Thank you for your interest. I’m an award-winning outdoor photographer and outdoor educator specializing in photography workshops, fine art, magazine photography, outdoor family portraits in Grand Marais and commercial work.
Get in touch by calling my cell: 218-370-8351.
I’d love to photograph your family or your commercial project or teach you more about photography. I’m happy to answer questions or give you more information, too. Email me at bryan@bryanhansel.com.
Elevator Pitch
Bryan Hansel is a professional award-winning landscape photographer and outdoor educator with over three decades of experience. His work has been featured in numerous publications, including National Geographic and Outdoor Photographer, and he was recognized as the Best Photographer in Minnesota by Lake Times Magazine in 2018.
In addition to his successful career as a photographer, Hansel is also an accomplished outdoor educator and guide, leading photography workshops to some of the most breathtaking locations in the country, including our national parks and forests.
He is an ambassador and filter designer for Singh-Ray Filters, as well as an ambassador for Northstar Canoe. Hansel currently resides in Grand Marais, Minnesota.
Konnie LeMay, editor of Lake Superior Magazine, has said about his work, “His photography expresses his love and concern for our wild spaces and delicate environments. He’s one of a handful of photographers with whom we work who can literally translate emotions into their images. The joy of continued discovery comes out in Bryan’s work — he may have shot the same scenic area a dozen or more times, but every image speaks to a new way of seeing or of something freshly seen.”
Long Bio
I first learned photography in high school. My teacher taught me how to print photos in the black and white darkroom and inspired a lifelong passion. The process of watching a photo appear on paper after dipped into chemicals captured my imagination, and I took every class my school offered. By the time I was a senior, my teacher had to create two new private study classes for me, and I designed my schedule so I could spend hours a day in the darkroom.
After high school, I studied English and religion in college. I used photography to document my backpacking, climbing and paddling trips. Eventually, I settled down in Iowa City and started taking college-level photography courses which grew my love of photography.
When I moved to Grand Marais, I started a photography business as a real estate photographer, but moved into fine-art landscape, magazine photography, portraits and commercial work. Since then, I’ve won awards for my landscape work and have been included on 121Clicks’ list of the top 100 landscape photographers. My favorite award was winning the Canoe and Kayak Magazine’s People’s Choice. In 2018, I received Lake Times Magazine’s Best Photographer in Minnesota award.
I also teach one-on-one photography lessons and photography workshops. I love teaching photography and hope that by teaching, I can instill the love of photography to my students the same way my high school teacher instilled it in me. I think photography is something that can be learned, and I believe that you can develop photographic talent. I also believe that photographic instruction is essential for getting the most out of photography. With instruction, you will gain confidence, learn to make more effective photos and shortcut the learning process.
I love photographing the Lake Superior shoreline near Grand Marais and the many lakes of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. I feel lucky to live in an area with such great beauty, and I hope that my photos help you fall in love with the area. If you already love it but can’t live here, I hope that my photography fills that longing to return. There’s something about this area that seems to lure people back. I’m also drawn towards the Badlands and Black Hills where I lived for a spell. The east coast and the Smoky Mountains hold a dear place in my heart. I hiked the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia in my mid-20s and it lures me back. I also love the western mountains where I’ve had many adventures that now serve as wonderful memories and serve to inspire workshops.
In addition to teaching and photography, I love sea kayaking and canoeing. I’m an former American Canoe Association certified Level 4 Open Water Coastal Kayaking Instructor, and I’ve been trained as a Wilderness First Responder and currently hold Wilderness First Aid certifications. I’m sponsored by Northstar Canoes, and I’m a Singh-Ray Filter ambassador. I’ve designed several filters with Singh-Ray. I also sit on the board of the Wilderness Classroom, a 501(c)3 that brings wilderness expeditions to over 3,200 teachers and 100,000 students around the globe.
Publications
My work appears in national and regional magazines, newspapers, calendars, in both print and broadcast advertising, on numerous websites, in stores, in galleries, on billboards and on the walls of many homes. Publications include Outdoor Photographer, Ocean Paddler, Canoeroots, Adventure Kayak, Canoe and Kayak Magazine, Backpacker Magazine, World Haiku Review, Frogpond, Sea Kayaker Magazine, Paddler, Paddling Magazine, North Star Port Magazine, Lake Superior Magazine, Minnesota Monthly, Wine Spectator, Superior Outdoors, Silent Sports Magazine, Masik, Cook County Star and News Herald, Northern Wilds, Minnesota Public Radio, National Geographic, National Parks Traveler, BoatUS, Wilderness News, Smoky Mountain Journal of Photography, AAA Living Magazine and more.
Sponsors
I’m picky about who I work with on sponsorships and believe that the sponsorship has to be beneficial for both parties. Over the years, I’ve been sponsored by a dozen or so different companies. I currently work with Northstar Canoes and Singh-Ray Filters, two of my favorite companies. I also work with several other companies to provide reviews of their products.
Contact Info
Bryan Hansel Photography LLC
Grand Marais, MN 55604-0149
Email: bryan@bryanhansel.com
Phone: (218) 370-8351