BIG CYPRESS GALLERY BACK POND 24
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Returning to film: Clyde Butcher’s most recent limited-edition prints on large-format film.
This photograph holds a special place in my heart. After a meet-and-greet at Big Cypress Gallery, I stayed for a week, reminiscing about the years Niki and I lived and worked in the swamp. This visit was even more meaningful—I had finally found a camera that let me return to film after a decade. Capturing this scene at our back pond was exhilarating, but having my grandson by my side, watching and learning, made it unforgettable. The lighting that day was perfect, revealing a view that draws the eye deep into the mysteries of the swamp.
This was the second photograph I took after returning to film. My first was at Myakka River near my Venice home, so it felt fitting that my second was in a place that still feels like home.
Returning to Film: A Journey Back to My Roots
From 1971 to 2014, I shot exclusively with large-format film, but declining health forced me to switch to digital. For a decade, I thought my film days were over. Then, during a hospital stay in 2024, I knew I had to find a way back. I shared my thoughts with Paul, my darkroom assistant, who found the perfect Alvandi camera. When I returned home, everything awaited—camera, light meters, dark cloth, and tools I hadn’t used in years.
With that click of the shutter, I wasn’t just taking a photograph—I was reclaiming a part of myself.