Joel DeGrand has been a photographer and teacher for over 30 years. After receiving an MFA in Photography from the University of Oregon, he taught photography at Southern Illinois University, the University of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Filmmakers before opening a commercial studio in Pittsburgh in 1987. In 1990 he moved to Chicago where he opened a commercial studio and started teaching at Columbia College and the Art Institute.

Throughout the years Joel has won many awards for his work in commercial and fine art photography. He has participated in numerous one-person, group exhibitions, and workshops in the United States, and his work is included in many museums, private collections, books and publications. In 1980 he received a National Endowment for the Arts survey grant to photograph Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Joel lives in Beverly Shores, Indiana with his wife Amanda, his son Colton, and his daughter Cara and four cats.