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Sports Photoshop Template
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Professional Photographer in Mounds View, Minnesota

Are you looking for a real professional photographer to capture a big event in your life? Look no further than Michael Anderson, a professional photographer in Mounds View, Minnesota for over 35 years.

Whether you’re looking for great high school senior portraits, or wonderful family and children’s photos, we have you covered! We’re also award-winning wedding photographers too!

But that’s not all! We also create one-of-a-kind photographs of your vehicle, aircraft, or business using a photography technique called light painting. And last, but not least, we create amazing photographs with Santa Claus that will blow you away! Michael Anderson Photography has you covered in so many ways!


High School Senior Photographer

Please click here to be taken to our Senior Portraits page.

Are you looking for a professional photographer who does a great job creating senior photos? You’ve found the right place! Your senior portraits will be created with relaxed poses and great lighting too.

Senior photo of a boy and his dog at Lester Park in Duluth, MN.

A great senior photo of Tanden and Remy was created on our annual “North Shore Weekend” at Lester Park in Duluth, MN.

Michael offers senior pictures at locations all over the Twin Cities and beyond, as well as right here in-studio, and in our very own Portrait Park!

He also creates specialized green screen senior pics for sports and other school activities!

Professional senior photographer in Mounds View, Minnesota. Irondale High School boys basketball composite on a pile of basketballs.

Senior in the Spotlight.

All of your senior photos will be fully retouched and enhanced so that you look your best!

Light painted senior photo with the Zamboni at Lichtscheidl Arena in Forest Lake, MN.

“Let’s Play Hockey!” A cool light painted senior photo with a Zamboni!

Michael also creates light painted senior photos for many of his high school seniors. Anything from your car, truck, musical instruments, a Zamboni, and more can be light painted. It’s not easy to do, but senior photo light paintings are so cool!

A cool light painted senior photo of a boy and his drum set, holding lighted drum sticks, on the football field at Totino Grace High School in Fridley, MN.

A really cool light painting of Nate with his light-up drumsticks!


One of the Finest Light Painting Photographers in the Country

As a professional photographer in Mounds View, Minnesota, Michael has created photographs of many different genres over the years. Over the last several years, one of them has truly become a photographic specialty. And Michael has integrated it into many other aspects of the studio. It’s called light painting.

Light painting photography is a highly specialized field. And Michael has become an expert at creating these one-of-a-kind artworks. You’ll find hundreds of light painted photographs, dedicated pages, and blog posts throughout this website. However, our light painting photography has become such a specialty that we now have a dedicated light painting photography website just for that!

Here’s the link to visit our dedicated Light Painting Website

Michael specializes in creating one-of-a-kind light paintings of all kinds of subjects. Light painting is usually reserved for cool cars, motorcycles, planes, and other things. However, Michael has taken the concept a whole lot further! He’s incorporated light painting into his high school senior photos, children’s portraits, engagement photographs, and wedding photography too!


Home of The Best Santa Experience

Speaking of photographic specialties, every November, Michael and Joannie become two of “Santa’s Elves”! They assist Santa Claus in helping to raise money to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis! They create amazing custom-written Santa Storybooks and Santa artworks, many of which are also light painted! All the while raising thousands of dollars each year to help those with CF. It’s a win-win!

A brother and sister take a peek into Santa's Magic Toy Bag at The Best Santa Experience in Mounds View, MN.

Kira and Austin take a peek into Santa’s Magic Toy Bag!

With the theme changing each year, The Best Santa Experience has grown to be an annual event for many families. So much so that, in addition to all of the Santa blog posts and other information on this website, it too has a dedicated website! You can experience the magic, and make your online reservation by clicking on this link! Hurry, we sell out every year! Please check it all out at TheBestSantaExperience.com

Kids help Santa place Frosty the Snowman's hat upon his head at The Best Santa Experience at Michael Anderson Photography.

Santa reads “The Night Before Christmas” from his Magic Book to two adorable sisters!



Professional Family Portraits

Dealing with your family can be tough. Working with your photographer should be easy.

As a professional photographer in Mounds View, Minnesota, Michael has had the privilege to create thousands of memories for families over the years. Whether it’s during our annual North Shore Weekend, right here in our very own Portrait Park, or at a location that’s special to you, Michael will create a family portrait that you’ll treasure forever!

A nice family portrait, taken in the fog at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park.

Gary and Carol’s annual family portrait was created at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park.

We create beautiful family portraits that are handed down for generations.

We’ll help you plan what to wear, the time of day that’s best for lighting, add more lighting if needed, and finally, help you decide the proper size to display in your home or office. Heck, we even have our very own Portrait Park at our Mounds View, MN home studio, and it’s available to you at no extra cost!

Let us create a memory that will last a lifetime

A nice springtime family portrait created at Anderson's Portrait Park in Mounds View, MN.

A nice early spring family portrait was created right here in our Portrait Park.

Fall color family portrait with their pet German shepherd named Kaiser.

Kaiser & his family.

Engagement portrait in the orchard at Aamodt's Apple Farm in Stillwater, MN.

In the apple orchard.

“Michael’s work is incredible. I’ve never seen anything as beautiful as the quality of his photography and the incredible designs he creates to display them. He will always be our organizations and our personal first choice as a photographer!”

Harmon & Nita Killebrew – The Harmon Killebrew FoundationMore Testimonials Here


Child Growing Up Too Fast?

Capturing a milestone in your child’s life doesn’t have to be stressful!

Adorable little Easton's three-month-old portraits.

It doesn’t get much cuter than this!

Your kids can’t look great if they are not relaxed and enjoying the process of having their portraits created. Because we have a home-based indoor and outdoor studio in Mounds View, your kids will be much more comfortable having fun getting their portraits taken here.

And when your kids get older (which will be in the blink of an eye), we specialize in beautiful high school senior pictures too!

Kid's portrait of two brothers taken in Fall colors at Anderson's Portrait Park.

Fisher and Tanner’s portrait taken in Fall colors.

“We love when these milestones come up because it means we get to work with you again. Thank you so much for all your patience with Mommy and me, and for sharing your amazing talent with us. You’ve created such great treasures for our family and we can’t tell you enough how much we appreciate you! Thanks a million!”

– Love, Katie (and the whole family) – More Testimonials Here

Trust us to help capture your child’s special moments – click here


Minneapolis and St. Paul Wedding Photographers

You have hundreds of things to worry about, your wedding photographer shouldn’t be one of them.

Michael and Joannie are two of the best Minneapolis and St. Paul wedding photographers. With over 35 years of experience, they have photographed well over 800 weddings, creating hundreds of beautiful wedding albums and award-winning wedding photos. Their Mounds View, MN portrait studio can go mobile to just about any wedding location ensuring great lighting for your wedding photos.

The bride and groom having fun out in the vineyard during their 7 Vines Vineyard wedding reception.

Dan and Jenny having a little fun out in the vineyard just after sunset.

Destination Wedding Photographers

Destination wedding photography is also something that Michael and Joannie Anderson excel at. They have been destination wedding photographers in many parts of Minnesota. From weddings in Duluth, Two Harbors, Gooseberry Falls, Split Rock Lighthouse, and Hibbing up north, to Rochester, Red Wing, and Alexandria in the south, they’ve photographed weddings all around the state!

Split Rock Lighthouse wedding photography of the wedding ceremony with the famous lighthouse in the background.

What a beautiful place to get married!

More distant destination wedding photo locations include venues all over Wisconsin and Iowa, in San Antonio, Texas, and the stunning Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Light Painted Wedding Photographs

Michael and Joannie are the only wedding photographers out there who create light paintings for their wedding couples. These light painted wedding photographs are one-of-a-kind works of art!

A beautiful light painted wedding photo of the bride and groom outside of The Gull Lake Center at Grandview Lodge in Nisswa, MN.

Wes and Lindsey’s one-of-a-kind light painting at The Gull Lake Center.

Michael and Joannie are truly Minnesota’s Husband and Wife Wedding Photography Team and, as mentioned, the only Light Painting Wedding Photographers in the world. These are beautiful, one-of-a-kind wedding photographs that are not available anywhere else.

The World’s Only Full-Scene Light Painting Wedding Photographers

Inducted into The Knot “Best of Weddings” Hall of Fame

Selected Seven Times as “The Best Wedding Photographers in Minneapolis” by Expertise.com

13-time Winners of “The Knot” Best of Weddings

Six-Time WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award Winners

“I cannot say enough about how amazing our experience was with Michael and Joannie. The pictures were amazing and it is not because I am extremely good looking, it is because this is the BEST photographer in the State of Minnesota!”

Marcus & KristaMore Testimonials


Nature and Wildlife Photography

The Northern Lights on the north shore of Lake Superior in March 2021.

The Aurora Borealis. The photo was captured in Silver Bay, Minnesota on a very cold March night in 2021.

In addition to being a professional photographer in Mounds View, Minnesota, Michael is an accomplished nature and wildlife photographer as well. That’s how he began his career in photography over 40 years ago! He took a long hiatus from nature and wildlife photography to operate their wedding and portrait studio. Now he’s back doing it just for the fun of it anytime the opportunity presents itself.

Photographs of Bald Eagles

One of his favorite flying subjects to photograph is bald eagles. Both locally, and in other locations such as Alaska, these magnificent birds of prey are amazing! You can view our bald eagle photography on this page on our website.

Soaring bald eagle Kenai Mountains Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

A soaring bald eagle near the Kenai Mountains in Alaska.

Photographs of Alaska Brown Bears (Grizzlies)

He and Joannie were also able to photograph brown bears (grizzlies) on an amazing excursion to the world-famous Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park in Alaska! It was a once-in-a-liftime, bucket list event!

Images from that fabulous experience can be enjoyed on our Grizzly Bear photography page by clicking on this link

PPhoto was taken during one of Michael Anderson Photography Tours to Alaska.

Fresh salmon, it’s what’s for lunch!

Humpback Whale Photographs

One of our favorite locations to visit has to be Hawaii, especially in the wintertime! It’s always nice to get away from the cold weather here in Minnesota. But the fact that thousands of humpback whales spend the winter in Hawaii makes the getaway all the better! Over the years, Joannie and I have enjoyed quite a few whale-watching excursions, each one is an opportunity to see these magnificent creatures, sometimes up close too!

An adult humpback whale breaches off the coast of Maui, Hawaii.

A breaching humpback whale! By far my favorite thing to witness on a whale-watching trip (or from shore)!

We’ve created a special gallery of humpback whale photographs for you to enjoy. The best part about our humpback whale gallery is that if you purchase any of the images to enjoy in your home or office, we will donate 100% of the profits to the Maui United Way to help Maui recover from the devastating wildfires of 2023.

Please click here to visit our humpback whale photography page and gallery.

Photographs of Pele’s Well in Hawaii

On a recent visit to Hawaii, we were able to visit a very unique location on the Big Island of Hawaii. It was so beautiful, that we photographed it nearly every night on our visit! That spot is called Pele’s Well. Please click on the link below to read about this amazing place.

Here’s the link to our Pele’s Well photography page and gallery of images.

A stunning sunset at Pele's Well near Kona, Hawaii.

One of many beautiful sunsets that we enjoyed, and photographed, at Pele’s Well.

There will be more nature and wildlife locations to come! Thank you for spending time on our website. Please contact us if you have any questions. Thank you! – M&J


Senior Photos | Light Painting Photography | Family Portraits | Newborn and Kids Portraits

Pet Photography | Engagement Photography | Wedding Photography


We’d love to hear from you!

Please contact us here or call us at 763-785-1177 to chat about your plans.

“Professional Photographer in Mounds View, Minnesota” © 2024 Michael Anderson Photography.