A life capturing memories

FREMONT — Longtime photographer Ken Dumminger is retiring.Dumminger opened the doors of Dumminger Photography in October 1982 on State Street in Fremont."I have been in the people business all my life. I went into the profession to create memories," Dumminger said.Dumminger, 70, has passed retirement age and, concerned with high costs to upgrade studio equipment, decided it was time to retire. He will close his doors to the public Saturday, Feb. 18.After 35 years, Ken Dumminger decided to close his business and retire.Dumminger started in photography in the sixth grade. His first camera, which his mom traded a Toy Fox Terrier pup to his uncle for, was a Kodak Retina 3 ."Every time we had a family event and she wanted to take photographs, she had to go to Grob's camera shop for them to set it. One time I was in a wedding. We wore black pants and a white coat. She took pictures of me, but they had no head."Dumminger read up on the camera and how to use it. He was soon the family photographer. "I took great pictures," Dumminger said.He was hooked. He found his life's calling.Dumminger joined the Army after high school. Part of his duties for Uncle Sam was shooting — but with a camera. He served in the Army for 23 years.During this time he worked for himself on weekends by shooting private assignments, such as weddings or portraits in a small studio he set up in his garage.He opened Dumminger Photography after he left the Army. Technology has always forced him to upgrade his equipment. Dumminger estimates he has revamped his business eight or nine times because of advances in technology."I saw my first digital camera in Chicago in 1978. I thought they were crazy," Dumminger said.Technology changed but there was always one thing that remained consistent — prints that preserved the memory.More photos of DummingerThen cell phones started installing cameras.In 2015, which is the last figure Dumminger had, 2.5 trillion photos were taken with 80 percent on cell phones. Only 20 percent were printed, Dumminger said."Our young generation do not have that history," he said."The camera is the only thing man has made that stops time. Just think if man had had a camera during the time of Noah and the Great Flood or when the pyramids were being built."Ken Dumminger smiles as he stands behind the counter at Dumminger Photo in Fremont on Friday, Feb. 10, 2017. After 35 years, Ken decided to close his business.