Check Out Cheryl Opperman’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cheryl Opperman.

Hi Cheryl, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I always enjoyed taking snapshots during family vacations, but it wasn’t until I was standing on the balcony of a hotel trying to photograph the moonrise over the ocean that I became more serious about developing photographic skills. I was about 15 years old at the time and I remember talking to my dad about what I was trying to photograph – the amber glow of the moon reflecting on the gentle waves of the ocean surrounded by silhouetted palm trees. Much to my disappointment, he informed me that my point and shoot just wasn’t capable of achieving the results I wanted. He said I would need a much better camera to capture that, not to mention technical knowledge, skill, and most likely Photoshop which didn’t exist then! Little did he know that his single remark would spark a lifelong interest in photography and the basis for my career. I asked for a “better” camera and awoke on Christmas morning that year to packages containing a 35mm SLR film camera and enough lenses to get me started. I signed up for the photography class at my High School that spring and within two weeks of starting the class, returned home to announce I had discovered my career path.

There are many photographers who are self taught, but I felt as though a formal education would give me a much stronger foundation for such a competitive career path. I attended Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA and received my B.A. in Industrial/Scientific Photography in 1992. I selected the most technical major available at the college and focused a great deal on the science of photography. Creativity was an important part of the curriculum as well, but I’ve always believed that if you don’t fully understand the technical aspects of the photographic arts, your creativity will be limited.

I studied many different types of photography and developed a wide range of skills, but it wasn’t until I had an opportunity to work on a book project about Africa shortly after graduation from college that I thought of wildlife and nature photography as a viable specialty. I spent three weeks photographing in East Africa for the book along with other professional and amateur photographers. After returning home, I worked with the publishing company to market and promote the project’s important mission of encouraging the conservation of Africa’s wildlife through responsible ecotourism. It was an opportunity that changed my life and expanded my view of what could be achieved through the powerful medium of photography. Realistically it takes years to capture enough images and attain a reputation that makes it possible to pursue nature photography exclusively, but this early opportunity laid the foundation on which I could build the career I enjoy today.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
All career paths include challenges and struggles, but perhaps the arts are some of the most difficult. I had very little exposure to the business of photography when I was starting out. Doing the work is the easy part, but making a living is a whole different story. It takes time, and a bit of luck, to develop the right connections. I wouldn’t call it smooth, but with hard work and perseverance, opportunities did start to present themselves. I assisted other photographers, took commercial photography jobs, and worked independently to build a portfolio of nature and wildlife that I would market to magazines and show at galleries whenever possible. That worked well for a while, but then digital photography and the internet began to change the market dramatically. Digital cameras made it much easier to capture a good image and the internet opened up markets to more and more people who wanted to sell their work. The result was an oversaturated market of images which decreased the available licensing fees. To expand my income streams, I began teaching workshops and organizing photo tours, which is the largest part of my business today. Technology and markets change so fast in the modern world, that it’s imperative to constantly think outside the box and adapt.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I always start the creative process by pre-visualizing the images I hope to capture. In nature photography, you can’t predict exactly what you’re going to see, but you can have a general idea of the types of photographs that might be possible. At the moment of capture, I’m already envisioning my final image or print with all of the various steps I’ll have to take to achieve the look I want. I often compare it to playing chess. In my mind, I’m working several moves ahead of where I am at that moment. To me, pre-visualization really is the key to creating photographs or works of art versus simply taking snapshots. It is important to remember, however, that the purpose of the photograph does set some creative limits. For example, if an image is to be published in an editorial magazine or newspaper, then using software to make dramatic changes is not appropriate, but photographs presented as art can be changed with any method you choose. As a result, my creative choices are always dictated by the anticipated use of the image. 

My photographic philosophy and purpose regardless of style, technique, or use is to capture and interpret the beauty of nature in a way that motivates people to help protect it. I think generally it is difficult for people to care about something they have never seen or experienced. While all humans live among some sort of nature, even if it is just the gardens and trees planted around skyscrapers or the brilliant blue of the sky overhead, many people will never see a landscape virtually unchanged by man except through a photograph. Photography makes us aware of what exists in faraway places and in our own backyard with a poignancy seldom achieved through any other form of communication. I truly believe that even a single photograph has the power to inspire a change in awareness and attitude. By showing my work, in any form, I hope I can reach people on an emotional level and encourage positive change and individual action.

Photography workshops and tours can also play a vital role in protecting our natural resources. By teaching amateurs and aspiring professionals responsible field practices, I am helping to ensure that capturing photographs can be done without harming the wildlife or landscape. I often partner with not-for-profit organizations such as Nature’s Educators and the Crane Trust for workshops that help participants learn how to take better pictures at the same time they learn about the species or ecosystems they are photographing. It’s a win/win that supports vital conservation efforts while sharing my extensive knowledge about the tools and techniques that create impactful imagery.

Bio:

Cheryl Opperman is a nationally acclaimed nature photographer who has traveled to every continent in the world capturing spectacular images of nature, wildlife, and indigenous cultures. Widely published, her photographs have appeared in print, on the web, on television, and in solo and group exhibits, resulting in a list of clients or credits which include The American Humane Association, Overseas Adventure Travel, The Denver Post, Apple, the National Geographic Society, Denver International Airport, and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Cheryl’s esthetic compositions, artistic use of light, and exquisite detail have been honored with several prestigious awards from organizations including The Earth Day Network, Nature’s Best Photography, the International Photography Awards, and the National Wildlife Federation. She was also featured as a leading female nature photographer by Outdoor Photographer Magazine and has appeared in on-camera interviews by 9News Denver, the Luminous Landscape, and Smithsonian Earth. Using the power of photography to inspire interest in the environment and other cultures, she has presented keynote addresses, speeches, or classes on various topics to schools, camera clubs, the Intermountain Regional Headquarters of the National Park Service, the Crane Trust, the Colorado Environmental Film Festival, and the North American Nature Photography Association. Cheryl is a 1992 honors graduate of Brooks Institute of Photography holding a Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial/Scientific photography.

What are your plans for the future?
As I look to the future, I would like to accomplish two primary things. First, to do whatever I can to protect or encourage others to protect earth’s most fragile places. We can dwell on all that is wrong, but I really prefer to be more optimistic. When we all work together, it really is amazing what the human species can accomplish. Our problems are solvable, but it does require work and a willingness to consider multiple points of view. Photography can play a vital role in turning the tide. When people are able to “see” in a photograph the garbage accumulating in the oceans or the devastating consequences of a wildfire caused by humans, it’s difficult to ignore the problem and easier to suggest solutions. And when photographers capture the exquisite beauty of nature, they help motivate people to protect it. My workshops and photo tours are designed around these principles – to share my love of nature though eco-tourism that supports local communities and their fragile ecosystems.

I’d also like to help talented aspiring photographers establish meaningful careers. It’s getting more and more difficult to make a living as a nature photographer, but I believe it is important to have full time artists in our society creating original work and not computer generated AI imagery. There is a level of skill and depth of coverage that can only be obtained by humans who have adequate time and resources. While there are charities that focus on the arts, I think there is more that can be done to highlight the important contributions that photographers make to our society including creative solutions to provide the funding necessary to support their work. I hope to initiate projects in the coming years that will help to accomplish that goal.

Pricing:

• Colorado Talons & Tripods Raptor Photo Workshops – starting at $250.
• Tanzania, Africa Photo Safari – Starting at $14,495.
• Mexico’s Magical Monarchs Photography Tour – Starting at $6,750.
• Sandhill Cranes Photo Workshop & Tours – Starting at $1,995.
• Australia Photo Tour – Starting at $13,995.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cherylopperman.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/cherylopperman
• Facebook: https://Facebook.com/CherylOpperman
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylopperman/
• Twitter: https://Twitter.com/OppermanPhotos
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CherylOpperman
• Other: https://Patreon.com/CherylOpperman

Image Credits
Chase Opperman
Cheryl Opperman