We’re looking forward to introducing you to Jacob VanOpdorp. Check out our conversation below.
Jacob, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What are you chasing, and what would happen if you stopped?
Currently, I’m chasing my dream of becoming an adventure photographer for outdoor brands. My goal is to work with some of the biggest adventure companies in the world, companies like The North Face, Patagonia, Mammut, Scarpa, and Black Diamond, just to name a few. I feel like I’ve been pushing extra hard for this dream lately, partially due to some of the people I’ve met recently, but also because I’m learning a lot about myself. Hiking and rock climbing have been a huge part of my life this summer, and I’m learning that I want to keep pushing myself to climb harder and summit more challenging peaks. If I stopped chasing this dream, I would lose myself, and I don’t think I would be fully satisfied with my life knowing I gave up on so many possibilities and life-changing opportunities.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Jacob VanOpdorp, and I’m the guy behind the lens of VanOpdorp.Photography. I found my passion for photography during COVID, and have been pursuing a career behind the camera since. I started off taking photos of landscapes and quickly learned that I want to spend my time with my camera in the mountains. Over the last five years, I have been slowly discovering my style, niche, and what I enjoy shooting the most. I’ve been working on a project called the “Milky Way Over Colorado Project” in an attempt to teach people about the harmful effects of light pollution and bring awareness to protecting our night sky. I’ve also begun experimenting with how to capture adventures in the mountains by adding the human element to my work. Until recently, I had wanted only to shoot landscapes and nothing else, but now I’m realizing that there is no better element to storytelling than adding a human for perspective.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I was not the outdoorsy type. I would have been just fine if I had stayed inside and watched TV or played with my toys all day. Even going outside to play with friends didn’t seem to interest me too often, although once I got out there, I was fine. But I never really expected myself to become such an outdoorsman. I was always a bit of a wuss when it came to the cold, hard physical activity, or just not being in a comfortable environment. Now I find a lot of joy and excitement in being uncomfortable. I enjoy pushing myself to see my limits and how long or far I can go before I quit. So I no longer believe that I can’t do certain things because if I can manage to find joy in being uncomfortable, then I believe that I can do almost anything.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear of failure and not taking a chance on myself is what has held me back the most in my life. I’ve been scared to take a chance on myself and really see what I can do to succeed. I fear that, taking that chance on myself, I will fail and fall back to square one. But I’m realizing now that failure just shows you what you’re not supposed to be doing, and I’m beginning to take more risks and chances on myself and my goals.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
Travel and raw experiences are more important than stability and money. Recently, I’ve shifted my mindset from wanting more money and stability to wanting more travel and experiences. At my current stage of life, I’m more worried about not being able to visit new places and connect with the natives of those places. I believe that traveling does something for the soul, and when you travel and connect with other people and places, whether that’s in your home state or in another country, it is important to connect with others and with the natural world. When I’m in the mountains hiking and find myself alone, no one else around, I take a deep breath and focus on where I’m at. How the ground feels beneath my feet. How the wind feels blowing across my face. I try to imagine myself becoming one with nature, and I find that to be extremely healing.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Right now, I’m in between doing both. I’m working to build my brand and reach my goals of becoming an adventure photographer. On the flip side, I’m working a job that I thought was going to lead me to the American dream. A house, family, car, and lots of money in the bank. Even though I have achieved some of those things, I’m now realizing that I would be better off not following what I was told to do my entire life. Now I find myself stuck living in a world where I need to go to a job I don’t fully enjoy just to pay for things that use my entire paycheck, when I would be way happier “floating” through life until I succeed at what I actually want to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vanopdorpphotography.com
- Instagram: vanopdorp.photography
