ABOUT

Van Strohm is an award winning photographer based in the American Southwest, known for his clean compositions, quiet storytelling, and ability to find meaning in wild, remote places. His work spans desert landscapes, wildlife, travel, and documentary moments, unified by a focus on light, weather, and the subtle narratives that unfold between the obvious ones.

Strohm’s photography has been recognized with multiple regional awards and is represented by Arrowhead Gallery in St. George. In addition to his gallery work, he has been accepted into and sells at juried art festivals throughout Utah, Arizona, and Colorado, where his images continue to connect with collectors drawn to the emotional clarity and sense of place in his work.

While the Southwest remains the heart of his practice, Strohm’s portfolio also includes work from Greenland to Antarctica. His recent projects include an extended visual and written journal from Antarctica, where he documented the interplay of ice, wildlife, and human presence in one of the most remote environments on earth. Whether photographing a penguin emerging from snowfall or the shifting colors of canyon walls at dusk, Strohm approaches each image as a story — a moment of connection between place, subject, and viewer.

Artist’s Statement

I come from physics and software engineering, fields built on clarity, structure, and the elegance of simple rules shaping complex systems. That way of thinking has stayed with me. I’ve always been drawn to the idea that you can begin with fundamentals — light, motion, geometry, balance — and let everything else emerge naturally from them. Whether I was studying physical laws or writing code, I gravitated toward the quiet beauty of simplicity and the patterns that hold the world together.

That mindset shapes the way I photograph. I’m drawn to clean compositions, honest forms, and the underlying structure inside wild places. I don’t try to impose a style or invent a scene; I try to reveal what’s already there. My images come from observing deeply, reducing distractions, and letting the essential elements carry the weight. The same clarity that guided my work in physics guides my photography: start with the fundamentals, refine the frame, and let elegant complexity emerge on its own.

Awards

• Juror’s Choice for Kayenta photography show “Wish You Were Here: Postcards From the Desert”
• Award of Excellence for Red Cliff Gallery show “My Favorite Things”
• 1st Place in Photography at St. George Art Festival
• Top Ten Award from Action Photo Tours 2025 Contest
• People’s Choice for Kayenta photography show “Reflections and Shadows”
• 2nd Place in Photography for Red Cliff Gallery show “Gift of Art”