Dan Stensland is a Laguna Beach-based artist who loves the journey as much as the capture. He is not content to lock into a single genre, as imagination plays out in the choreography of defining moments, places and people.  Shooting both film and digital, Dan’s photography plays within the nuance of vast, empty spaces, to challenging mountain expeditions, and to the beautiful spirit of humanity, richly presenting itself through worldwide culture.

Dan shifted into adventure travel photography when a close friend requested a photographer for an expedition to K2 in Pakistan. What was to be a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ turned into a greater passion for the adventure of the process, and several more expeditions followed. While the job entailed commercial needs, Dan found space in these environments to independently capture images that evoked spirituality, emotion, and raw beauty.

 “I can be just as happy in a tent on a glacier in Pakistan as I am at a cafe in Paris,” he quips, which alludes to the scope of Dan’s photography. 

“I hope not only to pull the viewer into these moments, but to likewise inspire their journey as well.”

Dan will be returning to the Sawdust Art Festival for his 6th summer, showcasing his work and enjoying adventure stories with all who come by.