On Mar 21, 2006, at 2:33 PM, Mark Roberts wrote:
I've been a big Clyde Butcher fan ever since reading his biography "Seeing the Light" many years ago. Then a couple of years back, Pop Photo did an article on four large format B&W photographers who could be the next Ansel Adams and Clyde was one of them. Pop Photo asked each of them about their metering/exposure techniques and three of them said they use the zone system exclusively. Clyde said he just goes by the sunny 16 rule. That sealed it! Clyde Butcher is my hero (for attitude as much as anything)! Whenever I'm back in Rochester, besides visiting the George Eastman House, I always stop in at Rowe Photo-Video-Audio. In each of their two audio demo rooms they have a 4' x 5' Clyde Butcher print :) (And yes, that's 4 x 5 *feet*)
Yeah, I know Clyde. I don't believe we've met face to face, but we've talked on the phone and by e-mail. Hell, I published a portfolio of Clyde's work years ago, probably before Pop ever heard of him. Clyde has an artist's eye and the intestinal fortitude to go out in the hot, sticky, mosquito-infested swamps and stay until he finds the right pictures. I admire him and his work a lot.
As for print size, not much point in lugging 4 X 5 and 8 X 10 cameras for miles if you aren't going to make BIG prints.
Bob
