The Burlington man’s work hasn’t gone unnoticed by North Dakota Horizons magazine, often referred to as North Dakota’s state magazine. Two of Linser’s images have been chosen for the 2021 Horizons scenic calendar.

“Erich is a talented photographer who captures the beauty of North Dakota in his work,” said Annie Bennett, co-editor of Horizons magazine. “North Dakota Horizons is fortunate to have him in this year’s calendar.”

Such recognition is not entirely new for Linser. He has been published by Horizons before, including at least twice on the cover of the magazine. Getting chosen for the calendar is a particular honor. Hundreds of images submitted by photographers throughout the state are viewed by a panel of three judges who select the best of the best for calendar publication.

“We want photographs people will look at for a full month, images that show the true beauty of North Dakota,” said Bennett.

Submitted Photo Erich Linser used a stunning setting sun to help capture this image of a lonesome and aging elevator at Lonetree.

The Linser images that captured the admiration of the judges were “Reflections of Government Bay” taken near Riverdale and “Frosted Passages”, a winter scene in Donnybrook.

“The Government Bay picture was taken three or four years ago,” said Linser. “It was in late March and the ice was out. There was great clouds and calm water. The winter scene in Donnybrook was after three days of frost. It has a lot of contrast and nice lighting. It all came together with good meeting lines in the image.”

“He takes beautiful scenes that make you want to go out and explore North Dakota more,” remarked Bennett. “He is very talented and we are very lucky to have him do this for us. He shows the true beauty of North Dakota.”

Linser says he is “not a professional” and that his photography is “just a hobby.” Yet a stirring dose of professionalism jumps out of his photographs, proof that he has a keen eye for what makes a great photograph. It’s an ability that all photographers strive to achieve. He says landscapes are among his favorite subjects but doesn’t limit his talent to a single endeavor.

“I do mostly landscapes, a little wildlife and whatever I come across,” said Linser. “I like farming subjects, the fall harvest and long afternoons. When there’s dust in the sky it makes for great sunsets. I like the long shadows in the winter too.”

Submitted Photo A gravel road draws the viewer’s eye into this remarkable photograph of a swirling storm cloud on the North Dakota prairie taken by Erich Linser.

Another favorite subject of Linser is storms and storm clouds. He says he is not a “storm chaser” but that he “doesn’t turn away and run the other direction” either. Cloud formations and natural lighting accompanying storms can make for good photographic opportunities, especially if a photographer can visualize what image he or she wants to achieve and then have the ability to capture it.

Linser’s work is proof that he excels when composing photographs through the lens of his camera. He has taken pictures of numerous landscapes and scenics that would be the envy of photographers anywhere, work that was clearly recognized by Horizons magazine.

Submitted Photo Harvest time in North Dakota is a favorite subject for Erich Linser. Here he used the fading light of a setting sun to effectively illustrate a long day of work in the field.