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Tom Cooper – Photographer/Teacher |
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 Enthusiasm radiates from Tom as he talks about his passions: photography, teaching, travel with his wife Jane and learning new languages. The couple is fluent in English and French and "not half-bad speaking Spanish". Employed in Montreal at Bombardier Aerospace Military Division in Montreal, he was offered a retirement package four years ago, at age 55 that was just too good to pass up. He thought he would spend his retirement years teaching English, for which he was newly qualified. He also loves to paint and envisioned time to indulge that.
Tom and Jane travelled extensively throughout BC before settling in Westbank and both are happy with the decision. Tom pursued his plan of teaching English as a second language, working with new immigrants, but he didn’t feel passionate about it.
Tom describes himself as a ‘frustrated artist’. As a young man he was discouraged by his father from pursuing a degree in fine arts and trained instead as a graphic artist. With that background and a lifelong interest in photography, he made the switch from film camera to digital with relative ease. A notice on the board at the Water Street Senior Centre for instructors and co-instructors was the beginning of his passion for teaching photography. He took part in classes teaching digital photography and photo editing as a co-instructor, and then instructor. This he says “opened the door for a whole new career” that he hadn’t anticipated. He is now an entrepreneur who operates two businesses from his home.
As a teacher of photography, Tom has conducted classes from Osoyoos to Kelowna. Courses are regularly offered at Okanagan College and Mount Boucherie Recreation Centre. It’s plain that Tom loves teaching as he speaks of the thrill of watching his students develop their skills. He says “What I love about teaching is what I learn from these people. I learn about life, I learn about their curiosity, which infuses me with more curiosity, and through that, opportunities arise.” Another outlet for his creativity with a camera is satisfied through the Central Okanagan Photographic Society, where he not only enters his award-winning photographs but takes part in judging entries.
His other unexpected undertaking in retirement is doing medical voice-overs for a communications firm in Montreal, for which he has a recording studio in his home. The money from these endeavors provides the funding for the travel that Tom and Jane enjoy. Recently returned from a quick escape to Puerto Vallarta, he looks tanned and fit.
Part of the attraction to the Okanagan area was their love of the outdoors. They ski together in winter; play golf, hike, kayak, cycle and swim in warmer weather. Never one to pass up a chance to learn something new, Tom seized an opportunity to take sailing lessons in Puerto Vallarta when a chance meeting put him in touch with a sailing instructor who was also vacationing. Tom says: “Opportunities happen because you are always out there reaching. Age is no hindrance. Creativity is for everybody. Be passionate about what you want – you may only get one shot at going after your dreams.”
“Never say never,” is Tom’s motto for an exciting and fulfilling third act. He’s looking forward to act four.
Tom can be reached at
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; phone 768-0702
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