Tim Gruber and Jenn Ackerman use both photography and video to tell stories for editorial and commercial clients. 
Fall behind winter is my favorite season in Minnesota. There’s not much better than the crisp morning air with the warm sun providing a sparkle for the dew on the grass that glistens like a diamond. Of course you can’t have fall in Minnesota without golden corn and a pumpkin patch or two. So this assignment for the Wall Street Journal about the pumpkin harvest was the perfect way to spend a fall day.
A few photos -
Recently we traveled to Bismarck, North Dakota to shoot a portrait of the president of the only state owned bank in the United States. Making a portrait of a banker probably isn’t high on a lot of people’s list of exciting things to shoot, but Jenn and I were excited about this shoot as it took us to a state we’re completely fascinated with. Our subject, Eric, was easy to work with which always makes our job a joy. We had plenty to talk about including the Vikings and his daughter’s interest in photography.
As I kid I would travel with my parents and sister to make the long trek across the endless landscape to visit our relatives on the North Dakota/Montana border. The drive seemed to go on forever but it’s stuck with me all these years and it was nice to return and explore beyond the interstate after the assignment for a new project we’ve started. More on that in a future post.
A few photos -
Recently I had the chance to work on two fun assignments for the US News & World Report. One of those two took me to Gundersen Lutheran in La Crosse, Wisconsin where I photographed Mike who has receiving chemo treatment for a rare form of lymphoma.
I had no idea Mike was to be discharged that afternoon until I arrived. It made for what could have easily been a depressing story into a joyous one. I spent an exciting afternoon with Mike and his wife Mary and an endless stream of hospital staff coming in to give their well wishes. It was easy to see the staff truly cared about Mike and he would be missed as they said their good-byes and shared an abundance of hugs. In the little quite time we did have we discussed our love for MPR(Minnesota Public Radio) and the usefulness of having an iPad to pass the time in a hospital.
The only sad point in the story came days after our assignment and finding out that the wife of Chris Stauffer, spokesperson for Gundersen Lutheran, died in a moped accident. Even though I only worked with Chris for a few brief hours I knew from the start he was a great guy. He understood what I was trying to do and was very hands-off and made sure I had the time and space I needed to capture heartfelt and telling images. Seeing what I saw from the Gunderson staff that day I know Chris was surrounded by love and support during a very tragic time.
The timing for this assignment from Minnesota Monthly was perfect for us. We had just returned from 26 days in Brazil and only had a few days at home before flying out to Sweden and Norway and we were glad it worked out that way because Alisha’s Care Center was one of those assignments that reminded us that being a photographer is often like being in the second grade with each class trip or in this case assignment exposing you to fascinating people and new places that you otherwise wouldn’t come across.
Below are a few photos and tearsheet from our shoot, but do yourself a favor and pick up the issue not because of our photos but because it’s the best of issue and it’ll leave you with countless new places to explore much like those second grade field trips.
On a day that I found myself at Target buying a new backpack before leaving for our trip to Brazil and a fresh box of #2 pencils I joked with Jenn that it felt like I was back to school shopping. Then ironically enough I get an email from Erica at The Wall Street Journal asking if I can photograph back to school shoppers that afternoon at Target. Hours later I was back at my local Target photographing families back to school shopping.
A few photos from the assignment –
Recently we traveled to the Wisconsin/Illinois border for the AARP Bulletin for a story on bariatric surgery. It was great to finally work with Michael Witchita, an editor we have known and have been excited to work with for awhile.
Postponing the shoot for a couple of days so I could get back in town was the first sign that this story was right up my alley. Julie Hartje had gastric bypass surgery earlier this year in response to her every-growing need for insulin to treat her diabetes. Michael asked me to take photos of Julie as she went about her new daily routine. Every aspect of her life has changed from the amount of food she eats to her ability to walk the dog. Since the surgery, she has gone from seven+ shots of insulin to two and has lost 80+ pounds. Thanks Michael for the great assignment and Julie for being a receptive subject!
A few photos of Julie –
We were delighted to hear from Nicole Fruge, who along with being a very gifted photographer is a photo editor at Education Week. Nicole had the type of assignment we love. Hearing, “go hang out and do your thing,” is music to our ears.
For a story about a rise in grandparents raising their grandkids, I got to hang out with Sandra Smith and her 12-year-old granddaughter, Jonea. Sandra has been raising her granddaughter for more than five years now. I quickly found out how much of a super-mom she truly is. Not only is she involved with her granddaughter’s PTA, she is involved nationally and helps with her Girl Scout troop. She also volunteers every week at another school she felt like needed her help. She is a pretty remarkable woman especially considering during this time she has fought cancer four times.
One of the reasons I love being a photographer is meeting the people I do during assignments. This is one of those days and I was happy to meet Sandra along the way.
Earlier this summer we were in Las Vegas to document the Miss USA pageant when photo editor Maggie Soladay reached out to us wondering if we would have time for a shoot at the Zappos headquarters right outside of Las Vegas.
After documenting the Miss USA pageant for 19 days straight, we were delighted to escape the strip for a few hours and having heard a lot of buzz about the Zappos brand and culture over the years we were excited for the shoot.
To say the Zappos offices are photo friendly would be an understatement. Every office, every cubicle, every possible inch of space has the flair and flavor of their passionate employees. As we normally do before a shoot we ask to look around to find potential areas to shoot and normally one or if you’re luckily two places jump out at you. At the Zappos’ offices everything jumps out you. Rooms are decorated by employees with themes and entire departments take on their own look. Everywhere you looked there was visual possibilities. It was like shooting fish in barrel in a corporate environment. Simply unheard of and it made for two very giddy photographers.
Thanks to Millie and Maggie for the memorable assignment.
The last time we were in Stillwater we were Christmas tree shopping with Tim’s parents and enjoying a bowl of chili at Leo’s. It was great to get back to the quaint little river town of Stillwater even if it was on a tight deadline. Here is the story for The New York Times.
One of my goals for 2011 was to get my work seen in more galleries. This summer I’ve seen that goal become a reality.
Work from my Island project is currently hanging in three different shows with a fourth on the way. Here in Minnesota you can find the work at the Eco Byways show at St John’s and St Ben’s University. My work was honored with a honorable mention. A photo from my island project can also be seen in the Visual Arts Minnesota show where it was a Juror’s Choice winner.
If you find yourself in Texas my work is also hanging at the Houston Center for Photography, which I had the pleasure of visiting for the opening and was really impressed both with their space and the photo community in Houston. It was a wonderful show curated by Ariel Shanberg from The Center for Photography at Woodstock. Jenn told me great things about Ariel after meeting him at Review Santa Fe so it was nice to put a face to the name. The opening came at a great time for me since I’ve been shooting in the Outer Banks on and off this summer and will be returning soon so it was nice to get a fresh perspective from Ariel and others at the opening. Definitely check out the show if you have a chance. See the photographers and work in the show on the Houston Center for Photography website.
My work will also be hanging in the Photo Center NW show in Seattle curated by Karen Irvine from the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago.
