Meet Jacob VanOpdorp

We were lucky to catch up with Jacob VanOpdorp recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jacob, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I found my purpose through a passion for photography and the outdoors. In high school, I spent nearly every weekend one summer either camping or mountain biking with my older brother. I wasn’t shooting photos at that point, but it helped me develop a deeper connection and understanding of the natural world. Once I picked up a camera and started to progress, I quickly realized that what I wanted to do was use my artistic skillset to show the world the beauty of nature and bring awareness to how we can conserve it. Not only the natural world here on Earth, but the beauty of the night sky and space as well.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

First and foremost, I’m a photographer. I love to photograph wildlife, landscapes, and especially the night sky. However, I have also recently started to call myself a climber, primarily climbing in a gym to refine my skills to begin climbing outdoors. This will allow me to start going on more epic adventures that I will be able to capture through my lens. I feel that the most exciting part of what I do is the adventures that I get to go on and getting to be fully immersed in nature. When I’m out on an adventure or just out shooting photos, I do my best to keep the screens tucked away, only using my phone for a few pics and navigation. There truly isn’t anything better than just being present in the mountains.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I think that my desire and willingness to constantly be learning about photography have made a huge impact on my journey. Most people and some other photographers believe they are the best at what they do and capture the best images. A big part of photography is being open to learning from others and staying humble. I believe that I am a very humble person and do not like to brag or boast about myself or my accomplishments. My advice for anyone who is starting photography as a hobby or career is to stay humble, learn new techniques, learn from other photographers, and over time, you’ll develop your own style. I’ve been shooting photos for almost 6 years and am just now finding my style, at least I think so.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I’m in search of folks who are involved with mountain sports and mountain sport athletes, such as climbing and mountain biking. Honestly, if you go on mountain adventures, I’d like to be there to tell your story. If you are an athlete who is working towards a unique goal and wouldn’t mind it being documented, I’d love to get in touch. You can reach me through my email at [email protected]. Or you can send me a message through my website, vanopdorpphotography.com, or my Instagram at vanopdorp.photography.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.vanopdorpphotography.com
• Instagram: vanopdorp.photography