If you’ve ever seen a beautiful photo of Sarah P. Duke Gardens and wondered, “How’d they get that shot?” you are probably looking at the work of Rick Fisher. How Rick, an uber-devoted volunteer photographer, captures the glorious beauty of the gardens involves a lifetime of studying photography, early morning access to the grounds and perhaps a 30-foot ladder.
Rick has always loved photography, and when he retired from a career as a human resources executive, he channeled his passion into a gift not just to Sarah P. Duke Gardens, but also to many other nonprofits in Durham. “I started Rick Fisher Photography with the promise to give all my profits to charity,” he says. So having a portrait of your pet taken by Rick turns into a gift to our community as well.
His path to becoming the gardens’ photographer was not a straight one: “I started at the gardens volunteering in the propagation room helping with plants,” Rick says. The executive director of the gardens, William LeFevre, recognized the talent Rick had with a camera and asked if he would take some shots of the gardens.
This partnership flourished. Rick joined the board at the gardens and also became the official volunteer photographer. With unique access to all parts of the gardens, Rick captured not only the ever-changing landscape throughout the year, but also recognized that a hill on one side of the grounds would be perfect for a natural amphitheater.
Thanks to his passion for photography, Rick and his wife, Beth, were able to donate a significant sum to the construction of the amphitheater; last year, Duke’s master stone mason Brooks Burleson fulfilled Rick’s vision for the space on the hill. Today, it is the site for weddings and performances, in addition to simply being an exciting structure that kids love to climb.
The Sarah P. Duke Gardens are not the only recipient of Rick’s photography. “I take photos at the Durham Rescue Mission,�� Rick says, “where homeless residents often don’t have any photos of themselves.” One day after taking pictures of mothers and their children at the Good Samaritan Inn, a person from the Durham Rescue Mission’s women’s shelter asked Rick who the beautiful model was in the picture with the two kids. “Photos help people see the humanity, not just the homelessness,” he says.
Through the generous and thoughtful eye of his camera, Rick Fisher is not only capturing the beauty of Durham, but is also sharing it with the rest of us.
Want to Learn More?
The Durham Photography Club, of which Rick is the founder and current president, meets at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens on the third Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. It is open to photographers of all skill levels and is free.
