diff --git a/.gitlab-ci/.gitlab-test.yml b/.gitlab-ci/.gitlab-test.yml
index a444348..96e7502 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci/.gitlab-test.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci/.gitlab-test.yml
@@ -6,9 +6,15 @@
 # 
 # 1) pybsm specific notebooks.
 # 2) Added the original example as a job
+# 3) Poetry install for opencv-python-headless
 #
 ###############################################################################
 
+.test-setup:
+  before_script:
+    - !reference [.shared-setup, before_script]
+    - poetry install --sync --only main,dev-testing --extras headless
+
 notebooks:
   parallel:
     matrix:
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8fb5640..2329acf 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -22,6 +22,30 @@ See [here for more installation documentation](
 https://pybsm.readthedocs.io/en/latest/installation.html).
 <!-- :auto installation: -->
 
+Installing using the previous commands will not install OpenCV. While pyBSM will still function, there are a handful of functions that require OpenCV.
+
+There are two options for installing pyBSM with OpenCV: graphics or headless. Graphics will install `opencv-python` as the OpenCV implementation while headless will install `opencv-python-headless` as the OpenCV implementation.
+
+To install pybsm with `opencv-python`
+* using pip:
+```bash
+pip install pybsm[graphics]
+```
+* using Poetry
+```bash
+poetry install --sync --with dev-linting,dev-testing,dev-docs --extras graphics
+```
+
+To install pybsm with `opencv-python-headless`
+* using pip:
+```bash
+pip install pybsm[headless]
+```
+* using Poetry
+```bash
+poetry install --sync --with dev-linting,dev-testing,dev-docs --extras headless
+```
+
 <!-- :auto getting-started: -->
 ## Getting Started
 We provide a number of examples based on Jupyter notebooks in the
diff --git a/docs/release_notes/pending_release.rst b/docs/release_notes/pending_release.rst
index c35c728..de8fdc3 100644
--- a/docs/release_notes/pending_release.rst
+++ b/docs/release_notes/pending_release.rst
@@ -14,6 +14,14 @@ CI/CD
 
 * Updates to dependencies to support the new CI/CD.
 
+* Changed `opencv-python` to an optional dependency.
+
+* Added `opencv-python-headless` as an optional dependency.
+
+* Added two extras (graphics and headless) for `opencv-python` and `opencv-python-headless` compatibility.
+
+* Changed CI to use headless extra.
+
 Documentation
 
 * Added sphinx's autosummary template for recursively populating
diff --git a/poetry.lock b/poetry.lock
index 5b2dbb2..77d21e9 100644
--- a/poetry.lock
+++ b/poetry.lock
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# This file is automatically @generated by Poetry 1.8.3 and should not be changed by hand.
+# This file is automatically @generated by Poetry 1.8.2 and should not be changed by hand.
 
 [[package]]
 name = "aiohappyeyeballs"
@@ -2429,7 +2429,7 @@ files = [
 name = "opencv-python"
 version = "4.10.0.84"
 description = "Wrapper package for OpenCV python bindings."
-optional = false
+optional = true
 python-versions = ">=3.6"
 files = [
     {file = "opencv-python-4.10.0.84.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:72d234e4582e9658ffea8e9cae5b63d488ad06994ef12d81dc303b17472f3526"},
@@ -2452,6 +2452,33 @@ numpy = [
     {version = ">=1.26.0", markers = "python_version >= \"3.12\""},
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "opencv-python-headless"
+version = "4.10.0.84"
+description = "Wrapper package for OpenCV python bindings."
+optional = true
+python-versions = ">=3.6"
+files = [
+    {file = "opencv-python-headless-4.10.0.84.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:f2017c6101d7c2ef8d7bc3b414c37ff7f54d64413a1847d89970b6b7069b4e1a"},
+    {file = "opencv_python_headless-4.10.0.84-cp37-abi3-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl", hash = "sha256:a4f4bcb07d8f8a7704d9c8564c224c8b064c63f430e95b61ac0bffaa374d330e"},
+    {file = "opencv_python_headless-4.10.0.84-cp37-abi3-macosx_12_0_x86_64.whl", hash = "sha256:5ae454ebac0eb0a0b932e3406370aaf4212e6a3fdb5038cc86c7aea15a6851da"},
+    {file = "opencv_python_headless-4.10.0.84-cp37-abi3-manylinux_2_17_aarch64.manylinux2014_aarch64.whl", hash = "sha256:46071015ff9ab40fccd8a163da0ee14ce9846349f06c6c8c0f2870856ffa45db"},
+    {file = "opencv_python_headless-4.10.0.84-cp37-abi3-manylinux_2_17_x86_64.manylinux2014_x86_64.whl", hash = "sha256:377d08a7e48a1405b5e84afcbe4798464ce7ee17081c1c23619c8b398ff18295"},
+    {file = "opencv_python_headless-4.10.0.84-cp37-abi3-win32.whl", hash = "sha256:9092404b65458ed87ce932f613ffbb1106ed2c843577501e5768912360fc50ec"},
+    {file = "opencv_python_headless-4.10.0.84-cp37-abi3-win_amd64.whl", hash = "sha256:afcf28bd1209dd58810d33defb622b325d3cbe49dcd7a43a902982c33e5fad05"},
+]
+
+[package.dependencies]
+numpy = [
+    {version = ">=1.21.0", markers = "python_version <= \"3.9\" and platform_system == \"Darwin\" and platform_machine == \"arm64\" and python_version >= \"3.8\""},
+    {version = ">=1.19.3", markers = "platform_system == \"Linux\" and platform_machine == \"aarch64\" and python_version >= \"3.8\" and python_version < \"3.10\" or python_version > \"3.9\" and python_version < \"3.10\" or python_version >= \"3.9\" and platform_system != \"Darwin\" and python_version < \"3.10\" or python_version >= \"3.9\" and platform_machine != \"arm64\" and python_version < \"3.10\""},
+    {version = ">=1.17.3", markers = "(platform_system != \"Darwin\" and platform_system != \"Linux\") and python_version >= \"3.8\" and python_version < \"3.9\" or platform_system != \"Darwin\" and python_version >= \"3.8\" and python_version < \"3.9\" and platform_machine != \"aarch64\" or platform_machine != \"arm64\" and python_version >= \"3.8\" and python_version < \"3.9\" and platform_system != \"Linux\" or (platform_machine != \"arm64\" and platform_machine != \"aarch64\") and python_version >= \"3.8\" and python_version < \"3.9\""},
+    {version = ">=1.23.5", markers = "python_version >= \"3.11\" and python_version < \"3.12\""},
+    {version = ">=1.21.4", markers = "python_version >= \"3.10\" and platform_system == \"Darwin\" and python_version < \"3.11\""},
+    {version = ">=1.21.2", markers = "platform_system != \"Darwin\" and python_version >= \"3.10\" and python_version < \"3.11\""},
+    {version = ">=1.26.0", markers = "python_version >= \"3.12\""},
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "overrides"
 version = "7.7.0"
@@ -4156,7 +4183,11 @@ enabler = ["pytest-enabler (>=2.2)"]
 test = ["big-O", "importlib-resources", "jaraco.functools", "jaraco.itertools", "jaraco.test", "more-itertools", "pytest (>=6,!=8.1.*)", "pytest-ignore-flaky"]
 type = ["pytest-mypy"]
 
+[extras]
+graphics = ["opencv-python"]
+headless = ["opencv-python-headless"]
+
 [metadata]
 lock-version = "2.0"
 python-versions = "^3.8.1"
-content-hash = "bf920e0907626c7258ef0f517ee3514203e55b43593937a2f4746983a164d212"
+content-hash = "a926865000f7582ba8b8bf2c415eaf98f2947178ca0fe54b8a06f7b5821962b1"
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 773c2c3..05715aa 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -47,8 +47,13 @@ scipy = [
     {version = "<1.11.1", python = "~3.8.1"}, # Can't satisfy CVE-2023-25399 because it is too restrictive
     {version = ">=1.10.0,<1.14", python = ">=3.9"}, # CVE-2023-25399
 ]
-opencv-python = ">=4.6"
 setuptools = ">=65.6.1"
+opencv-python = {version = ">=4.6", optional = true}
+opencv-python-headless = {version = ">=4.6", optional = true}
+
+[tool.poetry.extras]
+graphics = ["opencv-python"]
+headless = ["opencv-python-headless"]
 
 # :auto dev-linting:
 # Linting
diff --git a/src/pybsm/otf/functional.py b/src/pybsm/otf/functional.py
index 57cdce4..ec1e956 100755
--- a/src/pybsm/otf/functional.py
+++ b/src/pybsm/otf/functional.py
@@ -65,7 +65,12 @@
 import warnings
 from typing import Callable, Tuple
 
-import cv2
+try:
+    import cv2
+
+    is_usable = True
+except ImportError:
+    is_usable = False
 
 # 3rd party imports
 import numpy as np
@@ -671,11 +676,10 @@ def polychromatic_turbulence_OTF(  # noqa: N802
 
     # calculate the coherence diameter over the band
     r0_at_1um = coherence_diameter(1.0e-6, z_path, cn2)
-    r0_function = (
-        lambda wav: r0_at_1um  # noqa: E731
-        * wav ** (6.0 / 5.0)
-        * (1e-6) ** (-6.0 / 5.0)
-    )
+
+    def r0_function(wav: float) -> float:
+        return r0_at_1um * wav ** (6.0 / 5.0) * (1e-6) ** (-6.0 / 5.0)  # noqa: E731
+
     r0_band = weighted_by_wavelength(wavelengths, weights, r0_function)
 
     # calculate the turbulence OTF
@@ -1077,6 +1081,10 @@ def otf_to_psf(otf: np.ndarray, df: float, dx_out: float) -> np.ndarray:
             if df or dx_out are 0
 
     """
+    if not is_usable:
+        raise ImportError(
+            "OpenCV not found. Please install 'pybsm[graphics]' or 'pybsm[headless]'."
+        )
     # transform the psf
     psf = np.real(np.fft.fftshift(np.fft.ifft2(np.fft.fftshift(otf))))
 
@@ -1419,6 +1427,10 @@ def apply_otf_to_image(
     # this function. Therefore, we can calculate the instantaneous field of view
     # (iFOV) of the assumed real camera, which is
     # 2*arctan(ref_gsd/2/ref_range).
+    if not is_usable:
+        raise ImportError(
+            "OpenCV not found. Please install 'pybsm[graphics]' or 'pybsm[headless]'."
+        )
     psf = otf_to_psf(otf, df, 2 * np.arctan(ref_gsd / 2 / ref_range))
 
     # filter the image
@@ -1581,6 +1593,10 @@ def resample_2D(  # noqa: N802
             if dx_in is 0
 
     """
+    if not is_usable:
+        raise ImportError(
+            "OpenCV not found. Please install 'pybsm[graphics]' or 'pybsm[headless]'."
+        )
     new_x = int(np.round(img_in.shape[1] * dx_in / dx_out))
     new_y = int(np.round(img_in.shape[0] * dx_in / dx_out))
     img_out = cv2.resize(img_in, (new_x, new_y))
diff --git a/tests/otf/test_otf.py b/tests/otf/test_otf.py
index ecb69e4..3e34e5b 100644
--- a/tests/otf/test_otf.py
+++ b/tests/otf/test_otf.py
@@ -1,13 +1,24 @@
+import unittest.mock as mock
 from typing import Callable, Dict, Tuple
 
-import cv2
 import numpy as np
 import pytest
 
 from pybsm import otf
 from pybsm.simulation import Scenario, Sensor
 
+try:
+    import cv2
 
+    is_usable = True
+except ImportError:
+    is_usable = False
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(
+    not is_usable,
+    reason="OpenCV not found. Please install 'pybsm[graphics]' or `pybsm[headless]`.",
+)
 class TestOTF:
     @pytest.mark.parametrize(
         ("lambda0", "z_path", "cn2"),
@@ -1680,3 +1691,10 @@ def test_apply_otf_to_image(
         )
         assert np.isclose(output[0], expected[0], atol=5e-20).all()
         assert np.isclose(output[1], expected[1], atol=5e-20).all()
+
+
+@mock.patch("pybsm.otf.functional.is_usable", False)
+def test_missing_deps() -> None:
+    """Test that an exception is raised when required dependencies are not installed."""
+    with pytest.raises(ImportError, match=r"OpenCV not found"):
+        otf.resample_2D(np.ones((5, 5)), 1.0, 1.0)