Q & A with Stephen Oachs

I asked Stephen if he would mind answering a few questions for this blog, and he generously agreed. So, here is the transcript of our e-mail interview...

Stephen, thank you for taking the time for this interview. It's great to be able to post a little "inside" information about you on the blog. Without further preamble, here we go.

Q: When did you first get bit by the photography bug?

Answer: That’s a good question because I know exactly when. I had been trying to take photos of my beagle, Tucker, with a Sony pocket-type camera. I grew frustrated because he wouldn’t hold still and the camera had a terrible delay between pushing the button and the actual image capture. That's why I set out to buy a new camera. While looking, I discovered that (at the time), all compact cameras share this delay, some better than others, but I wanted instant results. After reading a ton of articles online, I realized that what I wanted was a digital SLR and set out to figure out which was the best bang for the buck.

The Canon Rebel ended up being my first DSLR camera and I never looked back. That was the fall of 2003. My first "money shot" was a photo I call “Snowy Noah,” which is a shot of my in-laws' Sheltie. (I call a "Money Shot" the best I can do, a shot I’m most proud of. If it’s so-so, I call it a Keeper. Only keepers and money shots end up in my galleries.)


Q: Why such an interest in wildlife and nature photography?

Answer: When I first got started, I really enjoyed capturing water in motion, and using a lengthy shutter delay to create a silky look. As I became more familiar with pro equipment I began seeking new subject matter, especially as my lenses got bigger and longer. A few trips to the zoo to test new equipment got me started with wildlife. I’m such a nature/animal lover as it is, to photograph life is really what I enjoy the most. Especially when I can connect to wildlife, such as my trip to Katmai, where I photographed Wild Alaskan Grizzly Bear in their natural habitat.


Q: What are some specific subjects you would love to photograph that have eluded you so far?

Answer: The list is long, but in order of priority, it would be more endangered animals — wildlife that could possibly be extinct in my lifetime if issues like global warming and war continue unchecked. At the top of that list are Bald Eagles and Polar Bear, though I am happy to see the Eagle was recently removed from the endangered species list due to some very dedicated preservationist groups, such as the San Francisco Zoo. The Polar Bear are not so lucky and I read a recent study that stated, at the current rate, the glaciers in and around Churchill, Manitoba, where many polar bears call home, are melting at such a great rate that the natural hunting grounds for these amazing creatures is quickly being lost.


Q: You are a programmer, Web developer and Web analytics technical director by trade; how do you balance your “day job” and your passion for photography?

Answer: Right now work comes first. And since photography is not a cheap hobby, keeping the day job helps keep the photography hobby going strong.


Q: You’re obviously a seasoned amateur and accomplished hobbyist; any plans to take it to a professional level?

Answer: Photography is still only a hobby and, right now, I like it that way. There are a lot of very talented photographers in the world and I don’t see National Geographic calling on me anytime soon, though it would be a dream job!


Q: Speaking of your professional skills, did you build the StephenOachs.com Website? And are your photographs displayed there exclusively?

Answer: I did build stephenoachs.com. I’ve been in digital media for over 10 years now so I have the tools and skills needed to put a site like that together. That site is primarily a place for me to showcase my travels and favorite shots from those trips. I keep an extended gallery at pbase.com (www.pbase.com/stephenoachs).


Q: Are your photos available for purchase?

Answer: They are; usually people e-mail me and I work with them one on one to get them what they are interested in. [Editor's Note: Since this interview, Stephen began arranging for a limited number of prints to be for sale on his Website. I'll post the announcement on this blog when it is available.]


Q: Do you know where your next photographic adventure is going to take you?

Answer: I have two trips I’d like to take before 2007 is over. I’d like to return to the Grand Teton National Park in the fall to photograph Moose and to capture the fall colors. The Grand Teton’s valley is dotted with Aspen. The other trip I’d like to do is Bosque Del Apache, a location where tens of thousands of birds gather each fall and stay through the winter. I’m looking forward to 2008 to see if a trip to see the Churchill Polar Bears can be worked into my busy schedule.


Q: Where would you like your photography to be, in say, three years?

Answer: I want to continue to learn and expand into more areas of photography. One area that looks interesting, but I’ve yet to explore, is macro. I’ve seen some pretty amazing work from macro photographers and it’s incredible that when you look very closely at the small things in life, there’s a whole new world there to explore. Beyond that, I hope to continue traveling and photographing wildlife in their natural setting.