BETH DAVIDOW
I'm a wildlife cinematographer and storyteller; a WildEarth Adventurer drawn especially to wild, quiet, open spaces; a curious scientist & a person concerned about my impact on the planet. I try to look for the good in everything and everyone, to find reason to be optimistic when a situation may seem hopeless, and I really love sharing my passion of our extraordinary WildEarth with others. In service to our world, it’s my privilege to be able to amplify the voices and stories of those working to help our world.
The Longer Version
I was born near the Florida Everglades where, growing up, my parents instilled in me a love of nature, a curiosity about the outdoor world and nearby ocean that I continue to explore with my insatiable wanderlust. My family & I still love getting together to share time somewhere in the outdoors. As a kid I was always out & about, collecting bugs & birds, and taking classes such as astronomy & marine biology at the local science museum. I hold a Bachelor's degree in natural sciences from Auburn University and a Master's degree in museum science and vertebrate paleontology from Texas Tech University where I helped operate the planetarium, participated in many dinosaur digs, and curated museum collections. While working on small cruise ships in Southeast Alaska, I also received my Alaska Master Naturalist certification. I'm a member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), the Society of Women Geographers (SWG), and the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ). I’ve been honored with acceptance as a Fellow into The Explorer’s Club.
During summer breaks at Tech, I began work in the outdoors, combining my love of geology, biology, & photography into a career as a naturalist. Starting in 1986, I worked in Petrified Forest, Glacier, then Denali National Parks as a National Park Service ranger and naturalist guide interpreting the geology, biology, history, and wildlife of the areas for park visitors. After 6 years at Denali, I then spent many years traveling on expedition ships as a naturalist or photographer in places such as the Sea of Cortez, the Caribbean, the Chilean Fjords, the Amazon, Svalbard, Alaska's Inside Passage, and Antarctica. I've also worked on private yacht charters in Alaska as a naturalist/mate/ photographer-guide. I love being around, on, or under the sea!
For 20 years I enjoyed a successful career as a wildlife & nature photographer and writer. My images and articles appeared in publications such as National Geographic Traveler, National Wildlife, Sierra Club, Audubon, GEO Germany, Outdoor Life, Montana, Nature's Best, Florida Wildlife, Alaska, WildBird, Ranger Rick, and many other magazines, books, calendars, and advertisements worldwide.
During a bout with breast cancer in 2003, I made the decision to switch from still photography to cinematography. Creating a little film about the cancer experience was the best way for me to focus on something else and to learn the ins and outs of filmmaking. I love using moving images to tell stories!
Since 2005, I've partnered with marine wildlife cinematographer Tom Campbell, producing award-winning documentaries for various clients. We film with the RED 8K digital cinema camera systems to gather the highest quality material for our productions and stock library. I also use the Panasonic Lumix GH5 and Canon R5C systems for video & still imagery. My DJI drones allow me to get aerial footage, too.
To learn more about the world I live in, I love to travel to wild places to film the lives of animals and the habitats in which they live. Put me in a tent on the tundra, in the back of my truck camper, or on a boat and I’m a happy camper! I especially enjoy working with scientists who are dedicated to gathering the information upon which conservation guidelines are established to help preserve our amazing world.
From polar bears to penguins, I've been fortunate to have had adventures between the poles including 5 weeks spent as a Natural Habitat Adventures guide with polar bears in the Canadian Arctic. Camping among musk ox & migrating caribou in Greenland & the Canadian Arctic, hiking among the wild creatures of the North American Rockies & Alaska, and perambulating with penguins on 14 voyages to Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands are just a few of the experiences I’ve been fortunate enough to experience. Traveling in my truck camper around our own continent takes me to some of the most beautiful and interesting wild spaces closer to home.
Scuba adventures with giant manta rays in Mozambique, Mexico, and Komodo, swimming with humpback whales in Tonga, and exploring underwater ecosystems & wildlife from Indonesia, New Zealand, California & elsewhere allow me to witness the extraordinary creatures beneath the waves with whom we share this planet.
The WildEarth beckons!
Explore * Protect * Inspire * Connect!
