Randy Hopfer learned photography nearly 20 years ago and fell in love with it, mostly focusing his lens in the direction of wildlife. Many photographers don’t get into the print business, but once Hopfer began exploring the dye sublimation process — fusing dyes onto coated aluminum panels — he found something he loved more than photography itself. The results are prints with colors more vibrant than his customers have ever seen, cleaner, simpler and with more dimension. “It’s been interesting building a business here,” Hopfer says. “I bet there’s not a dozen people in the U.S. who do what I do. But I told myself I would outlast failure, because I’ve had a thousand opportunities to quit.”
Name: Randy Hopfer.
Residence neighborhood: Proebstel.
Business name: HD Aluminum Prints; 360-944-6280; www.hdaluminumprints.com
Age: 58.
Educational/professional background: Studied business management and worked at Hewlett-Packard for 31 years as a project manager within the inkjet business.
How you got started in your business: When I was 40 years old, I picked up a camera and loved the creative outlet it gave me. I developed a passion for nature photography with a focus on wildlife. Large predators really interested me, so my first subjects were Alaskan brown bears at the McNeil River. Then I pursued polar bears near Hudson Bay (in Canada), and Royal Bengal tigers in India. My wife, Patti, traveled with me on many of those trips.
I sold my photography on the weekends at some of the largest juried art shows in the Pacific Northwest. This led to an invitation to show my work at the Wildlife Conservation Network Expo in California, where the keynote speaker was Dr. Jane Goodall.
Like most photographers, my passion for photography was joined at the hip with my passion for printing. I discovered the dye sublimation print process about 12 years ago and started printing onto hard substrates like porcelain and glass.
With dye sublimation, in essence I was pioneering the process. I left HP in 2007 and started offering artwork on tile and had a few large projects, one of which was a commercial installation with the University of Nebraska.
In 2014, I made a leap of faith by producing high-end commercial-size prints on aluminum, a relatively new surface for dye sublimation printing. I purchased major pieces of equipment that allowed me to produce 40- by 60-inch high-quality aluminum prints in any custom size. I continued to develop my production facility, and in the spring of 2015 the business had grown to the point of needing to hire employees.
Personal/business philosophy: Over the years I have learned that relationships are as important as products and service. I base my philosophy on the needs of my customer and the needs of their customer.
Most rewarding part of job: I get to do what I love every day while working with some very talented artists. With the help of my employees, we are building strong relationships and creating a reputation for great customer service. Every time we complete a print, we marvel at the talent of the artists that have the vision to see beauty in the world around us.
Most challenging part of job: The process I have developed for printing on aluminum had no road map. I have burned through a lot of material over the years in order to discover the best formula for making metal prints. However, by growing without accumulating much debt, I am in a better position today for increasing capability, capacity and customer base.
Best feature of my Clark County community: We have many talented artists in Clark County. I continue to be impressed by the people who walk through my door. Living in one of the most beautiful places on earth, with dramatic skies that accent the incredible diversity of nature, plus the urban areas of Portland and Vancouver, make this a prime photography destination.
What would make your community a better place: I would like to see increased focus on small businesses and how they create gathering places for people. I would love to see more local businesses showing work of the many accomplished artists from the area.
What is your favorite travel destination and type: My favorite travel destination is the one I have yet to reach. My wife and I have cruised the Caribbean, Alaska, and New Zealand to Australia. There is so much more of the world to see and we are determined to explore together the few continents we have yet to discover.
Favorite restaurant/pub/coffee shop/store: Compass Coffee on Main Street in downtown Vancouver. It is a quaint place with good “artistic” coffee and you always feel like you are treated special. I like supporting small neighborhood businesses.
Hobbies: Photography will always be my favorite hobby. My wife and I enjoy the company of our two Great Danes and we love to take them out on walks, although we don’t get a lot of walking done as our dogs love people and people love them. We also enjoy hiking and travel of any kind.
Most enjoyable book/play/movie/arts event in past 12 months: I went to the Bellevue Art Museum ARTS fair this last summer and was excited to see a local 19-year-old photographer named Lijah Hanley showing his work. Lijah was a National Geographic award-winning photographer at the age of 14 and has grown into an amazing talent.
Something you’d like to do this year/within five years: Slowly I have been able to step back a bit and spend more time on strategic thinking and how to grow our customer base. I would love to be able to take a couple weeks off, travel with my wife and enjoy the years we have together.
One word to describe yourself: Blessed.
Person you’d most like to meet: Thomas Mangelsen was one of my early inspirations. His images are breathtaking and he helped shape my interests in wildlife photography.
