Cooper Powell: A True Creative

Cooper Powell is just 16 but already has a burgeoning photography career and is making strides as a content creator. “I am very passionate about sports photography and sports media. I got involved because I have always loved sports and wanted to capture exciting moments from games and events,” the Saint Mary’s High School student said.

He has had some exciting opportunities to chronicle the success of the St. Mary’s High School varsity football team this past season as they went all the way to the state championship. It was a historic victory as St. Mary’s celebrated Stockton’s first-ever state high school championship title. His Instagram account highlights several of their wins throughout the season as they marched to the state title.

Other sports featured on his Instagram include volleyball, track and field, cross country, baseball and more. “Over time, I started taking more photos, creating sports content online and learning how to edit videos and broadcasts,” he said. “I have worked on creative projects with friends, including sports-style broadcasts and cinematic videos.”

Cooper, who will be a junior when school starts, said being behind the lens has helped him become more confident and creative. It’s also instilled a hard work ethic. Balancing school, activities and photography while still trying to stay motivated can be challenging for any high school student, but Cooper has it all under control.
It’s been a major accomplishment to build up his photography and media skills at a young age and having people support and recognize his work. “My goals for the future are to continue improving as a photographer and content creator, graduate high school and eventually work in sports media, photography or broadcasting professionally,” Cooper said. “I got into photography because of my love for sports. And you can’t play them all, so I started by taking photos at games and quickly realized how much I enjoyed it.” He credits his mom for being his biggest supporter and mentor as he continues to grow as a photographer!

He comes from a very creative family. His mom, Kelly, is also an entrepreneur; she owns a balloon company, Popups and Parties. His dad, Jimmy, is a professional sound engineer and designer and works as an independent contractor. His clients have included celebrity chefs with TV shows, and last summer he worked behind the scenes at the World Series. Cooper lives in Lodi with his parents and younger sister, Morgan, who is in the sixth grade.

He is also involved in the St. Mary’s High School theater program; most recently, he had a big role in their production of Mary Poppins, playing the role of Bert, the chimney sweep. “He’s been with us for a while. Mary Poppins was his sixth show,” Kevin Costello, the theater director at St. Mary’s, said. “He’s great, he’s got it all. He can dance and he act. And he’s really a good guy. I really enjoy working with him.”

Cooper’s success in photography has led to paying gigs. “I mainly market my work through social media and by sharing my content online or on Instagram @cooper.flickss,” Cooper said. “Going forward, I hope to continue growing my photography business and pursue opportunities in sports media and broadcasting.”
After graduating high school, he plans to continue pursuing photography, sports media and broadcasting while exploring college and career opportunities. “I hope to build a successful career doing something I enjoy while still being creative,” he said. “I enjoy being creative and working on projects involving photography, sports broadcasting, filmmaking.”