Photographer Clyde Butcher finds magnificence in chaos, capturing ‘outdated Florida’

Patrick Tate
Patrick Tate
4 Min Read

Artist Clyde Butch mentioned that whereas his photographs evoke a sense of “Outdated Florida,” he has hassle defining precisely what meaning.

He has been photographing the Sunshine State for forty years.

“Individuals say I can perceive Florida higher after seeing your gallery,” Butcher shared. “It really helps folks study Florida.”

In 1979, Clyde Butcher moved to Florida together with his household. He mentioned it took him 4 years to seek out one thing to shoot within the Sunshine State.

Butcher admits that when he first moved together with his household from California to the Sunshine State in 1979, Florida’s magnificence wasn’t that apparent to him both.

“We got here right here to sail. I did not see something right here to {photograph}. It took me 4 years to start out discovering Florida.

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He found this the identical method he encourages folks to do it in the present day – by getting out of their vehicles.

Clyde Butcher walked countless miles of marsh looking for the perfect photo spot.

Clyde Butcher walked numerous miles of marsh on the lookout for the proper photograph spot.

“California, you may see the mountains from the automotive. You possibly can’t see Florida from the automotive. It’s important to get out of the automotive and get in there,” he shared.

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His ardour got here to him in 1983 after taking a brief stroll within the woods behind an outdated roadside attraction.

Florida photographer Clyde Butcher.

Florida photographer Clyde Butcher.

“I got here again the subsequent day and took an image with my digicam, and I used to be hooked,” he explains. “I’ve been doing it ever since.”

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Butcher hauled his large-format movie digicam on hundreds of hikes via the swamp.

Clyde Butcher sets up his large format camera.

Clyde Butcher units up his massive format digicam.

His iconic picture made Clyde Butcher a family title.

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“When you may have one thing biologically ordered, meaning it is chaotic, and to me, chaos is the place the wonder lies,” Butcher mentioned.

Clyde Butcher photo taken at the museum.

Clyde Butcher photograph taken on the museum.

“The rationale I do it’s possibly we are able to protect some for future generations,” he added. “Individuals want to grasp how every little thing is interconnected, and should you do not begin recognizing the significance of nature, we’re not going to have nature anymore.”

Butcher mentioned “Outdated Florida” might shrink a bit with so many individuals transferring to the Sunshine State, however he desires to maintain it within the outdated images.

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