Don Dudenbostel

My interest in photography began in my youth while watching my father. As an amateur photographer, he had his own darkroom. I was fascinated as I watched the prints develop.

While a student at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, I became chief photographer of a student literary magazine, the yearbook and “The  Beacon”, the daily newspaper for the University. The assignments I was given ranged in variety from student riots to KKK cross burning. I photographed celebrities including Janis Joplin, Bob Hope, President  Richard Nixon, and Ray Charles. I was also given assignments by AP, UPI, and  Esquire. After  college, I did work for Life, Parade, USA  Weekend magazine and many other publications.

For fifty years I have been documenting the Southern Appalachians. While the racism, as indicated by the KKK photographs, has declined significantly, the poverty and illiteracy remain in abundance. Many of  the images I photographed are now of historic importance because     so much has disappeared with time.

I am now investing more of my time in documentary photography and producing work for art galleries and museums.