Meet Brett Patchin | Nature and landscape photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brett Patchin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brett, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
I feel like I’m just beginning to tap the sales potential of my photographs. In 2023 I will spend a bit more on advertising and presentation of my product. I will continue with my backcountry travel as much as the body will allow. You have to have your motor skills to travel in the backcountry, and sometimes they just aren’t there. Not doing these trips however isn’t a option, these trips and the photography involved have kept the Parkinsons from progressing like it normally would after 18 years. For that I am grateful. It’s a bit funny I guess, All those things that I thought were so important in my younger college days, they are trivial to me now.
Today, my goals are simple. Provide my customers with the best quality photo prints and media available. Great customer service is something I am passionate about. It’s been said many times over the years, but it still applies today. You never get a second chance to create a good first impression.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve always been intrigued by the different aspects of photography, I’ve been both visually and technology driven. My passion for landscape and nature photography began however, many years ago. I worked in a place that will forever be etched in my memory, Jenny Lake Lodge in the Grand Teton National Park. A friend had given me the book the Grand Tetons, by Boyd Norton. I was so enthralled by these majestic peaks that I ventured into Jackson and bought my first camera. A used canon FT and a used 50mm lens. It was a challenging camera to learn on, the manual light meter and timer always was getting stuck at the most inopportune times. It is a camera I still have to this day, I will never part with.

In 2004 I was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s disease. The weight of those 4 words hit me like a ton of bricks. I endured 2 years of self pity, until I couldn’t stand myself any longer. It was 2 years later, at 49 years old that I made the decision to reinvent myself, and I would use one of my favorite places, the Grand Tetons, as well as my love of landscape photography to accomplish it.
It had been almost 25 years since I had picked up a backpack, our group of 6 decided to backpack the 39 mile Teton Crest trail.

Six miles in, I literally thought I was going to die. I didn’t remember backpacking to be this difficult. But oh the incredible views! Marion lake,
Death canyon, Alaska basin, Hurricane Pass. I was in photography heaven.
How I wish I had the equipment I have now on some of those early trips.
We did the Crest Trail again in 2008 and reversed it in 2013. This trail still is the most beautiful trail I’ve ever seen. Other trips followed, Titcome Basin in the Wind River Range, the 4 Pass Loop at Maroon Bells, and numerous 2 day trips in the amazing Colorado backcountry.(in 2009 we moved from Chicago to Parker Colorado)
With each of these trips, I developed a great deal of knowledge, not only of the camera, but of the incredible landscapes I’ve seen on the way. Each trip however, was getting more and more difficult for me. I was carrying a lot of photography equipment. Then it happened. On a 2017 five day trip, my left knee buckled tearing the tendons rendering my left leg useless. Without the incredible determination of my son Dan and friend John to get me back, I scarce to think what might have happened had I been alone.
This is when I truly began thinking of selling my artwork. My left leg was in a knee brace ( I didn’t get the knee replacement until 2020), it was then that I began to put the thousands of images l had taken over the years into some type of arrangement. The photos were good, now I just needed to figure out how to sell them.
Parkinsons can be a cruel disease, mine was early onset at 47 years old. Over the years I have worked so hard to keep myself strong and in good physical shape , not just for my family but also for my photography.
As for Parkinsons, it changed my perspective on life which in turn, changed my perspective about photography. It changed from a hobby to a passion that I truly love. I honestly believe that adversity has made me a much stronger photographer.There is good and bad in everything I guess. Would I have regained the love for the magnificent mountain landscapes that I visit weekly had the disease not come along? Maybe, but maybe not. What I do know is whether I sell a print or not, that is not the only reason I take my photos. I am a realist, I fully understand that there will come a time when the hikes and the photos will end. It is inevitable, there is no cure. What I will have however are thousands of files, places I can revisit time and again, and then remember. Remember the first time I saw Hurricane Pass, crossing Paintbrush Divide , the incredibly beautiful 4 Pass Loop at Maroon Bells, The amazing Rocky Mountain National Park, where I spend much of my time these days, or the hike into the Old Crystal Mill. And most
recently, a very difficult 4day trip to Lone Eagle Peak in the Indian Peaks wilderness. The photos made a tough trip worth it.
I guess my message is simple, live life to the best of your abilities, without regret.There have been 5 things over the years that I absolutely believe has helped my through the toughest of days. Faith, family, patience, hope, and you guessed it,photography. As for the sales, sometimes they are very good, other times just average. I feel my photography has been well received, with 2022 my strongest ytd sales ever.
What I enjoy most however is telling the story behind the scenes of each photo. Some customers, unfortunately, can’t make it to some of those places, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have the desire to do and see something different. That is one of the most rewarding aspects
of being a nature photographer, I can be the eyes, even for just a short time, for those that won’t ever see the majesty of the hidden world around them. Every photo has a story etched in a memory…..
The quiet of a twilight morning, the mist in the air, reveal visions of grandeur to those who are willing to make the sacrifice. For it is then that you sense something almost magical, yet you’re not quite sure what it is you are feeling. When that surge of adrenaline purges your heart you know that this feeling is something rare, you pray that your mind will remember all that you’ve seen there. We all strive in life to be or see something unique, whenever I enter these mountains I find much more than I seek. For each dawn is of splendor each sunset bending over me so refined, please God allow it to restore me, please just one more time……Oh how I will miss these days.

Truly as these jagged peaks beckon, as those thundering falls are tamed by a glistening pool, a divine peace falls on this magnificent landscape. We praise our Creator and marvel at His majestic creations.- Brett Patchin

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take him on a trip through 3 of my favorite areas. The Maroon Bells Snowmass Wilderness . Hike all day then hit the hot springs near Glenwood Springs. Maybe do a overnight to Conundrum hot springs. From there we move on to hike those high trails around Breckinridge. Great restaurants and bars here. The next morning we head for Rocky Mountain National Park for 2 more days of great hiking. A great shared experience.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
When I think of someone who really inspired me to be the best I could be, I remember a 2 day seminar I attended in Denver, with Art Wolfe as one of the featured speakers. He projected such passion, I still marvel at his honesty and vision. I believe he is the greatest nature photographer of our time.

I have a tremendous support group in my wife Shari, my daughter Megan, my sons Kyle and Dan, as well as a amazing son in law and daughter in law in Charles and Amanda. I have 5 grandkids that inspire me daily.

Almost 70% of the photos I’ve taken, one of them has been by my side. They know the mountain landscapes and are excellent backcountry travelers. More importantly, they know how to deal with Parkinson’s and how to make me think out some aggressive photo tendencies that I sometimes come up with. I tend to take chances from time to time, arriving before sunrise or leaving past sunset, to get the best shot. Many of the photos on my website www.patchinimages.com would not be possible without their help and support.

Website: www.patchinimages.com

Instagram: @backcountry_naturescapes

Facebook: @brett patchin photography