To Beauty is my first book. I got the idea for it when I was battling with the task of writing an artist's statement. Frustrated with my progress, I started writing a short poem about why I do photography. This was much more satisfying, and I decided that it would make a good theme for a book illustrated by my photos.
The book is about 60% finished (hence the 'Draft' in the title), but has gotten so much good feedback that I am making it publicly available in its current state. I plan to finish it in the future.
The book contains a mixture of recent digital photography and older film work. (I've been doing serious photography since 1970). The subject matter includes flowers, water, cityscapes, musicians, buildings, and signs, and ends with a series of images of the World Trade Center, which was one of my favorite places to photograph. The book also contains a number of manipulated and multiple images, most of which were done on film using a slide copier.
About the Author
Emile Tobenfeld
DoctorT
Framingham MA 01791
Doctor T (Emile S. Tobenfeld, Ph. D) has been photographing since he was a teenager. He became serious about the art-form in 1970 (shortly after completion of his doctorate in Physics). He was inspired by the mixture of abstraction and realism in the light shows and experimental films of that era, and his initial intent was to work primarily with processed and multiple imagery. He quickly realized that 'straight' photography can also mix abstraction and realism, and has been a devotee of both straight and manipulated photography ever since..
He is self-taught as a photographer, and counts Minor White as a huge influence on his 'straight' photography. He has also worked in video, mixed media improvisation, electronic music, and dance. His day job for the past 28 years has involved making tools for digital artists, first as the founder of Dr. T's Music Software, and currently as a video effects programmer and software designer for Boris FX.