THE UNUSUAL STORY OF THE WORLD-FAMOUS PHOTOGRAPHER YOU NEVER HEARD OF
Charles C. Ebbets came to Florida in the early 1920s and quickly established himself as a pre-eminent photojournalist. An avid outdoorsman who had done stints as an airplane wing-walker, a racecar driver and professional wrestler, he brought that same combination of courage and confidence to his work in South Florida — particularly the Everglades — even becoming this first to cross the not-yet-completed Tamiami Trail by car.
Ebbets made his way deep into the back country of the glades, capturing spectacular shots of rarely seen wildlife and breathtaking landscapes for the National Park Service, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the Associated Press, among others. He also worked closely with the Seminoles, documenting their culture, and befriending tribal leaders.
Ebbets’ most famous photograph, “Lunch atop a Skyscraper,” is a well-known portrait of construction workers perched precariously on an I-beam above New York City while they dine. The iconic photo, for which he is rarely credited, was chosen as one of TIME magazine’s “100 Greatest Images.”
Despite his groundbreaking body of work that includes many well-known photographs, “Ebbets in the Everglades” is the first museum exhibit dedicated solely to the work Charles C. Ebbets.
All Collier County Museum locations offer free admission.
