Hoping for a tour of a lifetime; GM grad vying for Norway photo contest

Published 6:01 pm Sunday, April 12, 2015

Ian Hanson on the Annapurna Circuit, Himalayas, Nepal in 2011. Photo provided

Ian Hanson on the Annapurna Circuit, Himalayas, Nepal in 2011. Photo provided

Ever since he studied abroad in Norway, Ian Hanson has loved to travel.

At the same time, Hanson has had a passion for travel ever since he worked on the yearbook at Grand Meadow High School.

The 2004 GM graduate has the chance to combine both his passions this spring as he vies for a two-week photography trip to Norway.

Ian Hanson. Photo provided

Ian Hanson. Photo provided

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The Norway Dream Job contest would allow Hanson to explore the country, something he’s planned to do since he was in college.

“As a college student learning and being away from home, I stayed mainly in Oslo,” he said. “I didn’t really get out and explore the country itself that much.”

Hanson’s no stranger to applying for exciting jobs. He previously applied to do a similar photo tour of Australia and was in talks at one point to host an international travel TV show.

Yet the owner of Minneapolis-based Hanson Photography feels a strong connection with this particular job. He knows Norway, he knows travel, and he certainly knows photography, as he’s been a professional photographer since 2008.

To that end, he’s made a video reel for the contest, which runs until April 22. The rules are simple: Hanson needs people to sign up at DreamJobbing.com and vote for his video, which contains examples of his work. People can vote once per day up until the 22nd, at which point the top 20 vote-getters will be analyzed and interviewed until the contest winner is announced on May 7.

Though Hanson may be a little late to the game — the contest opened in February, and he learned about the opportunity last week — he’s looking to make up ground for an opportunity he’s determined to get.

“I’m going to be real scrappy with this one,” he said. “I’m going to be real tenacious.”