On October 19th, Photo Opp welcomed over 180 community members to celebrate the grand opening of our From Our Street Gallery, and our first big event at our newly renovated community studio space. The atmosphere was electric, as attendees gathered to connect with the stories behind the images, admire each artist’s unique perspective, explore our building, and support the arts. This special night marked a significant achievement, as we raised an incredible $12,000 to fund our 2025 programming—an accomplishment we couldn’t have achieved without our supporters.

Collaboration and connection are at the core of Photo Opp, as we continue to develop and expand our programming, creating a welcoming environment for our community to explore the art or photo and video is vital. We hope to fuel career opportunities in the crafts of photography, videography, and other visual arts, while giving them a positive outlet for their innate and learned creativity. We will also offer opportunities for adult learners, especially those who may have had barriers to other employment.

One of our primary goals is community, to connect people through the arts. The following blog was written by community and Photo Opp member, Ben Bomier.

It is a known fact that Wisconsin is at the back of the pack when it comes to funding the arts, but in 2023, Wisconsin fell all the way to dead last. 

At Photo Opp, we know that a strong and vibrant creative community is important to our local economy, improving quality of life, boosting the image of our community, and incubating, attracting and retaining talent – especially young, working-age adults.  

If you were to phrase this question differently I might give a different answer… What camera creates your best work? Which camera do you feel most comfortable with? If you were on a deserted island and only had one camera, which one would you choose?

On March 16, we had the opportunity to host programming at the Building for Kids in downtown Appleton! Our setup included a number of stations for kids to interact and play with different materials to create art to photograph. 

With Photo Opp, I've not only rediscovered my love for photography but also found a supportive community that keeps my creative spark alive. Art, in its various forms, has become a language that unites us—a shared experience that goes beyond words. For people like me, it's a place to connect with others who share a passion for capturing life through the lens.

With the start of 2024, it is winter in Wisconsin making it the perfect time to host a Cabin Fever Series! We launched our Cabin Fever Series on January 20 with our Gels and Ice Workshop. We welcomed 15 community members from ages 4 to 60+ joined us for a fun afternoon playing with lights, coloring gels, ice, and macro lens to create colorful out of this world scenes and abstract art.

On October 12, Photo Opp’s On the Job Mentorship Program helped to photograph another local nonprofit, The Monthlies Project’s An Event, Period event. Our On the Job Mentorship program pairs local school-aged students with professional photographers to mentor on a job photographing a community event. This program allows us to not only give students a hands-on real photography experience, it also helps them see more of the business side of photography.

As a teacher and photography enthusiast, I was elated to join Photo Opp as a Board Member. I had recently purchased a SLR camera (which is still begging to be used) and I was experimenting with photography in my 5th Grade Classroom at Columbus Elementary in Appleton. Joining Photo Opp’s board and being involved with connecting education and the arts has been the perfect way to blend two interests of mine!

April 30 is Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day. To celebrate, Photo Opp hosted a Pinhole Photography workshop led by pinhole enthusiast Nick Dvoracek. Nick has decades of experience making and using pinhole cameras that are commonly made from simple materials, such as recycled cereal boxes, beer cases, or other cardboard packaging. In place of a glass or plastic lens, pinhole cameras simply have a tiny hole in the front of the camera that exposes the film inside to a tiny amount of light.

Education and career development are two of the foundational pillars that our programming is built on. In 2022, we developed our Mentorship Program to provide mentor opportunities between working photographers and young adults interested in photography as a way to introduce them to real experiences in the profession.

In 2022, we provided 10 local high school/college students with the experience of a professional photography mentorship. To share the impact the mentorship had on our student mentees, we interviewed Olivia, a high school senior, about her experience…

Photo Opp hosts a community Photo Walk at The City Center in Appleton, Wisconsin, in partnership with Appleton Public Library and Murray Photo.

Photo Opp hosts our first community film development night at The Draw.

Photo Opp collaborates with two local nonprofits to give youth the opportunity to ‘develop a superpower’ with an intro to film photography class.