NATE RYAN










Minnesota Orchestra – Annual Campaign


2019, 2020, 2022


The Minnesota Orchestra is a Grammy Award-winning orchestra that performs all over the world. I met several of its members during the 10 years I worked at Minnesota Public Radio and even traveled to Cuba with them in 2015. (The Minnesota Orchestra was the first major orchestra to perform there after Obama eased diplomatic relations.)

In 2019, the orchestra invited me to shoot images for its annual marketing campaign, and I’ve had the pleasure of being tapped for this assignment ever since.

The objective of each campaign has been to feature musicians from throughout the orchestra. The aesthetics vary from year to year. One campaign we went for dramatic and austere; another, warm and approachable. The images are typically used for program covers and various marketing materials.

Photographing musicians has become a specialty over the years. One thing I’ve learned: They tend to be more comfortable within an ensemble on stage than alone behind a lens.

It’s safe to say my familiarity with the Minnesota Orchestra has helped to put my subjects at ease. My assignments with American Public Media put me at classical music festivals across the country, so I’m able to speak to their scene. I also take time to research each musician’s background before we get in the studio. Having a jumping off point allows me to keep the conversation flowing—and authentically portray each musician. 




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