About Mieke Strand

In her childhood, Mieke Strand experienced the flat, sparse plains of rural Minnesota, and the dense urban fabric of Parisian city streets. Out of this contrast, she developed a fascination with different cultures and the unique landscapes they inhabit. Mieke’s photography explores this fascination, reflecting both a keen cultural awareness and a strong, sensitive sense of place.

She relies on this insight, along with a love of travel and cultural exchange, in her photographic work for NGO’s and non-profit organizations. Mieke has worked in locations ranging from her current home base outside San Francisco, to the heart of Botswana, in sub-Saharan Africa. Much of her work to-date has been for children’s organizations, which allows her to explore the subtle similarities of childhood across cultural boundaries. She strives to represent the hope, progress, and success of NGO projects, both here in the U.S. and abroad.

Mieke studied photography at the Rhode Island School of Design while completing a Bachelor’s degree with honors in Visual Arts at Brown University. In addition, she holds Master’s degrees in both Art History (UCSB) and Architecture (UC-Berkeley). Outside of photography and travel, her loves include ultimate frisbee, all kinds of books, foreign languages, well-loved sketchbooks, and hats.

(photo by David I. Gross)