Gallery Visit: Dave Butcher, Buxton Dome.

Dave Butcher has been making photographic images since the early 70s. A chemist by profession, Dave worked for Ilford Imaging for 21 years until taking early retirement in 2002; indeed he cites Mike Walden and Terry Offord, the head printers at Ilford, in the list of key influences on his photographic enthusiasm and skills. Between 1993 and 2000 Dave managed the Ilford Printing Department. In the 1970s he ran a darkroom and photographic service at Unilever Research. Dave gained his Associateship of the Royal Photographic Society in 1987 and has been selling framed prints of his hill and mountain landscapes for more than 15 years. His images have appeared in many books and magazines as well as his own two books 'High Light' and 'Peak Light'.

I was tremendously impressed by Dave Butcher's images. They are rich black and white utilising the full dynamic range of tones. He still works with traditional film stock and hand primts all of his own work, being an Ilfrod Master Printer. His work is very reminiscent of Ansel Adams and he, has in fact, been to Yosemite and other areas of America for phtographic inspiration. I have included a small selection of my favourite images here.


Loch an Eilein Castle in the Cairngorm Mountains is a favourite location for landscape photographers in Scotland. I love this image of Dave's though. I like the way the picture is framed by the pine tree and the foreground interest in the grass and rocks which lead the eye to the castle with its beautiful reflection.







This is a familiar view for me as I have been here many times and have my own images of the view. It is a winter view of Kinder Downfall in the Peak District. In some years it ices up completely and affords an ice climbing route. At other times of the year stong winds blow the water back up onto the plateau and it becomes known affectionately as the 'Irish Waterfall'!

Again I love the rich blacks and clear whites and the clouds have been reproduced to perfection. The tiny figure walking across the head of the Downfall just makes the image and gives it scale.



The North Face of the Eiger - an iconic mountain with so many stories to tell of successful ascents and lives lost. The snow and beautiful cloud formations make the picture for me.










Another iconic mountain; this time Buachaille Etive Mor at the head of Scotland's Glen Coe. Again. as in so many Butcher images, snow is a key feature and picks out the fine detail on the rock walls of the mountain.