Well-known North Dakota photographer
returns to his roots — creating images
of high school seniors, babies and children, families, pets and photojournalistic weddings

Master photographer Russ Hanson has come full circle with
The LOOK, his new portrait studio in Fargo-Moorhead.

“I got my professional start taking photographs of high school seniors, babies, families and weddings,” he says. “After more than 400 weddings and too many seniors to count, my focus shifted toward magazine and advertising photography.

“Now, with The LOOK, I have the opportunity to work with ‘real people’ again – and I’m loving it. Our high-quality professional digital technology allows us to create portraits and creative art-book-style albums unlike anything that was possible even a few years ago. It’s a terrific creative boost!”

Hanson has operated the region’s largest commercial and advertising photography studio, Hanson Photo.Video.Communications, since 1991. “It’s a little weird to have been in the photo business for as long as I have – and still be the ‘new kid on the block’ in terms of portraiture,” he says with a smile.

While his commercial work has focused on professional models trained to unobtrusively make the product look good – whether clothing, a restaurant or heavy equipment – he welcomes the opportunity to focus entirely on the personalities of the people he photographs for The LOOK.

“Our approach is different than other studios because our background is so different,” he says. “We have no ‘same old same old’ way of approaching any wedding and portrait session.

“We’re making great-looking images for The LOOK’s clients exactly as we’ve done for our advertising clients over the years – always looking for fresh looks, fresh settings, fresh angles and original ideas that bring out the many aspects of our clients’ personalities, whether we’re photographing a beautiful bride or a brand-new baby.”

Russ’s photojournalist-style wedding coverage is quite different from the stylized "candid weddings" he photographed at the start of his career. His approach is based on his long experience telling stories through photographs published in magazines, books and newspapers. The handsome coffee-table wedding albums he’s creating today use the same magazine-style layout techniques typical of photo features in high-end style magazines.

Russ’s staff creates wedding DVDs, as well as turns family photo collections into sometimes-hilarious, sometimes-sentimental ‘slide shows’ on DVDs. The photo-videos are great for showers, rehearsal dinners and receptions – as well as other occasions, from birthdays and graduation open houses to landmark anniversaries and memorial services.

For more information on Russ and The LOOK, call him at 478-LOOK
(1-877-290-0967).

<<Back to www.TheLOOKgallery.com

 Russ Hanson:
Professional credentials

• Owner, Hanson Photo.Video. Communications, since 1991—
  area’s largest commercial (advertising) photographic studio. Also produces professional videos, DVDs and direct-mail marketing material.

• Innovator, The LOOK by Hanson Photo, since 2003.

• Past experiences:

  • Chairman, Bismarck State College Graphic Arts Department, 1977–1984

  • Assistant editor, regional magazine (Howard Binford's Guide), 1984–1986.

  • Director of photography, Hetland Ltd. advertising agency, 1986—1991.

  • Photographer, North Dakota Travel Division (tourism promotion), 1973–1976.

  • Chief photographer, major regional studio in Paducah, KY.

  • Assisted in establishing major regional studio in Bismarck-Mandan, ND.

  • B.S. degree in photography and cinematography, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL.

• Photographic contributor, Dakota Geographic series of best-selling photo-essay books for North Dakota Centennial.

• Contributor to many magazines, calendars and other publications including North Dakota Horizons and national publications

• Twenty years of award-winning photos commercial photos for clients ranging from Ramada Plaza, Holiday Inn and Radisson Plaza hotels; regional apparel chains; real estate developers, architects and builders; colleges and educational programs; many more.

• Fuji International Master's Awards

• PPA national juried awards

• Member, American Society of Photographers (national organization of top photographers with selective juried admission process)

• Past president, Professional Photographers of America’s Northern Light Region (Dakotas, Minnesota & Manitoba)

• Past president, Professional Photographers of North Dakota

• Are you actually still reading this? Didn’t mean to go on and on, but I’ve got experience in making people products and places look great — and I’d love to work with you!