Defining what makes America unique isn’t easy. For some, it’s our history. For others, it’s the myriad ethnicities woven into the fabric of our culture. Heather Otis, the curator of collections at the Marco Island Historical Museum, says it’s the majestic lands we occupy from sea to shining sea.
“Part of being American is our connection to the place that we grew up in,” said Otis. “You get that certain feeling as you drive down the street to your home, whether it's your childhood home or your current home. But … our identity is also tied to the beauty and the diversity of our lands.”
No living photographer does a better job of capturing the emotion of the American landscape than Clyde Butcher. It's that feeling you experience when you turn a corner on a hike and spy a pristine lake or cascading waterfall, or a valley suddenly opens up beneath your feet.
“Clyde does that beautifully,” Otis remarked. “When you look at his work, he preserves that emotion that you get when you see these places of natural beauty.”
So Otis, and Museum Director Pat Rutledge, brought 36 of Clyde Butcher’s monumental black-and-white American landscape photographs to the Marco Island Historical Museum to commemorate America250.
“I wanted to make sure we told a holistic story. Obviously, Clyde as a long-time resident of California and then Florida, those two states are a little bit more represented, but I wanted to make sure I included every single state that he photographed in this exhibit and arrange it that way alphabetically."
The exhibition includes evocative landscapes from 15 states. Together, they remind us that our panoramic vistas undergird America’s spirit of rugged individualism, independence and self-reliance.
“America the Beautiful” is on display through July 11.
MORE INFORMATION:
Overview of exhibit in context of America250
Known for his powerful black-and-white, large-scale photography, Clyde Butcher captures the awe-inspiring landscapes of America’s National Parks—some of our nation’s greatest natural treasures. His work invites viewers to experience the majesty, serenity, and enduring significance of these iconic places. For these reasons, organizers at the Marco Island Historical Museum thought that “America the Beautiful” would be a great way to observe the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
“Clyde Butcher has exhibited with us before,” Otis observed. “His work is so breathtaking. We saw this particular exhibit, ‘America the Beautiful,’ and we thought what a great companion to America and so we decided to exhibit ‘America the Beautiful’ in recognition of that important event for our country. So, this is our nod to our country's milestone.”
The photographs included in “America the Beautiful” raise awareness of the nation’s remote places and the species that thrive there, affording viewers a serene adventure through his lens. He has been recognized as a humanitarian for acting for the betterment of his community and recognized as a conservationist for bringing issues to the forefront of people’s minds through his artwork. The majestic beauty, boldness and depth of his photographs have earned him recognition as the foremost landscape photographic artist in America today.
“This is the embodiment of our country,” added Museum Director Pat Rutledge. “This wraps the majesty and the scope of our country along with the fact that it's 250 years and we are still going strong. We're still an amazing, amazing nation. What better way for us to celebrate and honor the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the 250th anniversary of our country than through the artistic and unforgettable photography of Clyde Butcher?”
The states represented in the exhibit
Clyde Butcher’s photography stretches from the Everglades to the redwood forests of California. His images capture the essence of our national spaces, document our changing environment, record what’s there today, and inspire us to appreciate and protect the beauty of the wilderness. “America the Beautiful: The Monumental Landscapes” includes a selection of works that represent 15 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Montana, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and Hawaii.
There are multiple images from several states.
“We were able to fit 36 of the 42 pieces that normally comprise the ‘America the Beautiful’ exhibition,” said Otis. “The other six were too large to fit in our gallery.”
Butcher’s black and white photographs
Butcher does not shoot in color and then convert his images into black and white. He shoots in black and white with a bevy of large-format cameras. It’s a process fraught with difficulties, but it uniquely enables him to capture nuances of nature he might otherwise miss. “Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces” is a case in point, said Otis.
“Here, he’s photographing ice in the sun with a black and white camera, getting that contrast just right,” she said. “When you photograph snow or ice in the sunlight, it's going to whiten everything. So, to get these incredible details that your eye picks up, but is inhibited with a lot of camera work, just shows mastery on another level.”
Each of Butcher’s landscapes is the outcome of patience, perseverance and determination. He waits hours, sometimes years, until the light, clouds and composition come together.
Carrying large-format camera gear weighing up to 120 pounds, he crosses difficult terrain, stands in chest-deep water for hours and is aware of the wildlife that make these territories home.
Butcher also had a very personal reason for opting for black and white photography – the tragic death of his 17-year-old son.
“When Ted was killed by a drunk driver, I looked for solace in nature,” Butcher once told an interviewer. “I went from taking financially successful color photos to huge black and white pictures in the Florida Everglades. It was and still is a form of personal therapy. A spiritual experience. Without that energy, my photos would feel empty. I focus on the light, and it becomes the subject matter. The wonderful blacks, great whites, and all the various shades of gray combine to create a moment in time: a print that someone must stop to study as only then will they feel what I felt capturing it.”
It’s more about the emotion conveyed by the image than the technique used to capture it.
“My personal opinion is it's not whether it's black and white or color,” said Rutledge. “It's the emotion behind the piece that is the most important for me. If I connect with it, if it speaks to people in a certain way, then I would consider that a worthwhile photograph or a piece of art.”
Butcher and conservation
Like Ansel Adams, Butcher is a vocal conservationist. One of the panels included in the “America the Beautiful” exhibition provides Butcher’s views on the importance of clean water.
“Clyde feels water, at the end of its path through the ecosystem, should be as clean as when it came off the mountain top or fell as rain,” states the panel. “Protecting existing wetlands and restoring damaged wetland areas, including removing dams, is an important step in creating clean water. This water is essential not only for human consumption, but more importantly, for the benefit of supporting foundational systems of life upon which we depend.”
The panel goes on to state that wetlands are an essential part of the country’s wetlands.
“From flooded tree-filled woodlands to water-filled grasslands, and marshes alongside freshwater lakes to swamps bordering coastal mangroves, wetlands act as natural filter to purify water. Native plants and microorganisms remove contaminants from the water, leaving it cleaner than when it arrived. Wetlands also serve as buffers, providing flood control and protecting land from erosion. As we appreciate and protect our wetlands, we protect our water. We are all connected.”
Butcher also subscribes to the “butterfly effect,” namely that when a butterfly flaps its wings in India, that tiny change in air pressure could eventually cause a tornado in Iowa. Or Butcher prefers to say “the world is round.”
“His philosophy is ‘the world is round,’ meaning what we do in our area of the world is not in isolation; it has an effect on other across borders and oceans,” states another placard in the exhibition. “Clyde sees the importance and dependence on our natural places on many different lessons. Globally, we share an Earth containing millions of acres of plants taking in our carbon dioxide and regenerating breathable air. In our local communities, we depend on natural areas as integral parts of the water systems that give us clean, life-giving water. Finally, and perhaps closest to Clyde’s heart, is the peace and tranquility that comes to individuals as they enjoy these natural spaces and all that nature has to offer.”
America250
America250 is a nonpartisan initiative to engage every American in commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the 250th anniversary of our country. This multi-year effort continues through July 4, 2026.
About the Marco Island Historical Museum
The Marco Island Historical Museum is located at 180 S. Heathwood Drive. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free and the site is fully ADA compliant and accessible to all visitors. For information call (239) 389-6447 or visit www.themihs.org.
For more, read/hear “Marco Island Historical Society commemorating America250 with Clyde Butcher photography exhibition.”
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
Sponsored in part by the State of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture.
