Stoffer to share photographic work at Madison Public Library

Douglas Stoffer, photographer and author of “Reflections: A Photographic Journey in Black and White,” will visit Madison Public Library on March 24. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Douglas Stoffer, photographer and author of “Reflections: A Photographic Journey in Black and White,” will visit Madison Public Library.

Stoffer, a Harvest resident, will visit on March 24 at 6:30 p.m.

He always has been interested in drawing, painting and metal sculptures in the style of David Smith. “I had my first showing in 1967 at Art in the Park in Boise, Idaho,” Stoffer said. “All art forms directed me into photography.”

Another motivation in photography was “Blow-Up,” a movie by Michelangelo Antonioni. He later found the screenplay with pictures. “I was hooked,” Stoffer said.

While serving in Vietnam, he re-enlisted for the Army Signal Corp as a motion picture and still photographer. He studied at the Motion Picture Photography School at Fort Monmouth, N.J. and earned a bachelor’s degree in commercial photography at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, Calif.

A professional photographer for more than 40 years, he taught publication design for the Department of Defense in Indianapolis, Ind.

For NASA, he was an aeronautical/aerospace contract photographer for engineering support, space shuttle launches and landings and agency events. “I was the first photographer to support Columbia Space Shuttle when it went down over Texas. I received Employee of the Year from the contractor. NASA awarded me the Space Flight Awareness Award,” Stoffer said.

In addition, his fine art photography has been in solo, juried and invitational exhibitions, including the Red Clay Survey, 2012 Exhibition of Contemporary Southern Art and Huntsville Museum of Art.

Stoffer believes his work “always has room for improvement. If one claims perfection, one does not have any where to go forward. Each time is like going in with a clean slate.”

His wife Christine Stoffer works as a registered nurse for North Alabama ENT in Madison. The Stoffers have lived in California, Texas, Utah, Florida, Alabama and numerous temporary assignments.

For more information, email to stoffdl@gmail.com or visit Facebook/Douglas Stoffer. To view or buy his book, visit blurb.com, click the bookstore and type “Douglas Stoffer.”