I liked a photo on Instagram: “Dusk, Miami Three years...

I liked a photo on Instagram: “Dusk, Miami

Three years ago while visiting my family in Florida, my father and I took a drive out on Tamiami Trail in the middle of the Everglades to visit the gallery of one of our favourite photographers, Clyde Butcher, on his Big Cypress Gallery’s 20th anniversary weekend. Getting to meet and have a brief chat with Clyde as well as see his fantastic B&W prints was thrilling; no one makes Florida look as gorgeous. Take a look at his feed @clydebutcher and read up on his tireless work helping protect our environment, in Florida and beyond.

Though we’d had it planned for a few months, I had recently been handed a massive heartbreak so the day out with my dad was even more special as we talked through all manner of Life Stuff™

A few nights ago, my mother and I drove down to Miami to hear Mr Butcher speak and see his exhibition at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens — a wonderful space filled with amazing plant life carved out of Old Miami. The talk was fantastic and mum and I had a lovely time, though bittersweet.

Just one month ago, I had wanted to see Clyde speak in Fort Lauderdale with my dad, but he already had a preexisting commitment so we skipped it, saying ‘next time!’ — two weeks later, my dad was gone. There will never be a next time.

Mr Butcher doesn’t know how important those two times I’ve met and shook his hand have been in my life (he was incredibly humble and kind) nor how much his stories and work continue to inspire my large format film photography.
A reminder of how important it is to take every opportunity to do even the smallest thing of value in life, and to treat every stranger with kindness and care as you never know what they’re going through in that brief moment your lives intersect.” by danrubin http://bit.ly/1Rf4B8I

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