For years, a retired cardiologist has focused on capturing the heart of Whidbey Island.

David Welton, a 78-year-old California-born photographer, will have a free solo exhibit through February at the Frank Rose Gallery in the South Whidbey Community Center, displaying his favorites taken on Whidbey over the last 20 years.

The 60 displayed photos have been showcased in the the South Whidbey Record, the Whidbey News-Times, Whidbey Life Magazine and This is Whidbey blog. His pictures capture parades, school events, South Whidbey park events and more. With his Canon Mark II and his Sony mirrorless camera, Welton said he loves photographing people in action.

What started at the young age of 8 has now become the photographer’s passion and favorite hobby. Even as a cardiologist, Welton fit in time to take and process photos.

“I’d get calls in the middle of a dark room session and have to go to the hospital,” he said.

Welton’s photography is meticulous and thorough.

“I take as much care with my photography as I did when I was a doctor doing stint implantations,” Welton said.

His career, he said, equipped him to do the work of photographing people of all different backgrounds.

“I’m very open in who I talk to. I’ve taken care of murderers, I’ve taken care of politicians, statesmen, philanthropists, religious people, atheists, people who are Republican, people who are far left Democrats, I’ve taken care of socialists,” Welton said. “So I see the good in everybody and I look for that and I think my photographs show it.”

Having moved to the island in 2005, he has learned to love its community members. The joy he gets from his community fuels his passion to capture their happiness, he said. He loves showcasing how accepting and supportive the Whidbey community is.

The photography end result may look simple, but each shoot takes a minimum of 150 shots and two to three hours of processing time. Nevertheless, it is all worth it to him.

“I have probably 10,000 really good photos. It’s not because I’m a great photographer. It’s because there’s so much happening on Whidbey Island,” he said. “But there is so much good stuff happening.”

There will be a free reception on Feb. 7 from 2-4 p.m. to meet the photographer himself.

(Photo by David Welton) Whidbey residents race out of the freezing waters at the Polar Bear Plunge in Holmes Harbor.