Van Wormer, Joe

Joseph Edward Van Wormer was a freelance wildlife photographer and writer whose articles and photographs have appeared throughout the world in various books and magazines. Van Wormer was born on June 15, 1913, in West Plains, Missouri, and was raised in Missouri and Florida. Through his father, an avid hunter and fisherman, he was exposed to wildlife and the outdoors at a young age. He studied accounting at Draughon's Business College in Springfield, MO, which led to two bookkeeping jobs in Missouri. In 1936, Van Wormer married Helen Williams; the couple had two daughters. Van Wormer moved to Oregon on New Year's Eve 1935 to take another bookkeeping job with the Williamette-Hyster Co. in Portland. He worked as a certified public accountant for the next seventeen years, much of that time in private practice in Bend, Ore. However, as he said later, photography was his first love, and in 1949, he sold his accounting practice to pursue wildlife photography and writing full-time. In a 1980 interview with the West Plains Gazette in his hometown, he described this new career: "Just getting near enough [to wildlife] for a good picture is always a major problem. Add to this subjects and light conditions over which one has no control, and every photo session becomes an adventure; An added dividend comes from getting really close to wildlife for long periods of time." His articles and photos eventually appeared in magazines including Life, Look, Sports Illustrated and Audubon Magazine. He wrote and illustrated 16 books, beginning with The World of the Bobcat in 1963. Van Wormer donated a large collection of his photographs to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science in 1989. He died on May 16, 1998.

From the description of Joe Van Wormer collection 1946-1986 (Denver Museum of Nature & Science). WorldCat record id: 69257276

Joseph Edward Van Wormer was a freelance wildlife photographer and writer whose articles and photographs have appeared throughout the world in various books and magazines.

Van Wormer was born on June 15, 1913, in West Plains, Missouri, and was raised in Missouri and Florida. Through his father, an avid hunter and fisherman, he was exposed to wildlife and the outdoors at a young age. He studied accounting at Draughon's Business College in Springfield, MO, which led to two bookkeeping jobs in Missouri. In 1936, Van Wormer married Helen Williams; the couple had two daughters.

Van Wormer moved to Oregon on New Year's Eve 1935 to take another bookkeeping job with the Williamette-Hyster Co. in Portland. He worked as a certified public accountant for the next seventeen years, much of that time in private practice in Bend, Ore. However, as he said later, photography was his first love, and in 1949, he sold his accounting practice to pursue wildlife photography and writing full-time. In a 1980 interview with the West Plains Gazette in his hometown, he described this new career: "Just getting near enough [to wildlife] for a good picture is always a major problem. Add to this subjects and light conditions over which one has no control, and every photo session becomes an adventure???An added dividend comes from getting really close to wildlife for long periods of time."

His articles and photos eventually appeared in magazines including Life, Look, Sports Illustrated and Audubon Magazine . He wrote and illustrated 16 books, beginning with The World of the Bobcat in 1963. Van Wormer donated a large collection of his photographs to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science in 1989.

He died on May 16, 1998.

From the guide to the Joe Van Wormer Collection, 1946-1986, (Denver Museum of Nature & Science)