Captured in the early 90s, Mandan’s favorite photographer photographs Mandan’s Independence Day Parade.

Dustin White
Editor

For nearly four decades, one photographer has helped capture the history of Mandan. In many regards, he has become a local icon, one that many cherish for his dedication and talent. That man is Rick Scharf. 

Over the years, Scharf has touched many individuals. Being a mainstay at many area events, his presence, along with his camera, are a welcomed facet of the community. And through his lens, many of those events have been captured. 

A large portion of Scharf’s work over the years has been in regards to sports. However, that was not his area of expertise when he first started. But he learned quickly, as he had to. 

“I remember the first time they had me take photos of a sports event,” Scharf said. “I didn’t have a single shot turn out.”

At that time, Scharf was still working with a film camera, and thus did not have the opportunity to instantly check his work. 

But Scharf, always the fighter, didn’t give up, and soon began to excel in the field. After that first failure, he was quickly back on the sidelines, working as if he had always photographed the game.



It wouldn’t be long until he was a welcomed site at the games. While his photos spoke for themselves, it was his personality that really shined through. Connecting with many of the players, he’d form a real bond with them, with many seeing him as a positive role model. One that they would protect if needed. 

“There was one game where a (football) player from the other team had missed our guys, and I could see him make the decision to just continue, and he plowed right into me,” Scharf said. “Our boys and the coaches took him right out.”

Scharf said that the Mandan boys were ready to rough up the guy who had tackled him, but he was taken out instead. Speaking with Scharf, it was clear that he was proud of the Mandan teams; his teams. 

That pride in his teams shined in other manners as well. From seeing one of his photos on the desk of a former Mandan athlete, to watching a new group graduate each year, Scharf became intertwined into the mix. 

New Generations
Having photographed Mandan for such a considerable time, Scharf has made himself known to many different generations of athletes and individuals in the area. It has placed him in a unique position. 

“Its amazing seeing some of the kids graduate,” Scharf said. “I photographed many of their parents while they were playing for Mandan, and now their kids.”

It is something that isn’t lost on the multiple generations Scharf has photographed, with many former athletes still coming up to Scharf to thank him or just catch up with their favorite photographer. It is a connection that is striking, and one few have the ability to create.

Having lasted as a community photographer for so long has also meant that Scharf has had to change a bit over the years though. With advancements in cameras, Scharf has had to adjust how he photographs events. 

“I never really shot gymnastics,” Scharf said. “With my old Nikon, when the focusing motor kicked in, it’d make such a loud sound. I remember trying to shot one gymnast on the beam, and I liked getting them when they looked up. She was really concentrating and that motor kicked in and threw her off a bit.” 

Today, the noise isn’t such a bother though. Nor is having to switch rolls of film in the middle of a shot. 

“Everything is digital now,” Scharf said. 

But even with the new gear, Scharf has stayed true to an older sort of photographer. For him, it only takes one or two shots to really capture a moment in time; to tell a story and show the emotion of what is going on. 

Its a characteristic of Scharf’s photos that many see, and that has been appreciated by the community, and his industry. It sets him apart from other photographers, just as much as his personality does. 



He’s the type of photographer who has put up a long fight, and we hope to see him keeping up that fight for many years to come. 

(Editor’s Note: This story has been a couple years in the making. I had the pleasure to meet Rick when I started at the Mandan News. At the time, I wasn’t a photographer. I’d never shot sports, or many of the events that I would come to document later on. 

I have to give a lot of credit to Rick for my progress of photographing those sorts of events. Having had the chance to sit down and talk with him on many occasions, I began to learn, from his tips, and just seeing his photos, how to be a better photojournalist. 

I also got to know Rick a little bit, and after many of our conversations, I would take note of different stories he told me, or of the advice he would give. Some of those notes can be seen here, and hopefully, at some point, Rick and I will sit down some more and get more of his story on paper.)