Jo-Anne Oucharek has never worked a day in her life.
That is, if the well-worn quote attributed to authors from Confucius to Mark Twain: ‘Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life,’ is true.
When Oucharek moved to Cochrane in 2014, she brought her camera out of retirement. Her love of photography and nature inevitably combined to make her what she is today – a nationally recognized nature photographer.
Before moving to Cochrane, Oucharek – who is also the executive director of Cochrane Tourism – was a sports photographer, capturing action shots in swimming, BMX, hockey, and ringette.
But her first love is nature.
“This new journey has opened my eyes to the beauty of the nature that surrounds me,” she said.
Joining the Cochrane Camera Club was the pathway to meeting new friends with the same interests.
“A big part of my journey is connecting with like-minded photographers who believe that nature comes first. When wildlife allows you to be part of their natural world, it is truly a gift.”
Alone or with other members of the club, Oucharek explores her backyard (she calls the Foothills her backyard), usually within an hour’s drive of Cochrane to capture the wide array of wildlife in the region.
In 2019, Oucharek travelled through the Khutzeymateen National Park in B.C., known as the “Valley of the Grizzly.” It was established as a Class A Park in 1994 as the first area in Canada to be protected specifically for grizzly bears and their habitat. Khutzeymateen has the highest concentrations of grizzly bears in North America.
On that trip she met Canmore bear biologist Sarah Elmeligi, who fueled her passion for bears.
“I have travelled to B.C., Churchill, and Alaska to see the bears. [But] I am still very passionate about the birds and my friends call me the Bird Nerd,” she said.
Oucharek has gone on other trips in search of birds, capturing eagles and water birds in B.C., ptarmigan in Churchill, Manitoba., and puffins in Alaska.
Despite her extensive experience, she still feels she’s on a steep learning curve.
“There is always something to learn and ways to improve,” she said. “I have taken courses on photography techniques, post-processing, signed up for conferences and this year, I decided to enter competitions.”
She’s found immediate success in that regard. In May, Oucharek’s ‘Squirrel Surprise’ (on the front page of The Eagle last week) placed her in the top 100 for WildArt Photographer of the Year.
And the World Photographic Cup Team Canada announced last month that a panel of curators have chosen another wildlife photograph by Oucharek to move on to round three of the 2023 Team Canada selection process, which means that photo is among the top images submitted in the nature category and has a chance to represent Canada at the World Photographic Cup. The finalists will be announced in December.
Until that announcement is made, she’s tied to a non-disclosure agreement that prohibits her sharing this new photo or even describing it.
Oucharek said she never expected to win anything, and was never looking for accolades, but admits she’s still thrilled.
“Even to get to this level, I’m ecstatic, even if I don’t go any further,” she said.
Oucharek’s photography can be found at the Route 22 Artist Collective Gallery (312 5th Ave. No. 18), where she is a member. The Kindred Spirits Collection, a positive project that she created during the pandemic, can be found at Amaryllis Crystal Garden and her new bear cubs card series and mouse pads are available at Found Books.
The Cochrane Camera Club Photography Show and Sale will be held Nov. 19 at Cochrane Alliance Church from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information on the club, go to cochranecameraclub.com.
