About Photo Earth Photography by Mathias Van Hesemans

Mathias Van Hesemans was born in the Netherlands in 1946 and lived in Australia until the age of 10, at which time his family; Mathias and Irene moved him to San Francisco.  After graduating from St. Francis High School he enlisted in the United States Army.  His fascination with photography began while making helicopter test flights for the First Cavalry Division in Vietnam.

 

Mathias Van Hesemans enrolled in his first photography class at Foothill College in 1969.  He received an A.A. degree in photography from DeAanza College in 1972 and earned a B.A. degree in art from San Francisco State University in 1975.  Most recently he received a Masters degree in art and photography from San Jose State University in 1991.

 

In the early 70”s Mathias Van Hesemans worked as an instructor and teaching assistant at the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite National Park.  Becoming influenced by photographers he worked under, Ansel Adams, Wynn Bullock and Brett Weston in particular, his love and respect on the landscape grew.  Although known mostly for a series of dramatic, explosive images caught during eruptions of Mount St. Helens, and Kilauea volcano in Hawaii Van Hesemans work also encompasses the majestic and magical landscapes of our planet earth.

 

During his career Mathias Van Hesemans has had over 150 photographs published in various books and magazines, has participated in over 60 exhibitions and is in numerous collections around the world.  He has been a contributing editor for Photographic magazine and the San Francisco Chronicle outdoors section on nature photography.