K.D. Swan

Kenneth Dupee Swan, commonly called K.D. Swan, was a twentieth century photographer and employee of the U.S. Forest Service. Swan’s photographs of the American Northwest captured the wildness and immensity of public lands. The intent of his photographs was to encourage preservation of these open spaces. Trail Riders of the Wilderness (Mountainfilm 2014) — an old film of Swan’s that was rediscovered and remastered by Forest Service staffer Libby Langston and for which pianist Molly Morrison wrote an accompanying score — is a stunning and timeless portrayal of the American West. Swan’s photographs are preserved in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.