After the clouds moved in this morning I switched to shooting orchids. I tried some down the throat shots first, but they were kind of boring. Then I started shooting from underneath and after setting the orchids up high enough to get the tripod under at it’s lowest setting, I made these images with my canon 40d and 60mm macro lens.
Now, I’m not a great orchid grower like some people I know. I just have a couple of dendrobiums (species unknown) that I bought at the grocery in town. I’m sure they must be the easiest of all to grow, for they bloom often even though the air is quite dry here. I don’t put them in my little greenhouse for the nighttime temperatures in there hover above freezing in the winter. I abuse tomatoes, herbs, and strawberries in there over the winter, just keeping it warm enough to keep them alive and producing sweet fruits and leaves. I treat the orchids a little better.
I really love the muted color in these photos. I used to be an orchid grower myself. At one point I actually had an article in Orchid Magazine about growing indoor under lights. But there just wasn’t enough time to do everything so I ended up giving it up and donating them to a local conservatory. They are truly amazing plants.
Thanks, Howard. Have you read the book, Orchid Fever by Eric Hansen? It’s about passionate orchid growers and collectors and the bureaucracy of the trade regulations. It’s a crazy world.
Yup, Con, I sure have. Saw the movie too. Nicholas Cage was in it, if I am remembering it correctly.
Hi, Con!
I’m a recovered orchid fanatic. One’s too many, and a thousand aren’t enough!
My blog is sorely neglected, and now my cheapie camera is broken. It comes on, but the lense doesn’t come out. Sigh. I’m thinking about getting a quality camera, have to find the underwater housing first, then the camera!
OK, I’ll be back! Your work is sublime!
Melissa
I didn’t know there was a movie, Howard. I’ll look for it.
Melissa! Have you returned from the ends of the earth? Welcome back. I recently saw an ad for underwater cameras, no housing needed, one with a depth limit of 33 ft., the other only 10 ft. so best, I guess, for snorkling. relatively inexpensive, if I remember it right, now, if only I could remember where I saw the ad! Thanks for the compliment, my friend, I’ll visit more with you on your blog.
Beautiful work here, I found your site though Howard Grill’s and plan to be back often. I noticed you have a link to my own blog, so I will be sure to reciprocate! Thanks!
Thank you, Mark. I’ve long been a (lurking) fan of yours!