Meet Jackson Davis | The Western Traveler – Photographer and Digital Creator

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

Hi Jackson, what makes you happy? Why?
I try to find happiness every day, even if it is difficult. I have trained my subconscious to look for the good in everything, even when the universe is testing my strength. Happiness to me is multi-faceted and cannot be defined by just one phrase, activity, or emotion; it is a combination of all the things that give me joy, test me, bring me closer to people, and my fully authentic self. The short answer would be that I find happiness in photography, water, human connection, running, family, writing, music, fashion, plants, and color theory, just to name a few. But, when it comes down to it, if I approached this question from a higher level – my answer would be that my happiness derives from my creativity. I get an adrenaline high every time I walk into a photo studio or arrive at a location where I get to collaborate with other artistic individuals. When I am in these spaces – time moves fast because I am present and try to soak up every moment as it unfolds. Many layers lead up to that moment I get to finally take pictures. This process usually involves seeking out a location and model. It then evolves to creating a concept or a theme, deciding which time of day works best, and creating a storyline that each participant can channel. By the time I get to the point where I can take pictures, I have already made an intimate creative relationship with every person involved, and that is when I abandoned all sense of control, and I can finally be free – and happy. I look for the light in each person I have the opportunity to photograph, and usually, that involves showing people a part of themselves that they haven’t seen or embraced before. Having your photo taken is a highly intimate experience. As a photographer, I have the opportunity to help people get rid of their insecurities and channel the most confident version of themselves. It also is inspiring to help people tune into their inner child and play dress-up. There aren’t many moments in adulthood where you have an excuse to be theatrical – but photoshoots allow adults to put their guard down and get silly. Which often includes laughter. I have smiled multiple times as I write this, recalling all the goofy experiences I have encountered while getting creative with others. Lastly, by the time I download the pictures to my computer, I jump into a new phase of joy that comes with editing. I like to treat each picture in the editing process as a blank slate and usually try to push past my creative boundaries – which is the purest form of happiness.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am the Western Traveler. When I decided to take my photography more seriously and advertise myself as a photographer instead of someone who takes interesting photos on social media, one thing was apparent to me – I needed to create or cultivate a persona outside of just myself. This is where the Western Traveler came to life. There were many people in my life at this time who were creating digital photography portfolios under their names, and it seemed over-saturated to me, I wanted to do something different and not follow the crowd. In its purest form, Western Traveler is my authentic self – though, the name and ideals behind it go way beyond my artistic voice. This archetype that I created can be embodied by any and everyone – the Western Traveler is not a person, it is a feeling, it is an embodiment that each person I take pictures of has crafted on their own. I always have felt creative, though it wasn’t until my sophomore year of college at the Metropolitan State University of Denver that I embraced it and started to notice that I see things differently than my peers. I majored in Communications with an emphasis in broadcasting with a minor in Water Studies, and I had full intentions to become a broadcast journalist. Though, as I progressed in my course work, I found myself gravitating toward the behind-the-camera role in comparison to being in front of the camera. Since 7th grade, Maia Stokes, my best friend, and I started creating photoshoot concepts together and by our senior year of high school – before either of us had a camera, we were taking pictures on our iPhone 4’s every few days. It started out as a fun way to pass time until Maia’s mom bought her a camera our sophomore year of college. There was a pivotal moment when Maia drove to see me in Denver with her camera, flower crown, and a white lace dress intact – where I felt like a photographer for the first time. We ran around Capitol Hill and created a fantasy together, before I even knew any technical lingo or had access to editing software, we created a raw fashion-forward spread that ultimately led to me getting my first camera four months later. Having a camera of my own slowly started out as me just taking pictures for close friends or leaving my camera in my car in case I got bored driving home from work and saw something cool that I wanted to capture. Two years later I decided to launch western traveler and start to pursue more professional opportunities which led to me directing two music videos for Sydney Clapp, joining the 303 Magazine photo staff, working for Wrangler, and creating an income off of just being creative. I am currently in a creative awakening once again and have never felt more confident when it comes to my technical, editing, styling, and lighting knowledge than I do right now. I am breaking down personal boundaries and each time I have picked up my camera in the last two months I truly believe it gets better and better – and I get better and better. I am more aware of my intentions and can now focus on the raw emotion instead of worrying about the camera settings etc. https://westerntravelerco.com/

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Perry Park is my ultimate grounding place. On the way, there is a place called the sanctuary I like to stop in, where you can walk around a labyrinth, write down a wish and tie it to a wishing tree, and find stillness at the moment. When people visit, they flock to Red Rocks, though Perry Park has the same rock formations without the crowds. You can find a place to sit on a rock overhang and hear the world in its purest form – not the chatter from other spectators. There are two hiking trails I love to frequent in perry park and only bring my closest friends to because it is a sacred space that I want to preserve. I was even hesitant to disclose that this is my favorite space for fear of the “word getting out,” but I pride myself on transparency, so if you make a day trip down there, know that the feeling you get will never go away. I have been there hundreds of times, and it never ceases to amaze me how in awe and proud I am to have access to a place like this. That is where I would start my weeklong trip and could honestly stay there for a week. Though, many other destinations could add some diversity to this excursion, including Manitou Springs (especially the arcade), taking a drive around Garden of the Gods, the Great Sand Dunes (in the spring when the water is flowing), Maxwell Falls, Hudson Hill, and Metropolis Coffee off on South Broadway). I would suggest attending all Santa Fe First Friday art walks in addition to driving down to the Boulder Tea House when you need an escape from the city. Something about the highlands brings me a very youthful – hopeful place in my life, so if you need some inspiration, I would suggest that you ride your bike from Tennyson and 32nd down to Sloan’s Lake, and back you’ll return starry-eyed and grounded.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shoutout goes to all the people that have supported me, pushed me, and believed in me in the past – all the people that help me, push me, and believe in me currently, and all of the people that will help me, push me and believe in me in the future. This is dedicated to my parents, my siblings, extended family, friends, and people I have loved in the past. My parents, Mark and Leslie Davis, who have always encouraged my creativity and accepted me and my artistic vision with love and support. My siblings and extended family, who have never made me feel different or discouraged me from expressing my creative voice. My close circle of friends who saw something in me, or as they would describe it, “saw that I had an interesting eye” even when I wasn’t aware of it; I love you, Maia Stokes. I also want to shout out to everyone that reached out to me and took a chance on my photography before I had any experience. Without each of them (which there are too many to write out), I would not have the opportunity to be the proud creator I am today. Thank you to (Scottie, Paige, Bob, and Jean Davis, Ann Healy, Emma Dickson, Heather Vandersluis, Bonnie, John, Scott, JB, Jodi, and Ally Orcutt, Amy Thomas, Kristy O’Brien, 303 Magazine, Adrienne Thomas, Kinley Jett, Caitlin Evans, Sydney Clapp, Olivia Shaw, and The Collins Family).

Website: https://westerntravelerco.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacksondavis13/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackson-davis-57a08aa4/

Other: https://ello.co/jdaviss

Image Credits: Connor Rafferty – https://www.instagram.com/_conorrafferty_/