Meet Teresa Oldenbourg | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Teresa Oldenbourg and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Teresa, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Communication has always been a struggle for me. From language barriers to feeling inadequate, to struggle with my dyslexia. No matter what I did I always felt misunderstood. Photography allows me to express myself without the millions of nuances that come with words.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Honestly I’m not sure what sets me apart from anyone else. I’m just focused on myself. There are definitely photographers who excite me and do great work, but to compare myself to them wouldn’t serve me. Getting to any point in your creative journey isn’t easy. Most creatives struggle with imposter syndrome, so just getting to a starting point is a lot.
The lessons I have learned is that, you’ll never stop learning. It’s an ever evolving art form.
What I want the world to know about me, is that I believe we are all worthy of being photographed. No matter what we look like, or what path in life we take. Photos are history, no matter how artistic they may be.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The cultural gardens are absolutely beautiful. Perfect for many different kind of photographers. The Cleveland art museum is also fantastic as well. When it comes to eating, there’s unfortunately not the best options for those with celiac, so I don’t put much money or time into the food sceen here until I can eat safely.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The people of Cleveland over all! I moved here from California unsure if I’d still be able to photograph people. Transitioning into a new community is daunting but, I was accepted in with open arms. There is a hunger for art and expression here that’s easy to fall in love with.

Instagram: Teresasperspective

Image Credits
1 photo @tayylormur 2nd @monica.samboa 3rd @g0ddess.c0m 4th @dreammcatcher2.0 5th @Blossom_moonflower2.0 6th @Chinawolfe_ 7th @porcelainviolence 8th @_k.richhh