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A Pine City wedding photographer has been charged in Freeborn County District Court with secretly recording a woman in 2020 while she changed in the bridal suite of an Albert Lea wedding venue. 

Mitchell Donald Ringness, 35, was charged by way of summons with one count of interfering with privacy in a hotel, tanning bed or other place tied to installing or using a surreptitious device, a gross misdemeanor. 

Court documents state an Albert Lea Police Department detective was contacted in April by a detective with the Cloquet Police Department regarding an invasion of privacy. The detective had a video recording that contained a dressing room for a bride taken from a low angle and shows a woman as she is getting dressed. Shortly after, a photographer enters the room. Someone in the video can be heard calling the photographer by Ringness’ first name. 

The video had been turned in on a thumb drive by the photographer’s significant other. It also contained other sexual conduct material, court records stated. 

The Albert Lea detective looked on Facebook and found the page for MR Photography, Ringness’ business, and found a posting for the victim’s wedding. After confirming the identity of the victim and the venue where the video was taken, the detective visited the venue and recognized the bridal suite at The Barn of Chapeau Shores from the video. He found a small round table that appeared to be the place where a recording device had been placed to make the video. 

The detective also spoke to the victim and confirmed the location and date of the wedding and that Ringness was the photographer. She told the detective she had no idea about the hidden camera. 

Jayne and Chad Iverson, owners of The Barn of Chapeau Shores, said they were shocked and sad to hear of the allegations. They said they had never met the photographer before and noted he was hired and paid directly by the couple themselves. He has only been at their venue the one time. 

“The safety of our wedding couples and all guests is vitally important to us, so hearing this news has been very upsetting to us,” they said. “Anyone affected by this individual has our deepest sympathy.”

Ringness is slated to appear on the charge Sept. 5.