family, hard work, and faith local photography business celebrates 100 years

You wouldn't guess by walking into their studio for the first time, but Scherling Photography is in their 100th year of business. A feat that very few family businesses accomplish. Patrick and Larry Scherling laugh about it as if it's just another year for them, but we know the significance behind this accomplishment. Sitting down with Patrick and Larry, it is easy to see they are proud to be part of such a long-standing business in the Fargo area. Happy to share their story, we dive right into the start of Scherling Photography.

Grandfather A.R. Scherling was a small-town Minnesota farm boy with a strong faith-based upbringing. His passion for photography started in Pillager, Minnesota. He then relocated to Fargo to do an internship with Dewey Studios. After learning about the trade, A.R. set out to build a business of his own. In 1919, A.R. started Scherling Photography at 113 1/2 Broadway in Fargo. He offered coupons for 25 cent roll processing in addition to photography services.

In 1948, his son Orlando Scherling took over the business and eventually relocated to 313 Broadway. Orlando founded a company called Scherling Photo Products. Customers could send in film, receive their prints, and get a free roll of film. The business was so successful, both Patrick and Larry remember when they were processing up to 40,000 rolls per month.

Their first studio in Downtown Fargo was where the processing magic happened and holds some special memories for the Scherling Brothers.

"I vividly remember our first studio on 113 1/2 Broadway,” says Patrick Scherling. “The only way you could access our studio was by climbing a long staircase to the second floor. As a kid, it seemed as though those stairs continued for miles."

As kids, Larry and Patrick were an intricate part of the developing process. Each brother had a different job to do. They easily discuss their roles as if it was yesterday.

"My first job was to take the photos and run them through the dryer after they'd been in the developer tanks and the stabilizer,” says Larry. “From the dryer, I would take the prints and lay them on a mat board, covering them and pressing the pictures flat so they would completely dry without any curl. From there, we would have to manually sort through the photos to try to find all the matches and prints for each job."

Up until the 1970s, being a photographer was more than just capturing images. It meant 12–15 hour days. Half the day was spent photographing and the other half was spent processing photos. This process is one that both Patrick and Larry remember fondly, but don't necessarily miss now that there is the convenience of digital printing.

"Before digital, photography was completely different,” says Patrick. “It was more technical. You had to know what the lighting would do to the photos. There was no second chance to take a photo, to find that perfect shot. You didn't see the eyes closed or the frowns in a group photo until you developed the photos hours later. This long and arduous process is what kept the freelance