Wayne Moran Photography

What are the best places in Minneapolis to photograph?

I get asked the question all the time, what are the best places to photograph in Minneapolis. Well of course that depends upon what you are really looking for but the way I understand that question is this way, What are the most popular, iconic, interesting places to photograph in Minneapolis that will give me the photographer a good chance at getting a good picture? So that is the question I will answer here in this article.

Like I have said many times before, I have found that my best images are painted in my mind long before I actually shoot them. What I mean by this is that I find myself going by places in the city and the place makes me stop and say wow, so it starts capturing my attention. The place is often times historic in nature or it is iconic for some reason or another. Then the most important thing is that it can be view by an interesting perspective and when you view it from that place, it can be lit with interesting light. Remember, light is the key to good photography. We are as they say light painters.

So let’s take a look at some of those places that have caught my attention and have moved me enough to capture them so that those images can move you.

Target Field / Minnesota Twins Stadium

If there is one place in Minneapolis that everyone knows about it is probably the target field or the Minnesota Twins Stadium. It does not matter if you are a baseball fan or not, you cannot shield yourself from all the news coverage of the twins during baseball season. The new Twins stadium has gotten national coverage as one of the top 5 most interesting stadiums in the country. It certainly is a marvel to behold, a wonderful work of architecture. I am not a huge baseball fan but even I love going there. It has an almost carnival like atmosphere and an evening there for a wonderful summer evening is just plain fun. But not only does the place have all that going for it but then you have some of the great views of the city from that place. They are really quite stunning. So Target Field is certainly one of the places that I would recommend to put on your list as a place to photograph in Minneapolis.




Minneapolis Stone Arch Bridge

The Minneapolis Stone Arch Bridge is one of those places that have the history, the incredible architecture, the iconic reputation and the light. This bridge enabled much of the commerce in the area allowing to city to become a financial powerhouse in the region. The architecture is reminiscent of historic classical Roman architecture. This place is great for a date or great for wedding photographers. It is great for the active runners and bikers. It is certainly one of my favorite places in the city.




Well that's Minneapolis covered. Shortly, I'll get my friends over at photographers.com.au to give you a run down on the best places to photograph in Oz.

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden: Spoon and Cherry

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden or as many of the locals know it The Walker Sculpture Garden.

"The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is an 11 acre (45,000 m²) park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the United States. It is located near the Walker Art Center, which operates it in coordination with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. It is one of the largest urban sculpture gardens in the country, with 40 permanent art installations and several other temporary pieces that are moved in and out periodically."

"The centerpiece of the garden is the Spoonbridge and Cherry (1985–1988) water sculpture designed by husband and wife Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen"
Wiki




Nicollet Mall

Nicollet Mall running through downtown Minneapolis is a pedestrian and transit mall, it is also an upscale shopping and dining district. Nicollet Mall forms a significant part of the cultural and commercial heart of the city. Many iconic Minneapolis buildings line the Mall, notably the IDS Center, Macy's, Orchestra Hall and Minneapolis Public Library. In the summer, Nicollet hosts a popular farmers' market and on twins game day the place come alive like the fair. In the winter the mall is the route of Holidazzle Parade .




Historic Minneapolis City Hall and Courthouse

Minneapolis City Hall, designed by Long and Kees in 1888, is the main building used by the city government of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The structure has served many different purposes since it was built, although today the building is 100 percent used by the city. It formerly served as the Hennepin County Courthouse in addition to City Hall. A new county courthouse, Hennepin County Government Center opened in 1973 freeing up the building for city purposes. The City Hall and Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Wiki

When you shoot this place, it ends up looking like an Escher image.

http://www.mcescher.com/Gallery/gallery.htm




Lake Calhoun

Lake Calhoun Sailboats

This location is one of the most iconic in the city of Minneapolis. It is beautiful day or night, summer or winter. Lake Calhoun is the biggest lake in Minneapolis, and part of the city's Chain of Lakes. Surrounded by city park land and circled by bike and walking trails, it is popular for many outdoor activities.



Walker Art Museum Minneapolis

"The Walker Art Center is a contemporary art center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The Walker is considered one of the nation's "big five" museums for modern art along with the Museum of Modern Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum and the Hirshhorn. It was founded in 1879 by lumberman Thomas Barlow Walker and which he formally established at its current location in 1927 as the first public art gallery in the Upper Midwest. Directly across from the museum are the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, which opened in 1988; and the Cowles Conservatory. The Walker Art Center underwent a renovation and expanded the museum in April 2005."
Wiki




Guthrie Theater

Guthrie Theater Minneapolis MN
www.guthrietheater.org

The Guthrie Theater is a Tony Award winning center for theater performance, production, education, and professional training in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the result of the desire of Sir Tyrone Guthrie, Oliver Rea, and Peter Zeisler to create a resident acting company that would produce and perform the classics in an atmosphere removed from the commercial pressures of Broadway.

The Guthrie Theater has performed in two main-stage facilities. The first building was designed by architect Ralph Rapson and included a 1,441-seat thrust stage designed by Tanya Moiseiwitsch, which was active from 1963-2006. After closing its 2005-2006 season, the theater moved to its current facility designed by French architect Jean Nouvel.

Wiki

The Guthrie Theater is the best place in the city to take portraits, to see great theater, to eat or just to hang out. I love this place.



So I hope you have found some places that have fired your imagination and I hope this article has motivated you to get out and explore and photograph these wonderful iconic places. When you do get out please contact me and let me know what you have captured. Happy shooting.

Order Book

Wayne's new book "Eye of the Beholder" has been released. Find all the details for Eye of the Beholder.