Oberholzer was born in Pretoria. He attended school at Clapham High School, Pretoria.
In 1970 he obtained a Diploma in Graphic Design, University of Stellenbosch, a German National Diploma in Photography in 1972, Bavarian State Institute of Photography, Munich, and in 1979 a Masters Diploma in Photography from the same Institute.
Oberholzer lectured in photography at the Technikon Natal from 1975 to 1983; he then took up a teaching position in 1984 in the Fine Arts Department, Rhodes University, Grahamstown.
He has held twenty five solo exhibitions in SA and four international solo exhibitions abroad.His work has been published in both SA as well as international magazines.
Oberholzer has undertaken a number of international photographic assignments and has published five books on photography. His work is represented in private and public collections in this country and abroad.