Craig van der Lende is a commercial photographer and filmmaker based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. With a career spanning decades of high-end advertising work, he is known for successfully transitioning from still photography to motion, offering "visual solutions" that bridge the gap between static imagery and cinematic storytelling. van der Lende initially built his reputation in still photography, shooting national campaigns for major global brands including Microsoft, Sony, United Airlines, General Motors, Kellogg’s, and Reebok. His work has been featured in prestigious industry publications such as the Communication Arts Photography Annual, Graphis Photo, and Lürzer's Archive, and has been recognized with Addy Awards.
As the media landscape shifted, he expanded into cinematography and editing. He notably collaborated on the pitch materials that sold the series "All Access PD - Grand Rapids" to Warner/Discovery, and he has served as a Director of Photography for productions including the Discovery ID documentary series "Disappeared."
Operating out of a 2,000-square-foot studio in downtown Grand Rapids, van der Lende specializes in:
• Food & Beverage: He is frequently cited as one of the top food photographers in the region.
• Corporate & Industrial Motion: Producing narrative-driven content for clients like Shape Corp, Unilever, EQI and non profits Birthstone St Louis and Christian Leaders Institute.
• Humanitarian Work: He has traveled to East Africa (Burundi and Rwanda) to document micro-finance and water projects for World Relief.