Mounds View Photographer Minnesota Professional Photographer Portraits
Michael Anderson has been a professional photographer in Mounds View since 1986. Over that time, the studio has photographed countless special family milestones. People know when they select our studio to create their portraits that they are getting a high-quality professional photographer.
Michael is a very diversified Minnesota professional photographer, creating many types of portraits at their Mounds View photography studio. One thing that sets them apart from other Minnesota professional photographers is that they have an outdoor photography location on the premises. Anderson’s Portrait Park has been specifically landscaped for creating outdoor photos without having to go to a crowded location.
Giving Back To The Community
As Mounds View, Minnesota photographers, Michael, along with his wife Joannie, not only live and work here but are part of the Mounds View community. They’re involved with the Ralph Reeder Food Shelf in New Brighton, MN. For over 25 years they have donated their session fees, as well as part of the sales from their Easter Portraits With Real Bunnies to Ralph Reeder. They have donated over $40,000 over the years.
The Best Santa Experience in Minnesota (or anywhere else for that matter) is held annually at their Mounds View portrait studio. This wonderful event is a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis. You’ll see more information on that below.
This post is all about showcasing the many types of professional portraits that are created at their Mounds View photo studio and beyond. Let’s begin with Easter photos with bunnies.
Easter Bunny Photographs
As mentioned above, as Mounds View photographers, Michael and Joannie are part of their community. One of their favorite ways to give back is with Easter Bunny Photos every year. Donating the session fees to the Ralph Reeder Food Shelf has raised thousands of dollars over the years.
Thier Easter Bunny photo sets have come a long way over the years too. Some years, they’ve built their set rather than just using a traditional background. Micahel has even light painted the Easter set at times. We’ll talk about what light painting photography is a bit later on.
Anthony & Alex with our bunnies, Jack and Cookie Dough!
Bunny portraits are one of their favorite professional photography events of the whole year. It’s so much fun to see these kids light up when they meet our little bunnies. The fact that we can raise so much money to help feed those in need is the icing on the cake!
Mounds View Maternity Photographer
That bump in your tummy is going to change your life in ways that you cannot even imagine. It’s an exciting time in your lives and the anticipation can drive you crazy! It’s a moment in time that’s beautiful to photograph. Maternity photos are an intimate way to share this special time with your spouse (and your other kids too).
Alyssa in silhouette.
We create most of our maternity pictures in our portrait studio, but we’ve also used our Portrait Park as well. Not only do we create maternity photographs, but we do gender-reveal photos there as well.
Mounds View Newborn Photography
As a Minnesota professional photographer, my absolute favorite subject has got to be newborn baby photos! I just love those little buggers! When I think about it, I think it stems from having a mom who was a daycare provider. As the oldest kid in our family, I would get to hold and play with not only my three brothers when they were babies, but also the kids that came to the house each day too.
There’s something extraordinary about these tiny little gifts from Heaven that I love! Even at just a day or two old, their personalities are already apparent, even when they are sleeping.
Logan Nash. Pretty dang cute!
Being a newborn photographer is certainly not the quickest of any of our photography sessions. Most newborn photos take two to three hours to complete. That sounds crazy, doesn’t it?
These little people just arrived on our Rock and they have to figure everything out from scratch. There’s always at least one or two feedings (sometimes more), diaper changes (always more than one), outfit changes, and cuddle time to get them comfortable with their baby photos. We’ve even installed infrared heaters in the studio ceiling just to keep these little ones warm.
Newborn portraits are certainly not easy, but they are more rewarding to me than most of the other portraits I create.
Mounds View Children’s Portrait Photographer
One of the best things about being a newborn photographer is that your subject is constantly changing from day one. For the first year, it’s a daily occurrence! That newborn baby that you brought home from the hospital is only that way for just a week or two.
The baby stage lasts until they are around nine months old or so and then, almost overnight, those cute little babies suddenly become cute little kids! Then comes lots of opportunities for kid’s portraits!
Ryder prepares for his “bath time”.
As a professional photographer, I know the importance of capturing these changes. Because we all know that life simply goes by way too fast! These kids will “grow up” on us before we even realize it.
We highly recommend children’s professional portraits at the following age intervals. Newborn photos, then three-month pictures, six-month portraits, nine-month pics, and one-year-old portraits.
After the first year, the major appearance changes slow down a bit, so it’s usually eighteen-month photos next, and then we recommend children’s photos at least once every year until they become high school seniors.
Yes, we know that everyone has a cell phone camera. But when you really look at most of the cell phone pictures you take on a daily basis, are they well-lit, clean backgrounds, retouched? Heck, I’m a full-time professional photographer and very few of my cell phone pics are fit for display anywhere other than on my iPhone.
The Best Santa Experience in Minnesota
This is The Best Santa Experience you’ll find anywhere! It is held right here in our Mounds View, Minnesota photo studio! There are several reasons why we rock these professional portraits with Santa Claus.
- Unlike the malls and other venues, our Santa Claus IS Santa Claus!
- It’s not rushed. Each time slot is one hour long! Lots of time for anxious kids to “warm up” to Santa.
- Each child receives gifts from Santa Claus.
- Our sets are incredibly detailed and realistic! We even light paint them for even more detail! More on light painting photography later on.
- We have some of Santa’s elves here too!
- Treats and snacks for everyone!
- Probably the best thing of all is that The Best Santa Experience is a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis! Joannie and I donate the entire session fee and a portion of the print sales to help fight CF! That’s a win-win!
Four cousins get to take a peek at Santa’s “Nice List” to see if they are on it!
Mounds View Senior Portrait Photographer
Before you know it, those little kids aren’t so little anymore and they are graduating from high school! It’s a milestone that has its very own professional portrait specialty, high school senior pictures.
I’ll be the first to admit that we don’t do many of our senior portraits here at our Mounds View portrait studio. We certainly do some of our senior photos in our studio, and even more in our Portrait Park. Also, when our seniors need a “formal” yearbook photo, we photograph many of those in our camera room.
Still, the vast majority of our senior photos are done on-location around Minneapolis, St. Paul, Anoka, and Stillwater, Minnesota. Just because we’re Mounds View photographers doesn’t mean we have to stay in Mounds View!
Me and my cello.
Each year, we have high school seniors join us on our annual North Shore Portrait Weekend up on Lake Superior, MN. Our Lake Superior senior portraits usually include stops in Duluth, Two Harbors, and always at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park.
Lindsey, in the rain, at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park.
Senior Portrait Green Screen Composites
But the thing that our high school seniors love most about having their senior pics in our Mounds View photo studio is when we create senior photo green screen composites. Our senior portrait composites take senior photos to an all-new level.
Josh’s senior portrait on a big pile of soccer balls!
Usually, we feature senior sports photos as the theme, but virtually anything can be done on a green screen if we put our minds to it.
Ben, hitting the driver off an “elevated” tee box!
Minnesota Professional Photographer – Family Portraits
I’ve titled this section under Minnesota Professional Photographer. Because so many of our family portraits have been photographed not only at our Mounds View portrait studio and in our Portrait Park but all over Minnesota!
Family portrait in Fall colors taken at Anderson’s Portrait Park.
We’ve also created family portraits all over the country. We’ve photographed family photos in Myrtle Beach, SC, family pictures in Charlotte, NC, and Daytona Beach, FL family portraits too.
Micahel and Joannie have created dozens of family pictures at family cabins and resorts all over Minnesota and Wisconsin too. Not to mention North Shore Portrait Weekend on Lake Superior every year since 1996. I guess you could say that we’ve “been around”!
Brenk family portrait at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park.
Mounds View Pet Photographer
Pets are considered family members by most pet owners. We’ve included pets in many family portraits over the years. Many times it’s interesting to create a family photo with pets, especially if the family also has any small kids. Let’s just say that chaos can and usually ensues during the session!
Kaiser & his family.
However many pet owners want beautiful portraits of their pets. All by themselves! Quite often I create pet portraits when the family gets a new puppy. Other than babies and little kids, there’s nothing cuter than a puppy! Unless it’s a litter of puppies! Many breeders have brought a litter to our Mounds View portrait studio before they are given to their new owners. Talk about cute, furry, chaos!
Is it nap time or playtime?
Our Portrait Park has also been the scene of its share of pet photos over the years too. I’m not sure why it is, but I’d say 99% of all of the pet portraits I’ve ever photographed are dogs. Man’s best friend, I guess.
Pet portrait created in the fall colors at Anderson’s Portrait Park in Mounds View, MN.
Mounds View Light Painting Photographer
Light painting photography is our newest endeavor. I was taught by one of the best., John Hartman, in Stevens Point, WI. Initially, the majority of our light painting photographs were wedding photography light paintings. However, we’re now creating light paintings of all kinds of cool stuff, including this 2007 Kenworth T600 up in Duluth, Minnesota!
Bill’s stunning light painting of his 2007 Kenworth T600 under the I-535 Bridge in Duluth, Minnesota!
I’ve also light painted a variety of public safety vehicles. Here are a couple of them:
The Birthday Boy! Two-year-old Ryder and 2 toy Dalmatian puppies!
A really cool light painting of the Robbinsdale Chief of Police and a Dodge Charger Police Interceptor.
Light painted photographs are by far the most complex type of portrait we create. They are done at night in near-total darkness. The typical subject is supposed to be a stationary subject. Most light painting photos you’ll see are of vintage cars, motorcycles, and interesting buildings, sometimes all three!
Version one, is the “cool” version of Corey & Ashley’s light painting.
Joannie and I have discovered the secret to doing these light painting portraits with people in them. As you can see above, and below, we’re getting pretty good at it too!
“Let’s Play Hockey!”
It takes a bit more planning than a typical portrait, and a little luck in the weather department, but light painting portraits are really something you’ll cherish forever. Give us a call to talk about it at 763-785-1177.
Steve and Sandra’s stunning 1950 Oldsmobile 88 Holiday Coupe light painting at Gregg’s Garage Vintage Restored Gas Station.