Joan Myers was born in 1944 in Des Moines, Iowa, and had an early interest in the sciences and mathematics. At Stanford University, her concentration on Renaissance and baroque music performance led to a B.A in 1966 and a M.A. in musicology in 1967.

In the early 1970's Ms. Myers turned to photography. Today she utilizes various digital methods, as well as the platinum palladium process and continues her exploration of hand applied color. She maintains her residence and studio near Santa Fe, New Mexico, and teaches workshops throughout the country.

In 2002, the National Science Foundation awarded Joan Myers an Antarctic Artists and Writers Grant to photograph at McMurdo Station, surrounding field stations, historic huts, and the South Pole during the 2002-2003 austral summer. Wondrous Cold: An Antarctic Journey, an exhibition developed by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), offers a glimpse of the majestic continent through her photographs and began a 15-city national tour in May 2006. A companion book was published by Smithsonian Books and distributed by HarperCollins.

Ms. Myer's photographs have been exhibited internationally and are represented in many major museums and corporate collections.