On assignment for The New York Times
Video reporting for The New York Times, documenting federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota. A look at the assignment, the people I met, and the work behind the coverage.
Telling stories and creating change through moment driven photojournalism.
I film real people and real moments, from field reporting to carefully lit interviews. I bring professional cameras, lighting, and audio, along with the experience to help people feel at ease.
Drawing on a 25-year career in photojournalism for major newspapers and The New York Times, I specialize in capturing the unposed, defining moments of real life.
I’m an FAA Part 107 licensed drone pilot, equipped for aerial video and still photography. From landscapes to a closer look at a place, I capture perspectives that add something to the story.
Through Tiny Window, Lindsey Seavert, Renny McCauley, and I take stories from an idea to a finished film. We can also join a project along the way, edit existing footage, and make shorter versions for social media.
Love Them First
I co-directed, shot, and edited Love Them First, a duPont-Columbia award-winning feature documentary following Minneapolis principal Mauri Melander Friestleben as she fought to lift Lucy Laney Elementary ( a school at the bottom of Minnesota's underperforming list for two decades) off "the list."
It won the 2020 Alfred I. duPont Award, one of journalism's highest honors. More importantly, it's the most meaningful work of my career and proof that film can make a real difference in the world.
Available on Amazon Prime and YouTube.
Tiny Window. Our film company.
Lindsey Seavert and I co-founded Tiny Window to tell stories through documentary film. Today, we work alongside full-time editor Renny McCauley from our studio in the heart of South Minneapolis.
Tiny Window is where we do most of our work. We make independent documentaries and tell stories for businesses, nonprofits, schools, and universities. Rooted in Minnesota, we work across the country and wherever the story takes us, bringing a journalist’s curiosity and care for the people at the center of every film.
Moment driven, beautifully shot video revealing the humanity in all people.
Commercial Clients
Xcel Energy
Macalester College
Carleton College
University of St. Thomas
University of Minnesota
IES Medical Group
Children's MN Hospital
Chicago Marathon
Marine Corps Marathon
Editorial Clients
New York Times
Washington Post
Wall Street Journal
PBS Newshour
VICE News
MPR News/APM Reports
Getty Images
Kartemquin Films
Atlantic Pictures
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Let's Work Together
bengarvin@gmail.com
612-910-1499 (mobile)
2717 E 42nd St
Minneapolis, MN 55406
© 2026 by Ben Garvin Media.