Walking sticks are essential because hikers are
basically walking on roots and on uneven ground
much of the time. Carrying 20 pounds of camera
gear proved for an even bigger challenge.
“It was both intimidating and exhilarating,”
Gail said. “There was a distinct calmness and
peacefulness about the journey into the wild, and
one felt as though the alligators along the banks
were not minding our curious gaze as we passed
through their natural habitat.”
Dusty and H are fans of Clyde’s work and they
appreciate his keen eye for wilderness photography.
Both own several of Clyde’s books and
prints that highlight his stunning black and white
images of the depths of the Everglades.
“We were able to get his perspective and see
the same areas that he captured,” H said. “His
photos are like fi ne art. To see them inspires me
to do some work in fi lm as well as digital.”
Cheryl said the landscape would
change so abruptly, there was a
new perspective around every
corner.
“Within minutes of hiking we
went from a swampy area to a
barren area with nothing but tall
trees and birds,” she said.
The adventure was more than
they expected.
“That 14-acre Cypress hammock
produces every type of swamp and marshland
in different environments,” Dusty said. “It
was a constant challenge for our footwork.”
Clyde Butcher is a large-format camera photographer
known for wilderness photography of
the Florida landscape. He began his career doing
color photography before switching to largescale,
black-and-white landscape photography
after the death of his son.
Clyde led a nomadic childhood with his
parents. While visiting Yosemite National Park in
1963, he learned about the photography studies
of Ansel Adams. In 1993, he purchased 14 acres
in Big Cypress National Preserve in southern
Florida that is surrounded by more than a
million acres of wilderness. This is where he built
his gallery and home. He then realized that he
needed to help the public to understand the
beauty of the swamp and began leading guided
tours through the swamp behind his gallery in
Big Cypress National Preserve.
62 GASPARILLA MAGAZINE November/December 2019
Black and white photographs from earlier
years by Clyde Butcher. Bottom photo is Big
Cypress Gallery in Ochopee.