Griffin Blegen: Capturing Nature’s Essence Through the Lens at Bemidji State

BEMIDJI — Griffin Blegen is unsure about his prospective profession, but you can be certain it will encompass the two elements he holds dearest: the great outdoors and photography.

Blegen, 23, is pursuing his graduate studies at Bemidji State University. He is advancing his knowledge in wildlife biology and aquatic biology while collaborating with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources on a study of the emerald bowfin, also referred to as dogfish. Simultaneously, Blegen is refining his photography abilities, seizing breathtaking snapshots of wildlife, both on land and in the water.

Thanks to support from a Region 2 Arts Council artist grant, he recently acquired equipment for underwater photography. In his inaugural year with the new gear, Blegen has been amazed by the photographs he has managed to attain.

As a past exceptional swimmer at Brainerd High School, he is quite familiar with water. However, that didn’t matter the first occasion he tested out his underwater photography equipment last April. He ventured to the Power Dam east of Bemidji, where suckers were swimming in the Mississippi River alongside northern pike and walleyes.

“At that moment, the water was too chilly for me to enter, and I didn’t have a wet suit,” Blegen stated. “So, I went to Home Depot and purchased a 10-foot PVC pipe, mounted the camera on the end of the pipe, plunged it into the water, and set it on interval mode to capture an image every 10-15 seconds.”

After roughly 30 minutes, the fish were no longer alarmed by the camera, and the resulting photographs were precisely what Blegen desired.

“The fish would glide right past the camera, and then it was merely up to luck,” he said. “I was extremely pleased. It was the first day I had the camera submerged.”

A series of other underwater attempts followed, yielding varied results. Occasionally, the fish simply chose not to cooperate. However, it was a subsequent trip to the Mississippi River that generated Blegen’s most unforgettable images. He describes it as his first “wow” moment.

Blegen hopped into his kayak, equipped with flippers, mask, and snorkel.

“The water was exceptionally clear, and there were numerous fish,” he remarked. “I was just kind of paddling down the river, taking in the surroundings. And I could see him far up in the shallow waters.”

The “him” referred to a bowfin, the exact fish Blegen is studying for academic purposes and the DNR.

“I thought there’s no way this is happening right now,” Blegen noted. “Those fish, many individuals don’t appreciate them. But I find them quite fascinating. The males are notably protective of their offspring. I was probably 10 feet from the male when he swam straight towards me. He nudged the dome port on my camera and then retreated.

“I just pressed the shutter as he was swimming upward. He kept returning. I thought, ‘What are the odds that a fish is curious enough to approach me this closely, and it’s the species I’m studying for class?’”

Blegen’s passion for photography ignited when he was around 8 years of age. He and his twin sister received point-and-shoot cameras as gifts from their parents.

“They encouraged us to take photos of anything we wished,” he recalled. “I remember going on family trips with the camera. I think I recall trying to frame pictures, but when you’re 8, anything appears appealing.”

He upgraded to a more advanced digital camera while in high school.

“I mainly acquired it to use on the boat if I caught a nice fish,” he expressed. “I didn’t want to rely on my phone, so I could have quality photos to share. Then it just kind of escalated from there.”

Now, Blegen possesses a high-quality camera suitable for professional photography. He has also established trail cameras to capture close-ups of wildlife. He showcases his work on Facebook, Instagram, and his website,

griffin-blegen-photography.squarespace.com,

and has been selling calendars featuring his photographs for the past few years.

After completing graduate school, Blegen aspires to cultivate a career that integrates biology and photography.

“It’s somewhat uncertain,” he remarked. “Since I genuinely enjoy this, I would like to take pictures for a living. But it’s obviously not straightforward. There’s an individual who captures images for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“That would be fantastic to travel around, take pictures, while remaining within the biology domain. That would be ideal, but positions like that are rare. Alternatively, I may just work as a biologist and pursue photography as a hobby.”

Dennis Doeden, former publisher of the Bemidji Pioneer, is a features reporter. He earned his degree in Communications Management from Metropolitan State University.