“I come away with more compelling imagery by falling into an experience with a camera and coming out on the other side being changed or having a new perspective. It’s way different than just taking one-off pictures.”
Meet the Photographer
- Jeremiah Watt: Jeremiah, or “Miah,” pursues a creative storyteller approach to photography. By being a person involved in the adventure at hand, rather than someone looking from the outside in, he’s able to capture candid moments that would otherwise be lost in time.
- Client list: Yeti, Patagonia, Jaybird, Black Diamond, Kuhl, Utah Tourism, and more.
- Miah is based in Salt Lake City, Utah.
EXPERIENCES
Case Study: YUCATAN
Clients :: Patagonia / Yeti / Orvis
Job Description :: Gather a range of images in a documentary style while fly fishing in the Yucatan. The goal isn’t to capture Instagram-worthy product placement, but to capture authentic imagery of real people in real situations. Document the journey, obstacles, excitement, and determination, to inspire fishers and enthusiasts to go out and plan their own adventures.
The Project :: On a personal fly-fishing trip down to the Yucatan, I shot two small assignments for Patagonia and Yeti and spec work showcasing the Helios 3 fly rod & Mirage flywheel from Orvis.
“If we went on a guided day tour we would have probably caught more fish and had an entirely different experience” Miah admits. “In the end we opted for more of a DIY trip, but we still had one guide day to help contribute to the local economy.”
Supplied with fresh gear from Patagonia, Yeti, and Orvis, Jeremiah and his friends stocked up on groceries and travelled to “saltwater fishing heaven” in search of permit, tarpon, and bonefish. Depending on time and tide, they spent their days wading through the shallows and navigating the salt water flats with pack rafts.
The upside to getting off the beaten path was untarnished scenery and a DIY adventure off the Yucatan peninsula. The downside to being so remote is that it was a challenge to pick up some of the typical boarding/ departure shots associated with creative briefs.
Luckily the clinic that Jeremiah and his friends found to get covid-tested before the flight home was in a more populated area, and he was able to gather some final shots.
All images courtesy of Jeremiah Watt.
“During low light, the bonefish tails would reflect like “flags of light” in the rising or setting Mexican sun.”
“Known as ‘the fish of a thousand casts’ the permit is a nefariously tricky fish to catch.”
