MOONRISE © 1986

Western Everglades

Moonrise was the first photograph I took after the death of my son. Ted was only 17 years old when he was killed by a drunk driver in 1986. In my grief, I disappeared into the Everglades for days at a time. I fell in love with the land and let it be the sanctuary I desperately needed. My time in nature led to a turning point in my career. I realized color photography was not my passion; it was not expressing what I felt. I loved black-and-white photography and knew that was my calling. Losing Ted reminded me that life is short, and if you have a dream, you should pursue it. Turning Point Clyde purchased his first large-format 8×10 Deardorff view camera and headed out into the Everglades. Moonrise was his first try at returning to black and white film and became one of his classic photographs. It won many awards, which intrinsically told him that black and white film was what he should be doing. Moonrise changed his life, just as Ted’s death made him look at life differently. Moonrise was taken with a Deardorff 8×10 camera on Tri-X film. This photograph is hand-printed in Clyde’s darkroom on fiber-based paper, selenium toned, then mounted and matted to current archival standards. The photograph is a limited edition and signed by Clyde. Camera settings f/45 | 360mm Schneider Symmar lens | red filter | 4 seconds Disclaimer – Cropping, contrast, and image density may vary. To learn more about the darkroom printing process, click here.