About Rick Davitt

As a photographer Rick specializes in school marketing photography and Hollywood headshots. His background in wildlife photography gave him a preference for natural light and prime lenses - influences that have shaped his work and forced him to collect a great set of gear. When his kids were born, he retired from a fast paced executive travelling lifestyle and replaced the wild animals in front of his lens with kids. Soccer led to serious sports photography, musical theater led to performance photography and demand for his work grew exponentially. Musical theater led a Hollywood career for his youngest son (Criminal Minds, the Disney Channel, etc.) and the special challenges of actor's headshots occupied him for a few years. Now he's working on school campuses, chasing wildlife again - this time with no blind and critters that run around on two legs full of curiousity and life.

As birder for 35 years, Rick Davitt took up bird photography about 30 years ago and has been working with flying insects for about 8 years. His nature photography locations range from local wildlife refuges in Southern California to the famous birding hotspots in Florida to rare nesting penguins in wild New Zealand rainforest, and of course, his backyard. As a retired exec and a full time parent he is forced to attract critters into his backyard near the beach, and his location on a famous birding flyway helps that effort pay off.

Rick is fortunate to live next to prime bird photography locations and so has come to know and work with today's top photographers such as Brian Small and Arthur Morris. Shared experimentation and learning new techniques keeps him interested in the work. Most public access areas abound with wildlife diversity, and working subjects are well acclimated to people - even those with cameras. Rick's field time has focused on working these public spaces, with occasional adventures to shoot from a blind or work wilder, more wary subjects.

Rick currently uses a Canon 1D Mark IV body and 300mm F2.8 image stabilized lens as his prime wildlife photography tool. His favorite portait lens is his 135mm F2.0, and for interior work he loves his wide 24mm F1.4, and his kit bag always has a few more lenses in it. Natural light is preferred, but when it's required to get the shot he can pull out off-camera flash and a traveling softbox.

Published in magazines and books, Rick's images are also enjoyed in his presentations to photography clubs, nature organizations, and schools.