Explore Minnesota Tourism

On location advertising photography

Explore Minnesota Dreamstate and Star of the North Campaigns

I began working with Adventure Creative Group, now Rise and Shine and Partners, and Explore Minnesota Tourism in 2018. As a lifestyle photographer based in Minneapolis, shooting tourism photos of my home state offers the ideal combination of artistry and exploration. Additionally, I have the opportunity to collaborate with my friends at Capture Filmco, who have managed production, directing, videography, and video post-production. With each project, our process becomes more refined.

Our initial full-scale campaign, Dreamstate, presented a hyper-realistic portrayal of Minnesota, evoking the feeling of a perfect day up north with unforgettable weather and sunsets. This campaign has since evolved into the Star of the North campaign, which curates activity itineraries for ideal travelers across the state. We've hosted individuals from all corners of the US, showcasing Minnesota's diverse offerings, including ice climbing, cross country skiing, the BWCAW, Hjordis Sailboat on Lake Superior, Grand Marais Folk School, glass blowing in Duluth, North Shore Camping Co, Nature Link Resort, Cuyuna biking, Cuyuna Cove, Stepchild Restaurant, Boucheron Restaurant, Spoon & Stable Restaurant, Diane’s Place, The Minnesota State Fair, Owamni, Redhead Kayaking, First Ave, Paisley Park, Sauna Camp, Malcolm Yards, Lake of the Woods, Marc Heu and the list goes on and on. 

The stylistic range of these projects is noteworthy. Dreamstate required extensive location scouting to pinpoint the perfect spot within each location. Every aspect, from camera angles and lighting to special effects and settings, was meticulously planned. Post-production involved compositing in Photoshop to achieve the "perfect moment" while maintaining an authentic feel. Conversely, Star of the North embraces a documentary style, capturing photos alongside video. The creative team places a high level of trust in my ability to seize spontaneous moments and capture hero shots as opportunities arise. It has been a fulfilling experience to cultivate this relationship with the creative team.

This project more than any other has shaped my photography career. I’ve learned pre production planning and concepting, location scouting through google and then in person, shooting photos on location  with and without photography assistants and digitechs, as well as culling, processing, and retouching thousands of images.