Upon retirement from the FBI, Maple Grove resident Dean Scheidler has enjoyed photography, visiting places including Norway, seen here. Photos: Dean Scheidler
Retired FBI agent turns to his creative side in retirement to begin a photography business.
A retired FBI agent from Maple Grove had to laugh when he recalled a comment made about him when he started a photography business. “People have told me they didn’t know I had a creative side,” Dean Scheidler says.
But after a handful of years in the FBI and trips to 32 countries around the world, Dean’s photographs are truly something to behold.
The passion for capturing the beauty of nature, while not uncovered until later in life, developed early on. Growing up in Amherst, Ohio, about 30 miles outside of Cleveland, Dean’s childhood memories involve appreciating the beauty of nature. As one of seven children, he recalls times he would escape to the outdoors whenever possible.
He also discusses a fascination with his family’s encyclopedia set that sparked his curiosity about the world. “I remember spending time reading through them, looking at photos of faraway places and dreaming of one day seeing those things in person,” he says.
Fast forward 50 years, and those dreams have come true. Dean feels fortunate for his upbringing, which instilled in him a greater appreciation for life’s experiences and ultimately set the stage for how he would enjoy his retirement years.
While Dean misses some aspects of his FBI work, he says he is thoroughly enjoying this next chapter. Unlike many former agents who transition into security or private investigations, Dean returned to his roots and passion for nature, becoming a photographer.
His love for photography began when his twin children, Lauren and Connor Scheidler, were young. He recalls documenting their lives with a film camera, then digital and eventually his cell phone. His interest in photography grew beyond family documentation during an empty-nester trip to Utah’s national parks with his wife, Julie Scheidler. This trip inspired him to spend more time capturing and documenting his travels, creating digital time capsules. The couple maintain a travel log, with Dean providing the photos and Julie writing the stories. “If nothing else, if our memories ever fail, we’ll have something to look at,” Dean says.
What started as a hobby has now become a business for the self-taught photographer. In 2023, after sharing his photos on social media, someone reached out to purchase his work for an office, sparking the idea to launch Dean Scheidler Photography.
He says he encourages his children to avoid regrets, so he decided to try his hand at business rather than wonder what might have been. His photos, which capture the beauty and variety of the planet, aim to inspire others to travel and appreciate nature.
“Kirkjufell Times Two” in Grundarfjörður, Iceland
Dean finds it hard to pick a favorite destination, but lists Iceland, New Zealand and Norway as top contenders. Recently, he and Julie returned from a cruise to Antarctica. “That was the most unique place I’ve ever been to in my life,” he says.
And, despite traveling the world, Dean reminds people of the beauty close to home in Minnesota. Many of his photos of flowers are taken in his own backyard. “I find beauty in all kinds of things,” he says. “In my photos, I’m trying to do what I saw in the encyclopedias I used to look at. I want to give people a way to see places they’ll never get to see.”
The Road to the FBI
Dean attended The Ohio State University and developed a strong desire to serve the public. As an undergraduate, he was a history major and went on to complete law school and pass the bar exam. It was after clerking for a law firm that he decided against the career. “I quickly ruled out anything other than a law enforcement career,” he says. “I settled on the FBI.”
The path to becoming an FBI agent was rigorous, involving interviews, background checks and testing. Dean graduated from the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, in November 1989. Shortly thereafter, he was assigned to the Minneapolis office.
One of his first assignments was involvement in the Jacob Wetterling kidnapping investigation and one of his last assignments was the George Floyd case. Although he didn’t play a major role in either case, it was a significant start and end to his career. He retired in July 2020 after his children graduated from college.
Dean Scheidler Photography
Instagram: @deanscheidlerphotography
