Meet Rick Berk | Fine Art Landscape Photographer

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

Hi Rick, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I’m not sure much thought went into it. From as far back as I can remember, I was always drawing or painting, first with crayons and watercolor, and then with pencils and acrylics and pastels. I discovered photography while in college for Graphic Design, and was immediately hooked the first time I developed my first roll of film and made my first print. From that point on, I never wanted to be anything but a photographer. It’s the one thing that I know without a doubt I’m good at, that allows me to offer something back to the community in some way.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I came into fine art landscape photography very slowly over the years. I started my career photographing professional sports for a trading card company and did that for nearly ten years. As I traveled covering games, at some point it occurred to me that I should photograph some of the places I go to. I also found the nature of being in the outdoors, on the trail, to be calming, which was very different from the pressure of being on the sidelines at a sporting event. As someone who has battled depression most of his adult life, it was eye-opening to realize the rejuvenated feeling I got from photographing a sunrise or sunset someplace naturally beautiful. I had been struggling to find my coping mechanism and realized it was staring me in the face the entire time. So in deciding to pursue landscape photography full time, I was able to turn my work into something therapeutic, as opposed to having a job that was a grind.
Finally, as I’ve built my following on social media, I’ve discovered that many people have simply not traveled and seen that much of this beautiful country. They have places they’d like to see but just never get around to getting there. I enjoy showing them someplace new through my eyes, or showing them someplace they’ve always wanted to see but never have.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When I come to Colorado, I actually don’t spend much time in the city. My favorite places are Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park, and then Ouray in the San Juans. If I was bringing someone to Colorado for the first time, a drive to Rocky Mountain National Park to see the views, and maybe the hike to Dream Lake would definitely be tops on my list. If we did sunrise, after hiking back down, getting good breakfast at the Egg of Estes would be the next stop on the list! In the afternoon, I’d take them on a drive of Trail Ridge Road to take in some of the spectacular views before a walk around Sprague Lake, then onto Smokin’ Dave’s BBQ for some dinner and beer.

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?
My wife Jess has been incredibly supportive and helpful in achieving my goals. While I’ve been working as a photographer or in the photo industry for nearly 30 years, it wasn’t until I met her that things really began to take off. She was willing to let go of the conventional idea of a 9-5 job and pushed me to do what makes me happy.

Also, both my kids, Matthew and Emma, are driving factors. They’re both supportive, but I also intend to show them, much earlier than I figured it out, that you have to go after what you want in life, and don’t worry if it fits into the usual box most people think of. Setting this example for them drives me each time I pick up my camera.

Website: https://www.rickberk.com

Instagram: rickberkphoto

Facebook: Facebook.com/rickberkphoto

Image Credits
Rick Berk Photography