jefferson County Journal, Fourth Coast Entertainment and The Up-North Entertainment Magazines, where he writes a monthly music column.