Robert J. Ansorge, photographer and owner of Buntrock-Salie Photography is continuing the 80 year tradition of a successful professional photography enterprise in Storm Lake, Iowa. The continuous skein reaches back to the early twenties when H. Eivind Larson, a skilled photographic artist, established a standard of excellence that exists to this day. He was especially noted for his child panels, often enhanced with imaginative art work on the print. Harlan Harrison, after an illustrious career with the State Department, acquired the Larson Studio in the fall of 1937. Shortly thereafter a merger was arranged with Howard B. Mickle, who had operated the Mickle Studio in Storm Lake for some years. The new business was named the Mickle-Harrison Studio.
In the summer of 1938, Mr. Mickle died and his interest was acquired by Max G. Dillon, who had come to Storm Lake as advertising manager for the Storm Lake newspapers in 1935 after graduation from the University of Iowa. The name was changed to Harrison-Dillon Studio and the firm flourished as the two energetic young partners broadened their base by going aggressively after the school business, starting a tradition that has brought thousands of young customers to Storm Lake throughout the years.
Faced with military service in WW II, Harrison and Dillon brought Kermit Buntrock into the business in 1943. Like his two partners, he moved over from the Storm Lake newspapers, where he had been news and sports editor since 1936. It was thought that Buntrock, who had lost a rib because of a wrestling injury at the University of Iowa, would be unable to pass the physical and thus could manage the studio while his two partners were away fighting the war. A perverse army physician foiled the plan however. With no concern over the missing rib, he passed Buntrock without even a blink. As a result, Harrison went into the Navy in the fall of 1943, Dillon to the Air Force in January of 1944 and Buntrock to the Army a month later.
In recalling those days Harrison wrote: "Another point which should be mentioned is that during the war the studio was operated for about two years by an all-female staff. This included Mrs. W.C. Edson as general manager, Jean Edson and Joan Wright as photographers, Joyce Peterson as dark room supervisor, Rose Marie Walton as dark room technician and Ella Manchester Dieters as colorist and retoucher. Dorothy Dillon also did coloring from time to time. We owe a lot to those gals, as you know."
After operating as a three-man team for a year following their return from service, Harrison, Dillon, and Buntrock elected to pursue broadened careers with the former two selling their interest to the latter. Buntrock then sold a half interest to Duane Salie, who was operating a home studio after his service as navy combat photographer. From 1947 until their retirement in 1973, Buntrock and Salie enjoyed an action-packed career which saw the studio gain international prominence. Through their convention appearances and their writings the partners spread the Storm Lake story to a wide audience.
After carefully training their successors, Buntrock and Salie turned the reins over to Mike Mohr and Robert J. Ansorge in 1973. Ansorge subsequently purchased Mohr's interest and remains, carrying on the tradition of an award-winning professional photographic enterprise with his other photographer Matt Wallace. Duane Salie passed away in the fall of 1997 and Kermit Buntrock passed away in the winter of 2001.
In June 2004, after more than 80 years at the same location, the studio was moved to 714 Lake Avenue, next to the Vista Theatre. The new location enables the studio to feature their full professional photography service and incorporate the exciting digital age.
