For Toby Echelberry, photography has always been closely tied to family. His father, Earl Echelberry, was an aerospace quality engineer who developed a deep love for photography later in life. After suffering multiple heart attacks that forced him to step away from work, Earl began rebuilding his strength by taking walks with his son. Talks were all about life, philosophy, and hobbies.
What started as simple walks grew into a shared creative pursuit. Together they picked up cameras and self-taught themselves the love of photography and techniques to capture the art before them. Father and son eventually launched a small photography business documenting historical reenactments and museum events traveling throughout Southern California every weekend for nearly a decade sharing their photography with reenactors, docents, and fans of history. Not only was there photography but led to publications of photos and articles Internationally in papers or magazines such as Smoke and Fire, Renaissance World, and Muzzleloader to name a few.
Eventually the business came to an end, however Earl immersed himself in the craft, taking several photography classes eventually achieving a Master Photography status and joined organizations such as World Photography Organization (WPO) and International Photography Organization (IPO) along the way earning more than fifty awards for his work.
But for Toby, the most important lesson from his father was not about photography. It was about education and giving back. Philanthropy started with a Memorial Scholarship for Carl Echelberry, his grandfather. Earl started this scholarship in honor of his father who’s father only went as far as third grade and mother who only went as far as elementary school. Carl was proud of his son who not only graduated from high school but went on to join the Navy and eventually earned a bachelor’s degree. Carl always wanted to ensure education was part of his grandchildren’s future and this legacy was kept on by Earl.
“My dad and I had a philosophy,” Toby recalls. “You really should be supporting the grassroots of education, and community colleges are the heart of that.” That belief stayed with him throughout his life. In his father’s final days, Earl left Toby with one lasting piece of advice: leave a footprint.
Today, Toby honors that message through the Earl Echelberry Memorial Scholarship at Evergreen Valley College and San José City College. The scholarship reflects both his father’s creative spirit and his belief that community colleges play a vital role in opening doors for students.
By supporting students at the beginning of their educational journeys, Toby hopes to carry forward his father’s legacy and ensure that the next generation has the opportunity to learn, create, and leave their own footprints.