Meet a Creative: Jeremiah Watt

Adventure Photographer

Home Base / Salt Lake City, Utah

Activities / Climbing, fly fishing, skiing, traveling, outdoor lifestyle

Why Miah:

When he was a student at Black Hills State University in South Dakota, Jeremiah “Miah” Watt caught the climbing bug hard. After an internship with a guide service, he dropped all of his classes except for photography to climb six or seven days a week, stashing his camera in his pack so he could document his days on the rock by processing film in the dark room.

Today, Miah approaches photography with that same passion for both adventure and photography. He doesn’t just go on a climbing or a fly-fishing trip because it’s a photo shoot. He goes on the trip because he loves the adventure—and he brings his camera with him to capture the experience. His photos are true moments in time. An early cover of a Patagonia catalog helped launch his career in adventure photography. It was a testament to both his authenticity and his skills with a camera. That first Patagonia cover was a portrait of his then six-month-old son encased in the blue fluff of a cookie monster fleece. His second cover was a three-page foldout of a friend climbing over ice at Paradise Forks.

Jeremiah Watt stands fearlessly at the edge of an overhang, surrounded by a picturesque landscape.

Miah keeps the mood light on assignment, which is both his nature and a tactic to get subjects to relax.

Now Brands like Patagonia, Yeti, Black Diamond, Petzl, Kühl, Utah Tourism, Mountain Hardwear, and RAB seek out Miah for that same adventurous spirit, camaraderie on assignments, and because he delivers images that visually fit with both brand campaigns and the communities they’re trying to reach. Says David Clancy, photo producer for Yeti: “Miah’s energy is always high, so that makes the shoot more fun, which makes the photos more energetic, which in turn makes them more relatable to the viewer.”

Miah has an artist's eye for composition.

He started in climb and fish, but Miah works with big general advertisers, too.

If the story is about adventure, Miah is comfortable shooting it.

Miah complements Patagonia’s storytelling, real people on real adventures, not soft commercial photoshoot adventure with craft services waiting in the warm motor home behind the scenes. He honestly captures talented athletes in locations that would put many other photographers on their heels. He nails the hero shot, but brings it all together with his keen sense for tight details and wide scene setting compositions. He’s the whole package and a creative you can count on to get it done.

Rich Crowder Patagonia Photo Editor

Climbers camping mid route, enjoying their incredible view before continuing to climb.

On location in Zion, Utah.

Specialized Skills:

Seeing into the future. Well almost. Whenever he’s on a photoshoot, Miah tries to anticipate what’s going to come next and get into the right spot at the right time to capture the photo. That kind of intuition comes from years in the field.

Three hikers at dusk with headlights. Their reflections show in the water and they are silhouettes against the sky.

This is not the type of content that influencers deliver. Just sayin'.

What's Next

Miah likes to say he’s “open for work,” be it a trip to a new place or a new client. “The things that make me tick are the shoots where you can be immersed in the moment,” he says.