Shutter Savvy

Patricia Davidson’s photo of Metlako Falls in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Oregon, is her favorite from her collection.

Oregon-based nature and landscape photographer PATRICIA DAVIDSON has a passion for the outdoors that made her camera a natural fit | By Kendall Polidori

Restless in her day job, Patricia Davidson quit and joined her newly retired husband on an adventure of a lifetime: four years on the road in an RV.

With her DSLR camera in hand, Davidson captured the beautiful landscapes the couple hiked—national parks, the Southwest and the Pacific Northwest. Once a hobby, nature photography soon became her passion and a full-time job.

“Sometimes I go out in nature, and I am on a mission to get a certain shot,” Davidson said. “But maybe the conditions don’t line up properly. But I’ve had a great experience out in nature. So, I had a great hike. It’s still beautiful.”

A self-taught photographer for more than 12 years, she and her husband eventually settled near Portland, Oregon, to be close to their 12 grandchildren but still venture out monthly to hike, camp and travel. She says she travels about three weeks out of every month. The self-professed nature lover finds refuge in sunrises, sunsets and especially waterfalls.

“The camera was a natural fit for me to take it everywhere because I love nature,” she said with a soft smile.

From the turbulent sneaker waves off the Oregon coast to the depths of canyons in Utah and Arizona and the redwood forests of northern California, Davidson captures moments in time—often waiting for hours for the right timing. With her eye peeking through the viewfinder, she waits for the perfect frame, breathes in, lowers her finger on the push-button so it clicks, and she has her shot.

Waterfall prints are her biggest sellers—priced at $75 to $2,100—and she enjoys the experience of taking those photos more than anything.

Sometimes she walks away from a trip with zero photos she finds sellable but is never disappointed with her time in nature. She often finds herself exploring a site all day, waiting for that moment when the lighting is perfect or something stands out.

She provides the example of driving around in Washington, looking for promising locations: “I spotted these clouds that were giving the hillsides a certain glow ... and there was a barn in the shot, too. I waited for about an hour, and the clouds got just perfect.”

Davidson’s photos have been featured in exhibits this year, and she is planning trips to Texas, Oregon, Washington and California. As long as she’s able to be out in nature, she will always have her camera in hand.

“I feel so alive when I’m outdoors,” she said contently. “I just love the peace, the calm and the serenity. The beauty just kind of grounds me.” Cypress trees at Caddo Lake State Park, Texas, in early morning light in autumn.

90%

OF DAVIDSON’S SALES TAKE PLACE ONLINE

Check out Davidson’s work on her website at patriciadavidsonphotography.com