Article Contributed on: 6/2/2008 10:34:39 AM
There are several advantages to photographing flowers. They tend to stand still, they don't blink, and they are not critical of the end result, no matter how bad the image may turn out. Orchids are special subjects because of their incredible variety of colors and shapes. Finding a lot of beautiful orchids in one place can be, to someone interested in photography, like hitting the proverbial "jackpot."
Orchids make up the largest family of flowering plants in the world. There are over 22,000 accepted species recorded, four times more than there are mammal species and more than twice the number of bird species. About 80 new species are currently being recorded every year. To further complicate identification horticulturalists have introduced more than 100,000 hybrids and new cultivars since tropical species of orchids were introduced in the 19th century.
Sandy Walden of Parker is passionate about orchids and cares for dozens of them in her Parker home. "They require a lot of attention" Sandy admits, "like having pets." When Sandy and her husband
Chauncey travel, as they often do, special arrangements have to be made to ensure their pet orchids receive the right amount of water, food, light and all-round TLC. Drip lines, timing devices, humidity control, are all involved.
Sandy generously gave me an opportunity to photograph her orchids last weekend and enthusiatically helped me move them around and identify each one. The photos here are a few of the images recorded. This was a combination of one person's passion for orchids and another's passion for photography. We were able to move the plants around to get good angles and good light.