February 15, 2025 – May 25, 2025
“The earth is a magnificent piece of art… As a photographer, I am only sharing what I witness.”
– Clyde Butcher
Acclaimed photographer Clyde Butcher has spent more than 50 years capturing some of America’s most unique and beautiful landscapes, from the Redwood forests of California to the Everglade swamps of Florida. Butcher majestically captures the public natural lands set aside by the Federal and State governments for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.
As one of the most renowned photographers of our time, Clyde Butcher has dedicated his life to capturing the natural beauty of the world around us. The exhibit showcases his unparalleled talent and features a stunning collection of his best work from his illustrious career.
Butcher’s images of these treasured landscapes, including the Great Smoky Mountains, document the changing environment, capturing what is there today and encouraging us to enjoy the beauty of nature. His images speak for countless diverse places of wilderness and respite found throughout all of America, allowing us an appreciation of our land.
America the Beautiful includes 43 large-scale, black and white photographs of the American landscape, spanning beautiful sites across the United States. Butcher’s views include some of the same locations shot by the photographer Ansel Adams, demonstrating the unique light and clarity that his artistic vision brings to those scenes.
The beauty of Butcher’s photographs is further emphasized by the epic size of his works. The exceptional size of his compositions – the largest is 5 by 8.5 feet – allows viewers to experience the beauty of each site from an almost first–hand perspective.
Butcher’s unique technique enables him to capture a breathtaking amount of detail within his images. He shoots with an 8 x 10 wooden large-format view camera from the 1940s, creating an extraordinary depth of field through a synthesis of wide-angled lenses and a small lens opening. His large negatives, combined with orange and blue filters and a longer-than-average exposure time – up to ten minutes – allow for clarity and incredible detail within his compositions.
Clyde Butcher: America the Beautiful showcases Butcher’s skill in capturing the raw beauty of the United States most precious natural landscapes, while also highlighting his passion for preserving these spaces for generations to come.
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