My fellow Greece residents and the scenes I was photographing, were really a small sample of the patriotic outpouring happening all across our nation at the time. I called this series of photos, Our Nation-Our Town-Our Flag.

Fast forward almost twenty years later and we’re confronted with another major event, but this time it’s a global issue. In some ways, the coronavirus outbreak is this generation’s 9/11, but it’s different. The coronavirus isn’t taking place in a specific location like at the Twin Towers in New York City or at the Pentagon in Washington DC or in a Pennsylvania field. It’s a crisis that is in our own neighborhoods and in neighborhoods around the world.

I didn’t intend for this to turn into a photo essay. I just wanted to get outside and into the fresh air after being cooped up in the house for several days in an effort to practice social distancing, but as soon as I posted some of my photos on Facebook, I received encouraging comments. Some of my friends wanted to see more, so from a few random pictures, grew a full photo-documentary project I'm calling, Our World-Our Town-Our Health.

As time passed from 9/11, many flags were taken down as our collective patriotism seemed to also pass. My Our Nation-Our Town-Our Flag project has now become a historical record. I still get a sense of pride in our country when I see those photographs. I look at the reaction my hometown had back then and think to myself - this was really nice. I feel this time though, that this series of photographs will remind me some day - this was really crazy.

March 26: The parking lot for the food court at the Greece Ridge Center Mall is packed with cars. This picture was taken at the height of lunch hour, but due to social distancing concerns, the mall was closed and deserted.

The first known case of coronavirus in the Town of Greece was an employee who worked on the Arcadia school campus. The town immediately closed the entire school district on March 13, which prompted all public schools to be shut down in Monroe County. 

March 26: Greece United Methodist Church, Maiden Lane.

March 28: West Ridge Road.

March 26: One of the many coronavirus screening tents set up in the parking lot at Unity Hospital on Long Pond Road.

March 27: My grandson Lucas blew me a kiss as I took a picture of him practicing social distancing with me. His preschool, Trinity Lamb, recognized the need for social distancing early on as they were one of the first schools in our area to close.

March 26: Dave Palumbo, Owner of The Original Char Broil House on Island Cottage Road, is exhausted and frustrated.  His dinning room has closed so he and his staff has had to work hard and fast to keep the business going. They quickly set up a drive through window and two lanes for his patrons to use. Although their new way of doing business is working and customers have been happy with it, their improvised system isn’t perfect and it’s causing stress to him and his crew. As Dave and I parted ways he said, “we’ll get through it”.

March 31: Jackson's Bakery, Stone Road.

March 31: Aldi, Mt. Read Boulevard. Diane Schmitt wanted to let me know that she’s not hoarding. She hasn’t been to the grocery store in over two weeks and she’s running out of necessities. Donned in a mask and gloves, Diane also wanted me to know that she’s not infected and she’s just trying to be safe.

April 3: Ordinarily the Macarollin Gourmet Mac and Cheese food truck would be part of the festival scene but instead Owner Chuck Andrews finds himself in the parking lot of the Imperial Manor Apartments on Stone Road. Andrews has had to change his business model by going to where the people are and these days, that means going to where they live.

Thanks to social media, apartment managers from around the Town of Greece have caught wind of what he has been doing. He’s now booked at several other apartment complexes around town for the next two weeks. In addition to providing convenience to apartment dwellers Andrews said that he’s noticed other benefits during these days of isolation. Neighbors are engaging in much needed socializing, from a distance, while waiting around his truck for their food.

April 7 – 7:30 AM: 390 South is the main route out of the Town of Greece toward downtown Rochester. Morning rush hour traffic was much lighter than usual as many workers are being told to stay home.

April 7: Ryan Chalmers and Stephanie Woodard of Wembly Road are concerned neighbors. Ryan said with the coronavirus’ negative impact on jobs and the economy, they thought it might be a good idea to offer items, free of charge, to those in need. Everything from paper towels to canned fruit and soup is inside their community cupboard. They also thought it might be fun to set up a game as well so neighbors can remain at a distance and still interact with one another as they stroll by. The two chairs serve as a place to set small stones to tally an answer to a daily question. Ryan says the game has been a big hit!

April 8: She wasn’t happy about having her picture taken so I had to kind of sneak up on her to capture this. Kim Territo (my wife) sewing masks, in our Stone Road home, for the women who are handing out lunches at the school.

     This spring brought with it, mixed feelings for me because on the morning I left to cover the Grapefruit League, I received the sad news that my friend and mentor Ken Pamatat passed away. On the flight to Florida that day, I reflected about the impact he had on me. Ken encouraged me to pursue photography as a career. He taught me the business and how to work hard at it. If it wasn't for Ken, I wouldn't be on the plane heading for spring training to photograph the game I love. I looked up to Ken and I'm sure he was looking down on me in Florida this spring.

     I've been very lucky to have had a few wonderful mentors - photographers I have admired and who have been generous with their time and talent. I am forever grateful for them. 

     Here are some of my favorite images from the Sunshine State!

They call him la makina (the machine). I've known Jose Berrios for a few years. It's been exciting to follow his career and to watch the success he has had since leaving the Red Wings. Jose has been chosen to be the Twins' 2019 Opening Day pitcher. No one deserves that honor more.

Tommy Watkins, Byron Buxton and Max Kepler

Nelson Cruz

The pros wenen't the only ones playing ball at Hammond Stadium. I found an exciting whiffle ball game being played, in a sandlot near the back fields, by a family who had traveled down from Minnesota. Baseball culture is alive and well in Florida.

Jorge Polanco reacts to hitting a double during a 4-1 win over the Boston Red Sox.

Former Red Wing J.B. Shuck takes a practice cut.

Byron Buxton scoops up a ball in center field.

Eddie Rosario

Trevor Hildenberger

Byron Buxton always seems to have time to sign autographs for fans.

On the back fields at Hammond Stadium.

Zander Wiel

Pittsburgh Pirates' second baseman Kevin Newman heads to shallow right field to make a catch.

Marwin Gonzalez

Byron Buxton swipes second base.

Andrew Benintendi

Johnathan Schoop

Drew Maggi

Shortstop Andrew Velasquez of the Durham Bulls makes a great attempt at a sharply hit ground ball.

Willians Astudillo

Wilin Rosario looses control of his bat.

Jordany Valdespin and Randy Cesar

Eric Karch

Byron Buxton

Louis Arraez

Several years ago, I started an organization with a few fellow baseball history geeks, and I use the term “geeks” with love and respect, called the Rochester Baseball Historical Society. I served as the organization’s first President so I guess that makes me a baseball history super geek. We’ve made great strides with our organization, such as becoming certified by the New York State Board of Regents as an educational organization. We present free public programs like lectures and 19^th century baseball reenactments. We also hold an annual Hot Stove dinner in the dead of winter to reconnect with friends and the game at a time when there’s no baseball in sight.

Just in case you’re wondering, the term “Hot Stove” is an old expression that comes from the days when folks would gather around a warm potbellied stove at the general store or post office to socialize during the cold winter months. They often discussed current events, community gossip and of course, baseball. They talked about the past baseball season and what they expect for the upcoming season. Their conversations, 100 plus years ago, were probably very similar to the conversations I hear at our yearly Hot Stove dinners.

As a baseball history geek, I’ve learned that baseball’s path through history was not straight, just like America’s path. Our past-time was not invented out of thin air by one person, it evolved over time and there were many who contributed to the game we see today, just like America. Someone once said, to understand America, one must understand baseball. Throughout history the game has been a reflection of us. When our country was segregated, so too was baseball. Wherever Americans went, baseball went. I've learned that when Americans traveled westward along the Erie Canal, so did baseball. The Erie Canal runs through Rochester and there is documentation to suggest that an early form of the game was being played here in 1825, the same year that the canal opened. Baseball went to war with us. It was played in prisoner-of-war camps during our Civil War. It went over to Europe and to the Pacific with our GI's during WWII. It helped heal us after the attacks on 9/11 by offering a distraction from the horrible and sad days that followed. Today, baseball is becoming dominated by Latino players, the fasted growing population in America. Indeed, baseball was and always will be a refection of America.

I've learned a great deal about our country and our past-time over the years. I've gained many close friends because of that little white ball with the red laces. I’m proud and very comfortable to be a baseball history geek!

1880's trade card from my 19th century baseball collection

Another one of my 19th century baseball treasures. An apron style catcher's chest protector.

      Nico's father, Nick, loved playing baseball and he was very good at it. Although very busy now, raising Nico and his two brothers, he still enjoys the game when he has time to watch it. Like many other fathers and sons, baseball was one of the ways we bonded when he was young. Sitting in the stands at Red Wings games allowed us lots of important one on one time together.

     Children grow too quickly. Time goes by too fast. Some people think baseball is too slow, but I think that's the beauty of it.

     As I looked through the viewfinder while making these pictures of little Nico, I flashed back to his father, back to when he was a little boy, playing the great game of baseball for the first time. I thought it was a dream - but it wasn't.

I made this portrait of Nico minutes after he proudly put on his new uniform. He's a Yankee - go figure!

Learning how to grip the ball.

 My biggest hope for Nico, as he starts playing and learning the great game of baseball, is that it will always be as fun as it was the first time he played.

It's remarkable how much Nico looks like his father Nick in this picture when he was this age.

Two hands

I told Nico to put his hand on his hip as I was posing him and he exclaimed - "Like a super hero?!"

Just because score isn't kept in T-ball doesn't mean you can't celebrate a well played game with your teammates.

     Upon arriving from Belfast, Northern Ireland to Rochester, ten year old Adele jumped off a bus and into our hearts.

     The Irish Children’s Program sponsors visits for children who need a break from the violence that can erupt between Protestants and Catholics during the summer months in Belfast. They stay with American host families and hopefully learn that it is possible for the two religions to live side by side in peace.

     Thanks to this ecumenical program, Adele became our Irish daughter. And then just like that, twenty years flashed before us and we were sitting in St. Matthew's chapel in East Belfast watching her, now a beautiful young woman, walk down the aisle about to be married. The wedding was followed by two days of celebration!

     Adele stayed in our home nearly every summer during her childhood; she grew up with my kids Nick and Stephanie. Even after graduating from school she often returned to us as a young adult. The bond formed between Adele and my family became strong and extended into a bond between her family in Northern Ireland and ours in America.

     Upon arriving in Belfast for Adele's wedding, my family and I were welcomed into their small community, known as the Short Strand, as part of her family. The Strand, as it’s commonly called, is a Catholic enclave of about three thousand residents and is approximately ten by ten city blocks of row houses. The district is the only Catholic community in East Belfast and has historically been a flash point for the violence known as the Troubles. Surrounded by peace walls, the children of the Short Strand still do not wander out of their district to play with children on the other side of the walls. 

     When Adele came to Rochester as a child, the Troubles were still a prominent part of life for the citizens and children of Belfast, but since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, things have steadily improved between Protestants and Catholics. Paramilitary organizations such as the Real IRA (Irish Republican Army) and the UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force) are still represented in the segregated neighborhoods by the many murals which often feature violent undertones as their subject matter. Having said that, my family and I did not feel a sense of danger walking through the districts during the day. There is also no sense of tension in downtown Belfast as Protestants and Catholics walk, shop and dine freely among one another.

     Belfast is a beautiful city and now seems to have strong economic activity and tourism. It's citizens, both Protestant and Catholic, should be proud of what is becoming of their city on the River Lagan. 

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHS

     I used three different styles of photography while in Belfast – portraiture, fine art and photo journalism. Taking a break from my usual sports photography was refreshing although the next time I go, I must find a hurling match to photograph!

     For the photographs featuring the murals I used high dynamic range (HDR) photography. The murals are present in the everyday lives of the people of Belfast. They go about their daily business in the shadows of sometimes violent scenes depicted in them. I think/hope, HDR photography communicated the surreal feeling you get while viewing these beautiful works of art in the streets of the segregated districts.

     I’ve studied portraiture for many years. I’ve made a business of portraits, shooting my fair share of weddings, senior and family portraits. I have always loved making portraits and hope to immerse myself in it again someday. Adele had hired a wedding photographer and believe me, I was happy to be there as just a guest. I didn’t want to get in the way of her photographer but I couldn’t resist making a couple of wedding portraits of Adele so I did steal her away for a few minutes.

     In 2001 I visited Belfast for the first time to work on a personal photography project entitled The Children of Belfast. Much of the project depicted life in what was and sometimes still is, the tough streets of the Short Strand from a child’s point of view using a photo journalistic approach. This work was exhibited at the High Falls Fine Art Gallery in downtown Rochester with the opening reception being held on St. Patrick’s Day 2002. I returned to the Short Strand this time with two of my grandchildren, Nicholas and Lucas. I was delighted to find the Short Strand a safer place and documenting my own grandchildren in the Strand just blew my mind.  

     I welcome questions and comments.

Joe

We traveled 3,00 miles across the Atlantic for moments like this. Kim meets Adele's daughter Ava Emily for the first time.

Lucas was ready to celebrate Adele's wedding on our first day in Belfast. And celebrate we did!

Nicholas was welcomed with open arms and a couple of jabs from Adele's father Darren. He was a champion boxer in Belfast during his younger days.

Probably one of my personal favorite pictures from our trip. Seeing my own grandchildren in the now safer streets of the Short Strand was very special.

  This cracks me up! I wanted to take a picture of the three boys wearing their Manchester United kits (uniforms) on Bryson Street next to the peace wall, but Lucas wasn't having it.

Upon learning that Nicholas is an American, some of the kids from the Short Strand began teaching him the finer points of their game.

We stayed mere blocks from where the Titanic was built; the Harland and Wolfe ship yards. Their massive cranes dominate the skyline of East Belfast.  

Newtownards Road

During the height of the Troubles, Beechmount Avenue in west Belfast was a flash point. Throughout the years, locals have renamed it RPG Avenue because rocket propelled grenade launchers were used to repel the English Army on this street.

           Much to my surprise, I came across Rochester's own Frederick Douglass. Catholics honor and relate to the abolitionist's struggles and efforts for equality here in America.

Although things have improved in Belfast, gates separating Catholic neighborhoods from Protestant neighborhoods are still in place.

The green island isn't all green. This is the Murlough National Reserve and its hills of lavender.

The stony beach at Murlough.

The abandoned Crumling Road Courthouse.

This photo, taken on the final home game of the season, is a metaphor for how 2016 ended for the Red Wings. Despite an extraordinary effort, the playoffs were just out of reach, much like the ball which found its way past a diving Tommy Field by mere inches.

In the top of the first inning, left handed hitter Cedrick Hunter of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, digs into the batter’s box. I fixed my lens on our second baseman Tommy Field in anticipation of Hunter hitting to the left side. I heard the crack of the bat as I was looking at Tommy through the view finder. He immediately started moving quickly to his left and I started firing away at ten frames per second. I remember thinking the second I saw him leap for the ball that I had just captured my best picture of the year on the last day of the season at Frontier Field.

The Red Wings went on to lose the game 7-1 and were also eliminated from wild card playoff contention. They finished with a very respectable 81-63 record – the fourth best in the International League.

I can't promise that if you vote for my photo America will become "Stronger Together" or that it will "Make America Great Again" but I can promise you that I will be very grateful.

     Summer 2016 – GONE!

     Summers here in Rochester, NY are never long enough. We Rochesterians try to cram in as much as we can during the summer months because we know that soon enough the snow will start flying again, the nights get longer and we’ll hunker down in our houses for months on end. Sometimes it seems like all I do in the winter is go to work and sleep. I used to love the winter months when I played hockey and I suppose some enjoy outdoor winter activities the way I used to, but I’ll take a nice summer day at Frontier Field or Ontario Beach Park anytime over scraping ice off my windshield and drudging around in heavy winter boots.

     This summer was about as perfect as it gets around here - lots of sunny days and warm temperatures. And on the photography front, I shot more than usual. I feel that I’ve returned to the days when photography was something I did just for fun. I made the pictures that I wanted to make regardless of whether they generated income or not. I still shot lots of sports and a fair amount of portraits but this summer, picking up my camera was something that I wanted to do, not something that I had to do.

     I’ve always loved being a professional photographer but the field has gone through some drastic changes over the years and the business model has changed with the digital era. For an old film photographer, the change hasn’t been easy at times. But what has not changed and what will never change, are the basics - to understand and to know how to work with light.

     Here are some of my favorite photographs from this past summer. 

Jenna Jumps for Joy - Ontario Beach Park

Red Wings second baseman Tommy Field.

The summer started off with an exciting shoot with the great New York Yankee pitcher, Mariano Rivera. I was hired by the Rochester Press Radio Club to photograph their annual fundraiser which featured Mariano as their guest of honor. Mo was a true gentleman and easy to work with.

Major League Lacrosse contacted me to cover a couple of their games this summer. This game featured the Boston Cannons against the Rochester Rattlers on July 2. The Cannons beat the Rattlers 13-7.

These Three Little Guys!

This summer really put the "sun" in the sunflowers along Route 53 in Naples, NY. 

A Portrait Session with The Hit King

Pete Rose is serving a lifetime ban from Major League Baseball for gambling on the sport. As a result he is not allowed to make appearances at Major League and Minor League parks however under new commissioner, Rob Manfred, there has been a recent easing of his ban. On July 21, Pete Rose was granted permission to make an appearance at Frontier Field to sign autographs.

This summer, I tried my hand at photographing rugby and the Rochester Ardvarks, for the first time.

These guys are nuts!

I always like to shoot as many Rochester Ridgemen games as my Red Wings schedule will allow. The Ridgemen play in the New York Collegiate Baseball League and their home games are in Webster, NY at Basket Road Field.

Ridgeman shortstop Brooks Pitaniello is a heck of a good young player. I'll be following the baseball career of this Texas native.

I'm a portrait photographer at heart and senior portraits have always been a favorite of mine. I chose this industrial location to make this edgy photo of D.J.

After the industrial location we moved the shoot to an old brick warehouse.

As with all of my summers, Rochester Red Wings baseball was a huge part of it. My gig as team photographer seems to get better and better each season. The team finished with a 81-63 record - forth best in the International League! Unfortunately and unbelievably it wasn't good enough to make the playoffs.

Tommy Field

James Beresford

The always upbeat Kennys Vargas.

Wilfredo Tovar

Eddie Rosario makes a Willie Mays type catch in center field. This photo was selected as a Photo of the Week for the week of June 22, by Minor League Baseball.

With the long baseball schedule, it's good to get away to slow life down for a weekend or two during the summer. Kim and I rented a log cabin in the middle of the woods for a weekend in the Finger Lakes. This part of New York state is loaded with antique shops, vineyards and quaint restaurants. One night we came across John Rubens and his group Almost Irish, at Brew and Brats in Naples.

Bloomfield, NY

I both photographed and played in a vintage base ball game at historic Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, NY this summer.

Route 20

Dedicated to my father Joe Territo Sr., who we lost suddenly this summer. My father was proud of me and my siblings. He was the biggest promoter and supporter of my work and I will miss him dearly.

RIP Dad.   

     I reported to spring training in a lot better shape than in previous seasons. Seriously, shooting baseball games can be hard, exhausting work and I love every minute of it. I like to change my vantage point frequently, so I’m constantly moving around the stadiums, going up and down steps, in the Florida heat, carrying a very heavy lens and other equipment. During previous springs, after sitting around not doing much all winter, shooting those spring and early season games was not easy. But this winter, I got off the couch, hit the gym and ate right. This spring, going up and down stadium steps was no problem!

     I was excited to try out my new camera during this spring training. For my fellow photography nerds, it’s a Canon 7D Mark II. This is a great sports photographer’s camera with its multiple autofocus options and its 10 frames per second continuous shooting. It has an ISO range from 100-16,000 and maximum shutter speed of 1/8,000^th of a second so it’s very good for stopping action in low light situations. It’s also 20 MP making the resolution more than adequate for web publications and great for large prints. This camera, which is reasonably priced, performed exceptionally well and is really worth the investment.

     Now, back to baseball…

     I’ve always admired the work of Minnesota Twins team photographer Brace Hemmelgarn so it was nice to have met him and to share the photo pit with him this spring. Check out Brace’s great work at Brace Hemmelgarn Photography.

     I saw what I think is Major League Baseball’s version of The Odd Couple at 2016 Spring Training. Don Mattingly, the Miami Marlin’s new manager, is teamed up with Barry Bonds who is serving as the team’s new hitting coach. After batting practice on Friday (3/11), of which Donny Baseball pitched, Mattingly, along with his players, picked up after himself, collecting the stray baseballs and putting them back into the buckets. Bonds just stood around the cage, trying to look cool, and didn’t lift a finger to help out. Guess picking up BP balls is beneath the *Home Run King*. Mattingly signed autographs for almost all who asked. Bonds blew off screaming fans without making eye contact and refused to sign for anyone. Mattingly was upbeat, smiled a lot, and talked to fans. Bonds pretty much had a scowl on his face the whole time. We’ll see how this partnership works out in Miami.

     It’s always nice to see former Red Wings players even if they’re playing with other clubs, so I took in the Yankees/Rays game on Saturday (3/12) for a few innings to get some pictures of Chris Pamelee and Aaron Hicks, who are now with the Yanks, and catcher Rene Rivera who is now with Tampa Bay. Then I headed north to Sarasota to resume my work shooting the Twins as they played against the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium, AKA Birdland South. The Orioles had a ten game spring training losing streak going but broke it this day by winning big against our guys 8-1. I put a lot of miles on the rental car but it was great to shoot two games in one day.

     With Spring Training 2016 almost over, it’s time to get ready to focus on another great season of Red Wings baseball!

It's time for Twins spring training at Hammond Stadium!

Bryce Brentz of the Boston Red Sox slides head first in to third base during a game against the Minnesota Twins.

2015 International League All-Star, James Beresford.

Hammond Stadium in Ft. Myers Florida, spring home of the Minnesota Twins.

Buck Britton

Former Red Wing Rene Rivera now with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Brian Dozier

Eddie Rosario of the Twins, beats the tag going into second base during a game against the Orioles.

Darrin Mastroianni make a spectacular catch in left field during a game against the Marlins at Hammond Stadium.

Dustin Pedrioa on deck at Jet Blue Park, AKA Fenway South, in Ft. Myers Florida

Mr. October, Reggie Jackson, is a regular at spring training.

Former Rochester Red Wing Aaron Hicks runs down a fly ball as one of the newest members of the New York Yankees.

The Oriole Bird migrates south each spring to Ed Smith Stadium, AKA Birdland South in Sarasota, the Florida home of the Baltimore Orioles.

Carlos Beltran

Barry Bonds, hitting coach for the Marlins under new manager Don Mattingly.

Big Papi's final spring training as a player.

Former Red Wing Danny Ortiz (left) celebrates a spring training win over the Red Sox, with his fellow outfielders.

Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage.

Hanley Ramirez takes in a beautiful spring day before taking the field at Jet Blue Park.

     The motto of this wonderful event is, "Team Work Makes The Dream Work!"

     Miracle Field will provide all people with developmental and/or physical challenges in the Rochester, NY area, the opportunity to participate in baseball, soccer, and other team sports in a safe, and enjoyable environment. The winter softball tournament is one of many fundraisers which will help realize this dream. The field will feature a versatile, completely flat, cushioned synthetic surface. Designed primarily as a baseball field, it will also have a removable outfield fence to accommodate larger field sports such as soccer and flag football. It will provide a safe surface for wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, and assistive devices.

     Although temperatures were in the thirties on the snow-covered ball diamonds, hearts were warmed by the countless expressions of love and support for the many athletes for which Miracle Field will serve. I was reminded as I looked through my camera at the many smiling faces, that the world is full of goodness and that sports can be a true gift.  

2015 might be remembered as the season of walk-offs at Frontier Field. The Wings managed 9 of them this past season so photographing dramatic on-field celebrations became my specialty. I feel with each passing year, my gig as a Red Wings team photographer gets better for me personally and professionally. I continue to be honored by the recognition my work gets from Minor League Baseball (MiLB) and from the support I get from my friends on social media – this is where much of my motivation comes from. In 2015, one of my photos of Byron Buxton was nominated for MiLB’s Photo of the Year. Fan voting placed it second but I was extremely pleased just to have been nominated. A heartfelt THANK YOU to my family and friends who helped stuff the ballot box!

I hope you enjoy my 2015 Favorite Pics of the Year.

Heading to Florida to cover spring training is something I look forward to all winter. I think about it every day after the holidays are over. I was so impressed upon arriving at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, by what the Twins had done to upgrade their spring training facilities for 2015. 

This photo was the last frame I took at spring training 2015.

Waking up on Opening Day morning feels similar to getting up on Christmas morning when I was a kid for me. In my view, our long winter ends on Opening Day. I always like to shoot morning batting practice on this special day. As I was taking this picture of new manager Mike Quade interacting with his freezing players on this 36 degree April morning, one of the returning players (I think it was Eric Farris) yelled out to the new guys, “Welcome to Rochester boys!”

This photograph of Josmil Pinto jumping into a crowd of his excited teammates waiting for him at home plate is probably my favorite picture of 2015 and it came on the first home game of the season. Pinto’s dramatic Opening Day walk-off homerun was the first of 9 walk-off wins for the team last season.

This was my first season with an Instagram account - @joe_territo. It allowed me to work with my images in a square format on a regular basis which was a fun and different approach for me.  This picture of Reynaldo Rodriguez watching his hit sail into right field benefited greatly from a square composition.

Once again during this past season, James Beresford excited fans with his acrobatic play at second base. The 2015 International League All-Star flips the ball to his shortstop, Jorge Polonco, to start a double play.

I’m intrigued by historic baseball photographs and like incorporating sepia tone into my work occasionally. I feel a sepia photograph has a timeless quality. Eric Farris rounds third and heads for home to score the first run of the game against the Durham Bulls on May 18^th. Red Wings win it 3-0.

Before this group photo was taken, Brett “Hitman” Hart looked on in awe as members of the Red Wings pitching staff greeted him in the clubhouse, one by one, dressed as WWE wrestlers. The players planned this tribute for weeks prior to Hitman’s June 8th visit and imitated their characters perfectly.

Pitcher Mark Hamburger never seemed to tire from signing autographs. On July 21^st last season, he was quoted in the Democrat & Chronicle as saying “I’ve had days when the fans have been my only reason I’m still going as strong as I am”. The 2015 Red Wings were loaded with fan friendly players.

Argenis Diaz makes his way to the field to take on the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. This is one of those pictures that was in my mind for a while, part of my baseball photo bucket list if you will. It was probably inspired by a similar image that I had seen in the past and I had locked away in my brain. I had to plan for the right time to shoot this. It needed to be shot during a day game and I needed the team to be wearing their black jerseys. I wanted to blow out the background to give it a surreal feeling and if they had their home whites on, there would have been a loss of separation. This picture was selected by Minor League Baseball as a Photo of the Week for the week of July 8^th.

I’m a portrait photographer at heart so when I spotted former Red Wing, Darin Mastroianni, quietly sitting in the Syracuse dugout waiting for the game to start, I couldn’t resist taking this in-game portrait of him. The Twins have resigned Mastroianni for 2016 so there’s a chance we could see him in a Red Wings uniform again soon.

Shooting pre-game photos is not as exciting as capturing game action, but they’re important and often yield some nice pictures.

Twins right-hander Ervin Santana, pitches a rehab start on Star Wars Day, as he worked his way back to the Majors from a suspension.

I just like the simplicity. Not much more to say.

This past season I decided to add a 2X extender to my camera gear arsenal. It’s an attachment that essentially doubles the focal length of a lens. I used it for this photo of pitcher Alex Meyer in combination with my 400mm. I really like the compression that can be achieved with it.

Occasionally I’m called upon for special photo shoots involving players off the field. They require special planning and are usually lots of fun. This project, featuring Nate Hanson, Wings Director of Communications, Nate Rowan and Mark Hamburger, was to promote an August 1^st hockey themed game against the Syracuse Chiefs, commemorating the 35th anniversary of team USA’s Miracle on Ice. The Red Wings wore the white hockey jerseys, the Chiefs wore blue and the umpires donned referee stripes.

Doug Bernier gets caught in a run-down during a game against Pawtucket on June 29th.  I always seem to get a lot of “keepers” when I’m focused on Doug because of the passion he displays while playing the game.

August 16^th - my game plan on that hot summer afternoon was to focus on Byron Buxton exclusively. I wanted to photograph him playing center field mostly, so I shot behind home plate, high in the press box with a 2X extender on my 400mm lens. With RailRiders’ Kyle Roller at the plate in the top of the 2^nd, he launches a ball deep to center field. Buxton gets on his horse and heads for the warning track. Without taking his eye off the ball he leaps up to catch it and in the process, hits the wall at full speed like it wasn’t even there. I knew I had captured this picture but as I was editing, I noticed that his sunglasses had popped off and were suspended in mid air along with his hat in this particular frame. This element gives the picture a little extra “wow” factor I think. Although it was nominated by MiLB for 2015 Photo of the Year, it wasn’t my favorite Buxton photo.

After a long wait, Rochester baseball fans finally got to see Byron Buxton patrolling center field in a Red Wings uniform at Frontier Field. Major League Baseball’s top prospect didn’t disappoint, hitting .400, during his 13 game stint. I captured many photos of him during his short stay and this one is my favorite. Seeing his name on the back of a Red Wings uniform at last was a thrill.

In my opinion, Mark Hamburger singing the National Anthem before the final home game was one of the highlights of the 2015 season. He sang it with such reverence and pride and on key! Mark told me, that it was pretty nerve wracking but it was cool to be able to do it for the fans and staff.

     I took the picture of Major League Baseball’s top prospect, Byron Buxton, crashing into the center field wall during a game against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on August 16^th. The photo editors at Minor League Baseball (MiLB) have deemed it one of the top twelve photos captured during the 2015 season and have nominated it for MiLB’s Photo of the Year consideration. Needless to say, I’m thrilled and honored! Fans will have the final say on whether it’s the best photo of the year by voting on MiLB’s official website, www.milb.com/news/awards/y2015/?category=photo. Voting ends on October 27^th. Please vote and vote often!

     My game plan on that hot summer afternoon was to focus on Buxton exclusively. I wanted to photograph him playing center field mostly, so I shot behind home plate, high in the press box with a 2x extender on my 400mm lens. I knew I had captured him slamming into the wall but then as I was editing, I noticed that his sunglasses had popped off and were suspended in mid-air along with his hat in this particular frame. This element gives the picture a little extra “wow” factor.

     With RailRiders’ Kyle Roller at the plate in the top of the 2^nd, he launches a ball deep to center field. Buxton gets on his horse and heads for the warning track. Without taking his eye off the ball, he leaps up to catch it and in the process, hits the wall at full speed like it wasn’t even there. Quite a painful introduction to former Red Wings owner Morrie Silver, who’s honored by having his name painted on that section of wall. Oh, and the 8,222 - it represents the number of shares Mr. Silver sold in 1957 which made it possible to purchase the Red Wings from the Cardinals, insuring the team remained in Rochester for future generations of baseball fans.

     So there he was, Byron Buxton, the multi-million dollar Major League Baseball top prospect squirming around on the warning track as our trainer Larry Bennese and manager Mike Quade ran out to assess the damage. The Twins had just sent him to the Red Wings for a rehab assignment on August 7^th and Rochester fans were excited to finally get a chance to see him in a Red Wings uniform. Me, along with the 6,000 other people at Frontier Field, were probably all thinking the same thing at that moment: that he was heading back to the disabled list. But to everyone’s surprise, he was helped to his feet, dusted off, and remained in the game.

     And what a game he had that day! Three hits, two runs batted in - including a home run - and a game winning walk-off hit which drove in Jose Martinez in the bottom of the 12^th giving the Wings a 3-2 victory. It touched off one heck of a celebration on that beautiful Sunday afternoon.

     Yeah, I guess he was okay after meeting Mr. Silver out in center field during the 2^nd inning.

This past winter was a legendary one in the frozen tundra that was Rochester, NY and I couldn't wait to get down to Florida this year, more so than any other year I think.

I didn't do as much traveling around southwest Florida this spring as I have in the past. Most of the games I covered were in Ft. Myers with the exception of one game at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, the spring home of the Baltimore Orioles. Two other Twins away games against the Red Sox were in Ft. Myers at JetBlue Park at Fenway South just ten minutes down the road from the Twins spring training facility, Hammond Stadium.

Fenway South is beautiful by the way. They've managed to successfully bring the atmosphere of Fenway Park in Boston down to Florida by incorporating some classic elements like the famous Green Monstah, complete with the hand operated score board. There's even a Yawkey Way street party vibe that goes on outside the park before games.

It seems there will be a lot to cheer about at One Morrie Silver Way this season! Mega prospects Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano will likely be on the way at some point and it looks like many popular players from last year like Eric Farris, James Beresford and Alex Meyer will be back and   the team has a new manager in Mike Quade to lead the way in 2015. I think this is the most optimistic I've felt in many years about the Wings' chance to recapture the Governors Cup, but it's a long season, so we'll see.

I had a nice chat with Wings' former manager Gene Glynn one day as he was coming off the field after pitching batting practice. Gene has joined Paul Molitor's coaching staff in Minnesota. He told me how much he loved the last three seasons he spent in Rochester and how much he's going to miss everyone.

I managed to capture plenty of action shots this spring as I always do, but this year I felt inspired to take more of a photo documentary approach to my work to illustrate the essence of spring training.

Here are some of my photos from sunny Florida to warm you up for the upcoming season!

Former Major Leaguer Chad Mattola discusses hitting with a young Tampa Bay Rays' player on the back fields of Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte.

The new season ushers in a new Commissioner of Baseball. Robert Manfred's signature is featured on the new Official Major League baseballs.

Danny Ortiz

Kennys Vargas

Wilkin Ramirez

                                                             Jung-Ho Kang

Manny Machado

The new state of the art spring training facility at Hammond Stadium in Ft. Myers.

Big Papi, David Ortiz

The Green Monstah at Fenway South.

Mike Napoli

Danny Santana

                                                                                 Brett Gardner

Baseball's top prospect, Byron Buxton.

   Eduardo Nunez always seems to have time for autograph seekers.

Darren O'Day

The very last image I made from my 2015 spring training adventure.

I find the evolution of equipment fascinating and discovering the impact it had on the game intriguing. In addition to collecting equipment, I also enjoy baseball imagery because it demonstrates how important the game was in the lives of many Americans and reveals how passionate they were about our National Pastime.

Every item tells a story so collecting is only half the fun. The other half is researching and learning the histories that accompany these pieces.

     ENTRANCE TO MY STUDIO/MUSEUM

LATE 19th CENTURY FULL COLLAR UNIFORM

DEAD BALL ERA BASEBALL - Before 1920 a single baseball was often used for an entire game. Foul balls were not kept by excited fans but rather tossed back onto the playing field so the game could continue. During the course of a game these balls became coated in dirt, grime and tobacco juice. They also softened up as the game wore on due to multiple strikes of the bat. This softening “deadened” the ball so it wouldn’t travel as far as the balls of today. During the dead ball era, home runs were uncommon so ball placement was the strategy rather than clearing the bases with one swing of the bat.

Dead balls were also very dangerous to hitters because the dirtier and darker they became the more difficult pitches were to see especially at dusk. On August 16, 1920 Cleveland Indians short stop Ray Chapman was struck in the head, late in the game, by a pitch that he probably didn’t see. Eye witnesses say that he never even tried to move out of the way of the pitch. Chapman died of his injuries the next day. Following Chapman’s death, in the name of safety, baseball adopted a rule to use brand new baseballs more frequently during the course of a game. This rule indeed made baseball safer but it also transformed the game. Home runs were about to become king!

                  FIRST BASEMAN'S MITT CIRCA 1910's

19th CENTURY FLAT BAT - During the 19th century, base ball bats at times were referred to as paddles. These bats were helpful with ball placement. By 1893 flat bats were no longer allowed.

1880's CATCHER'S MASK - Early catcher’s mask designs were inspired by the fencing mask. This mask reveals the oblong shape and modest padding typical of a fencing mask.

19th CENTURY SHAVING MUG - Discovered during a dig at the foot of a railroad bridge which crosses the Quinnipiac River in North Haven, Connecticut, this early shaving mug depicts a very early baseball scene.

                    EARLY 20th CENTURY CABINET CARD PHOTOGRAPH -

                    The Huron Base Ball Club from Rochester, New York.

                               LATE 19th CENTURY CRESCENT PAD CATCHER'S GLOVE

1880's APRON STYLE CATCHER'S  CHEST  PROTECTOR

                                                                                        SHIN GUARDS CIRCA 1920's

MID 19th CENTURY UNIFORM BELT BUCKLE - During baseball's amateur era, pitches were delivered underhand as depicted on this small belt buckle. Pitchers were often called bowlers.

FULL WEB FIELDER'S GLOVE CIRCA 1880's

CADET COLLAR JERSEY - This cadet collar jersey features the logo of the REO Motor Car Company of Lansing Michigan. It comes out of Lapeer, Michigan, a town 75 miles east of Lansing.  REO are the initials of the company’s founder Ransom Eli Olds. Olds first founded the Olds Motor Vehicle Company in 1897 then later founded the REO Motor Car Company in 1905. The company is more commonly known as Oldsmobile.

It was not unusual for individuals to be hired by a company for their skills on the baseball field and not necessarily for their skill in the factory. During this time the Major League farm system did not exist so big league teams scowered many different players from many different leagues including the popular Industrial Leagues, to find talent.

This piece crosses over into both the automotive and baseball genres of collecting. Fans of the 1980's rock band REO Speedwagon, might also get a kick out of seeing the band's familiar logo on this 100 year old jersey.

Special thanks to the R.E.Olds Transportation Museum in Lansing, Michigan for providing me with a picture of the 1914 Industrial League champions depicting this jersey.  They have been extremely helpful in my research of this item.

VICTORIAN TRADE CARD CIRCA 1880's - Much like today, businesses in the 19th century used baseball imagery to promote their products. Trade cards were very highly collectable then and could be thought of as the first baseball cards.

During the 2013 off-season, the Twins traded former Red Wing Ray Olmedo to the Tampa Bay Rays. Olmedo was a fan favorite in Rochester and was popular with his teammates for his looseness in the dugout and great sense of humor. Here he is reunited with his former teammates Eduardo Escobar, Deibinson Romero, Wilkin Ramirez and Oswaldo Arcia, before the start of a 2014 Spring Training game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Minnesota Twins on March 20^th.

New York Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada makes an awkward stop but was able to come up throwing to get the out during a 2014 Spring Training game against the Minnesota Twins on March 21^st.

The Red Wings are introduced on Opening Day 2014, wearing their brand new uniforms.

On April 9^th, game time temperature at Frontier Field was 50 degrees. Not too bad for Rochesterians coming out of a frigid winter. But for outfielder Eric Farris, just having returned from the warm Florida sunshine of Spring Training, it was cold.

Danny Santana makes an easy force out at second base during a game against the Charlotte Knights on April 6^th.

I’m always looking for an artistic approach to my baseball photography. This simple photo was taken in the Red Wings dugout.

I was really looking forward to this shoot. Working with a player off the field is fun especially when it’s a respectful, young gentleman like pitcher Alex Meyer. Alex wanted to be photographed with his Ford truck for this special promo shoot. He’s particularly proud of his truck because he purchased it from his family’s Ford dealership which his grandfather Don started over forty years ago in Alex’s home town of Greensburg, Indiana. Oh, by the way - at 6’ 9”, Alex is the tallest pitcher in Red Wings history.

For some reason this picture of Doug Bernier, gently tossing a ball to a young fan, strikes me. It has a gracefulness about it that gives it an artistic feel.

I have heard the National Anthem being sung countless times, but ten-year-old Baylee Morrison’s rendition was probably the best one I’ve ever heard. I rarely get caught up in the moment when I’m shooting because I’m concentrating too much on things like composition, focus and other technical concerns. But hearing Baylee belt out the National Anthem gave me goose bumps on this day. This photo captures her confidence and poise during this performance. She’s a special talent.

“I got it, I got it”! Pedro Florimon calls off his left fielder as he prepares to catch a pop up. For me, a successful sports photo should have, among other things, a clean background. In technical terms, this can be achieved by either blurring out a distracting background by using a wide opened aperture like f 2.8 or by heading for higher ground to shoot from an elevated vantage point so you’re aiming down onto the field. This is why I often like to shoot from the stands. The light striking the front of Pedro’s face is also an element that I really like here.

I’ve made a business, for many years, from portrait photography so naturally I often have my eye out for a nice portrait during a ball game. This in-game portrait of Jasmil Pinto reflects his quiet warrior, on-field personality.

This overjoyed, young fan will likely remember this day for the rest of his life. The day that his folks took him to a Red Wings game and an umpire walked over and handed him a baseball. Shooting away from the action on the field can be very rewarding when a moment like this is captured.

Doug Bernier is one of my favorite players to photograph. This picture, taken on a rainy afternoon, shows the usual intensity in Doug’s face. He maintains this intensity whether he’s fielding batting practice ground balls or charging a bunt during a game. When Doug steps between the white lines, he’s all business.

Eric Farris doing his thing in center field.

Each week during the baseball season, Minor League Baseball (MiLB) receives thousands of pictures from Minor League team photographers from all over the country. These pictures are reviewed by MiLB photo editors and the best images are highlighted in "Photos of the Week." This picture of James Beresford, silhouetted against a dramatic sky, was featured during the week of July 2^nd.

Chris Colabello prepares for the final game of the season in Pawtucket. As it turned out, this was his final game in a Red Wings uniform as he has now moved on to the Toronto Blue Jays organization.

As I approached the War Memorial pass gate, I came upon a familiar face. The same Steve who was there, checking in media members all those years ago. He was surprised to see me and when he started to fill in my last name on the pass, I began to spell it for him. He stopped me and said with a smile, “I still remember how to spell it.”

It took me about a period the shake the rust off but once I got going, it was as though I never left. As I focused in on the players, I saw number 21 come into my frame and I couldn’t help but think about the little speedster Claude Verret, but now Zac Dalpe is wearing his number. As number 16, Matt Pelech, skated by me, I flashed back to the helmetless veteran, Yvon Lambert, who didn’t have to abide by the AHL helmet rule because of a Grandfather clause at the time.  Then there was number 15, Chris Langevin, and the reckless way he would sacrifice his body to make a play. What Langevin lacked in skating ability he made up with pure grit. I didn’t see a number 9 out on the rink like I used to because that number now resides on a banner, high above the ice surface, hanging from the rafters. That number will forever belong to Amerk great, Jody Gage.

Like most professional photographers, my career started as a hobby. In the early days I gravitated to shooting what I was most interested in and during the 1980’s, it was hockey. The ultimate was when I started getting paid for my hobby. The reason I requested a media credential from the Amerks this month was mostly out of a nostalgic desire to go back to my photographic roots. To go back to the days when my work was more of a hobby than a business. To go back to the days when Val James patrolled the ice at the War Memorial like he owned the place and Jim Hofford delivered punishing hip checks at the red line and I had the opportunity to capture it all on film.

     First, the Red Wings, in particular Dan Mason, Nick Sciaratta and Tim Doohan, for allowing me to do what I love for the team I’ve been following since I was a kid. For me, there is nothing quite like combining the passion I have for photography with the best baseball franchise in all of Minor League Baseball.

     Also, thank you to the photo editors at Minor League Baseball (MiLB) for highlighting my work numerous times throughout the 2014 season in their weekly feature, Photos of the Week. I’m very honored that they deem my pictures worthy.

     I’ve made many friends as the result of being a team photographer with Red Wings but none better than my shooting partner, Bare Antolos. We’re constantly feeding off of each other’s work which results in both of us being inspired to always try to be better at our craft. Thanks for the all laughs and your friendship, Bare!

     Of course my biggest thank you goes to my wife Kim for her continued support and willingness to put up with me having a second home at Frontier Field during the long baseball season.

     At this point, I can use a break. But it won’t be long until I will miss focusing my lens on Rochester's Boys of Summer and then start making my plans for Spring Training 2015. Until then, I’ll watch a little football, catch a few Rochester Amerks hockey games, and in the words of baseball great Rogers Hornsby – I’ll “stare out the window and wait for spring.”

The baseball off-season is a time for us baseball fans to reflect on the past season. Many will analyze team records and player statistics. During the off-season, I frequently look back at the moments I saw through my camera. From youth baseball to pros here are some my favorite photos from the 2013 season.

The thought of spring training is what gets me through the cold winter months. The Rochester Red Wings train at Hammond Stadium in Ft. Myers, Florida, the spring training home of their parent club, Minnesota Twins.

Former Red Wings’ and current Minnesota Twins’ second baseman Brian Dozier, takes a few swings in one of the many batting cages at Hammond Stadium. Fans are able to get up close to their favorite players at spring training.

Early in the season, we saw that Red Wings’ infielder Eric Farris was going to provide a lot of excitement at Frontier Field for the 2013 season.

Frontier Field went through two historic transformations in 2013. The first one happened in May when the downtown ball park became the Field of Dreams. The PepsiMax Field of Dreams game saw baseball legends like Johnny Bench, Reggie Jackson and Ozzie Smith, to name a few, take the field in a very special exhibition game.

Rochester’s Mr. Baseball, Joe Altobelli, emerges from the corn field in right field during pre-game introductions. The 81-year-old is a true living legend to Rochester baseball fans.

Boston Red Sox legend Pedro Martinez reacts to his first strike out of the PepsiMax Field of Dreams game.

The Red Wings got off to a terrible start in 2013 but by July, the team really began to heat up. This photo, taken on July 28^th, of Chris Parmele, with the Kodak Tower looming in the background, became one of my favorite images of the year.

Rochester baseball fans saw some great future and former Major League talent come through on opposing teams.  Freddy Garcia of the Norfolk Tides delivers a pitch against the Red Wings, with his distinctive wind-up.

Some of my favorite pictures have been captured away from the playing field. There are many different emotions that take place in the stands during a ball game. This young fan is desperately trying to get his baseball signed by the players. When I look at this photo, I see a child who is in awe of the players with a hint of intimidation.

During long Red Wings road trips, I found the need to keep shooting baseball. Along with shooting some youth games here and there, I also became interested in photographing a collegiate team called the Rochester Ridgemen of the New York Collegiate Baseball League. This league is funded in part by Major League Baseball and it serves, for these young ball players, as an opportunity to make the necessary adjustments in going from aluminum bats to wood bats in anticipation of a possible pro career.

Nothing beats capturing kids on the diamond having fun. They remind us that this game is a joy to play. When shooting kids playing baseball, I’m always looking for their care-free happy attitudes to show through.

James Beresford crushes several batting practice pitches out of Coca Cola Field in Buffalo, as the Wings start a run for the playoffs at the end of August.

Celebration returns to Frontier Field on September 2^nd as Jermaine Mitchell gets the party started by hopping out of the dugout to join his teammates as the Red Wings clinch the wild card berth.

From hot summer nights at Frontier Field to the historic Frozen Frontier outdoor hockey festival in December, Frontier Field is transformed for the second time in 2013.

On December 13^th, Rochester sports fans gladly filled Frontier Field, in the frigid cold, to cheer on the Rochester Americans as they beat the Lake Erie Monsters in an exciting 5-4 shootout, on the baseball diamond turned hockey rink.

     By virtue of my website, I don’t need to tell you that I love photographing baseball and it doesn’t much matter to me at what level.  I’m not going to lie however, and tell you that shooting Major League Baseball is just as exciting to me as shooting at the high school level. But, as I look through the my viewfinder,  it almost doesn’t matter, in some respects, if it’s Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees or Matthew Graben of the Rochester Ridgemen – a sweet swing is a sweet swing and freezing one in a photo is gratifying to me no matter who the player at the plate is.

     I’ve been spending a lot of time this month photographing a new team in town. They’re called the Rochester Ridgemen and they play in the New York Collegiate Baseball League. The NYCBL is a wood bat league for college age players, although I understand that teams can carry some high school kids as well. This league is funded in part by Major League Baseball and it serves, for these young ball players, as an opportunity  to make the necessary adjustments in going from aluminum bats to wood bats in anticipation of a possible pro career. The NYCBL has had pros like Tim Hudson, Hunter Pence, Brad Lidge and others pass through on their way to the Majors. Former Rochester Red Wing and current Minnesota Twin, Darin Mastroianni, played for the Saratoga Phillies (now the Oneonta Outlaws) of the NYCBL in 2006.

First baseman, Nick Oddo, of Whittier, California, warms up his infield at Basket Road Field

     The Ridgemen play at Basket Road Field in Webster and the games are free. Attending a Ridgemen game is a nice small town baseball experience. You’re close to the action and able to hear what’s going on out on the field, allowing you to become really engaged in their games. They have a few mid-inning activities but it’s not overdone.  These games have a charming old-time ball game feel.

     My initial plan was to photograph just a few games, more out of a curiosity. I seem to have gotten drawn in though, by the atmosphere of the park and the excellent quality of play. The welcoming, friendly attitudes of the team’s GM, Chris Rainwater, of Clermont, FL and head coach, Taylor Hargrove, of Denver, CO makes going to photograph the Ridgemen a joy. The roster is loaded with fine, respectful young men who seem to be loving their summer, playing baseball here in Rochester. I’ve also had the opportunity to talk with some of the dedicated parents who travel from all over the country to come support their kids. Becoming a fan of the Ridgemen, as I now have, is easy to do!

     I could go on and on about the Ridgemen and the gentlemen who play for and manage them, but this blog is also about baseball photography so I should also tell you a little about my photographic experiences with them as well.

     First off, the natural lighting at Basket Road Field is different than the natural light from my usual baseball photography home, Frontier Field. Right off the bat, you might detect a warmer type of light in some of the pictures. This is a result of the sun setting directly behind the third base side of the diamond. This can be photographically challenging at times but it can also be a very beautiful quality of light too. Photographing right handed batters, from the first base side, usually around 8pm, is really tough as the lens is almost pointing directly into the low setting sun.

Patrick Kinney of Indianapolis delivers a pitch in the low setting sunlight of Basket Road Field in Webster

     One of the other photographic differences between Frontier Field and Basket Road Field is the on field shooting – I’m almost too close to the action at Basket. I literally stand within a few feet of the coaches boxes while on the field and my 400mm lens is almost too much. I find myself often leaving the field so I can get farther away when trying to capture second base double play action, for example.  My perspective is also different at Basket Field so my images are slightly different from what I typically capture at Frontier Field and I’ve really been enjoying the change of scenery.

     Go Ridgemen!

Visit the Rochester Ridgemen website at http://rochesterridgemen.com/

    This May, as previously mentioned in this blog, Frontier Field played host to one of the most exciting events I have ever covered – the PepsiMAX Field of Dreams Game. It’s still hard for me to believe that Reggie Jackson was playing right field here in Rochester on May 18th. The Field of Dreams Game crowd was the second largest in the seventeen year history of Frontier Field.

    The other day, I finally shot the right photograph to make a neat tilt-shift image of Frontier Field. Tilt-shift photography is produced by using a special lens which, among other things, has the ability to allow for selective focusing. These lenses are commonly used in architectural photography to correct distortion while photographing tall buildings. Since I don’t own a tilt-shift lens, I needed to create the effect digitally. I think the results were pretty good. This miniature looking scene was made during a game in which the Red Wings met the Charlotte Knights on Saturday May 26^th.

    Also this month, I began a partnership with Pro Baseball Insider, a website founded by Red Wings shortstop Doug Bernier. This is a wonderful resource for baseball players from youth to pros and the best part about it is that it’s FREE! Doug and his fellow professional baseball players give useful advice on everything from proper pitching mechanics to how to sign a baseball for a fan. You can even send them a video of yourself playing the game for analysis. They’ll study it and offer tips on how to make improvements! I wish this website was around when I was coaching youth baseball. My role with PBI will be to supply photographs which demonstrate proper mechanics and to provide pictures which help illustrate subject matter for PBI original articles. I’m happy to be part of the PBI team! Check them out at http://probaseballinsider.com/

Doug Bernier                                                                                                        DOUG BERNIER

    Watching the Red Wings struggle this month through my lens has been difficult but I remain hopeful as we head into the dog days of summer.

     During 2012, fans from all around the country got to vote on where this special game was to be played, based on where the winning contestant was from. Rochester native, Johnny Perotti, edged out Stephen Katchmark, of Washington, DC, to win the honor of bringing this game to his fellow Rochesterians to witness.

     As one of the main photographers for this historic event, it was all business while down on the field as I concentrated on things like flash settings, proper ISO and other technical camera stuff. It wasn’t until afterward, while in the Frontier Field press box, during the editing of my work, did I think to myself..."Did that just happen?" I was so wrapped up in shooting this event that it seemed like a blur when it was over! Yeah, I’d say the Field of Dreams Game was kind of dream-like for me as I know it was for many others.

     Being able to work up close and personal with these legends was a wonderful experience. It changed my opinion about Pedro Martinez, but didn’t change my views on Reggie Jackson. As a Yankees fan I went into this shoot not liking Pedro very much, but I’ve got to tell ya, he was by far the most friendly, and to my surprise, the most humble of all the superstars out there. I photographed him as he interacted with a disabled fan for several minutes. His gestures to this person were very kind, warm and sincere as he gave this awestruck fan a great deal of his time, one on one. I have made a complete 180 about my feelings toward Pedro Martinez.

     I love Reggie Jackson - as a player. It was obvious he thought that he was the straw that stirred the Pepsi at this PepsiMAX event. As he walked out onto Frontier Field from behind home plate, the fans went nuts. He then proceeded to walk over to the fans to bask in the glory of their frenzy, but not to sign autographs as they expected he was about to do. Mr. October, just out of the reach of his crazed fans, looked them over for a minute, took a few steps back, continued to look and listen to their pleas for autographs and chants of “Reggie - Reggie - Reggie” - and then just walked away from them.

     In contrast to Reggie, “The Wizard” Ozzie Smith signed the most autographs it seemed. While signing, a fan asked him if he was going to do his traditional back flip, to which Ozzie replied with a big smile, “Not intentionally”.

    During the legends team photo session, which took place out in right field, the players were all very cooperative as we arranged chairs and got them posed and settled in for the picture. Everyone except for – you guessed it – Reggie. OK, I get it, making the photographers wait is one thing, but making your fellow Hall of Famers like Johnny Bench, Rickey Henderson, Wade Boggs, Mike Schmidt and Ozzie Smith wait for you is quite another. While all of the other superstars were in place and ready for the team photo session to begin, Jackson was still basking near the first base dugout. When he finally decided that he had made his fellow stars wait for him long enough, he began to make his way out to right field to join them. Rickey Henderson proclaimed, “Look, here comes that guy!” Photographers and players alike started busting up at Rickey’s passive-aggressive comment.

    Rickey Henderson seemed genuinely happy to be part of this great event. He was upbeat, animated and funny. My camera caught him smiling and laughing every time I focused on him. It was Rickey being Rickey and he represented, and added to, the fun that everyone was having out on the Field of Dreams!

On Saturday May 11^th 2013, before I went to shoot the afternoon Red Wings game, I attended a fantastic program put on by my colleagues of the Rochester Baseball Historical Society www.rochesterbaseballhistory.org. This event was the Rochester Baseball Pioneers Tour at the Mt. Hope Cemetery. It was well attended even though the weather forecast was not very favorable.

Two of my fellow RBHS founding members, John Foster and Tony Brancato, did an amazing job of bringing several local 19^th century base-ball players back to life as they discussed the early impact many of them had on the sport here in the Flower City.

We visited the graves of folks like William W. Mumford, whose meadow, which was located on the west bank of the Genesee River above High Falls, was used in 1825 for some of the earliest base-ball games in American history.

On another stop, we learned about James Backus, the manager and score keeper for the famous 19^th century base-ball club, the Rochester Live Oak. Mr. Backus was such an influential figure in Rochester’s early baseball history that he was dubbed the Father of Rochester base-ball in a turn of the century newspaper article.

Tour guide Tony Brancato wore a replica Rochester Live Oak uniform and John Foster dressed in a top hat and frock coat represented Thurlow Weed, one of Rochester’s first residents. Weed documented the location of Mumford’s meadow and described the activity taking place there in his 19^th century autobiography.

I guess in a sense, my work as a Red Wings team photographer does tie into baseball history in Rochester. History is documented the second the shutter is released and an image is captured.  Photographs, after all, are historical records.

The camera I use is called a fundus camera or a retinal camera. It’s kind of a microscope with a digital camera attached to it. Through this camera, one sees the sometimes beautiful structures of the retina, such as the optic nerve and the graceful microscopic blood vessels, which keep the retina nourished with oxygen.

I have been involved in ophthalmic photography for nearly 30 years and I’m still amazed by the wonders of the eye that I get to see through the camera each day. As I mentioned, the structures of the eye are often stunning, but I have also witnessed instant blindness spontaneously occurring in front of me too. As a photographer, there is nothing more horrifying to me than blindness. But the skilled doctors who I work with are able to help preserve vision more so than when I started in this field. There have been many exciting advancements in both imaging and treatment that I have seen over the years. This has kept me upbeat about my work and the work of these talented physicians.

In the words of many of the patients I have encountered thru the years – don’t take your vision for granted. Celebrate your sight by appreciating the beautiful scenes that our eyes capture every day.

IDIOPATHIC MACULAR TELANGIECTASIA: This image was recently published in the March 25, 2013 issue of Ocular Surgery News.

GLAUCOMA: Optic nerve cupping photographed in stereo

CHOROIDEREMIA: Published 2017

OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY

DETACHMENT OF THE INNER LIMITING MEMBRANE

OUTER RETINAL TUBULATION

THE OPTIC NERVE 

EALES DISEASE: Published in Ocular Surgery News

DIFFUSE BASAL LAMINAR DRUSEN: Published Summer 2007

GEOGRAPHIC ATROPHY USING FUNDUS AUTOFLUORESCENCE 

SPONTANEOUS RUPTURE OF A MACROANEURYSM

DURING FLOURESCEIN ANGIOGRAPHY: Published January 2000

INDOCYANINE GREEN ANGIOGRAPHY 

PROLIFERATIVE DIABETIC RETINOPATHY: Published June 2015

I'm pleased and proud to say that this month, Minor League Baseball selected an image I made of Red Wings second baseman Eric Farris turning a double play, as one of their Photos of the Week for April 24th! http://www.milb.com/photos/gallery.jsp?content_id=45564194&sid=milb.

I wish to thank Scott Pitoniak and Curt Smith for having me as a guest on their wonderful weekly baseball radio show this month, A Talk in the Park. Among other things, I discussed the joys of being a professional baseball photographer. It was fun!

Wow! It's been a busy and exciting month - probably explains why I haven't had time to write on this blog. Anyway, the Wings have unfortunately gotten off to a slow start this April but they've finished the month strong. I'm looking forward to May!Eric Farris - MiLB Photos of the Week selection 4-24-13

My Spring Training adventure will have me traveling from Port Charlotte to Tampa Bay to Ft Myers back to Port Charlotte and back to Ft Myers again. I'll be photographing our Red Wings, the Twins, Yankees, Blue Jays, Devil Rays and the Cardinals. Me and my camera will be in baseball paradise for a week!

I'm sure the cold weather will be waiting for me when I get back home. So much for global warming!