This unique collection of orchid photographs emerges from a very unique year of orchid growing: 2020. That probably says enough for most people to understand.
In addition to the human-related dramas of the year, we experienced some extreme weather to add to our orchid growing “firsts.” Some of you might remember the wildfire “orange sky days” in the San Francisco Bay Area, and seen my Twitter images of our shadehouse looking like nightfall at noon. In addition to plentiful smoke and ash, we had a stunning heat wave in late summer: 110F (43C) for two days in a row. Far, far from the norm for this central California coastal climate.
I mention these “details” of 2020 because I believe that they make the photographs below — and the orchids — all the more remarkable. They grew through it all! Heat, cold, ash, spider mites, lockdowns. Vigorous plants and (very) attentive culture triumphed.
I chose these orchids for the luminosity of their orchid portraits, and for the breath-taking diversity of the flowers. We’re particularly fond of alba (and aureum) forms, so I had many images to choose amongst. All were photographed in 2020. With the exception of the two Dendrobium species (which only have white flowers) and Cymbidium hybrid, we also have the “coloratum” form of the species in our collection.
A Triumph of Beauty: 2020
Interested in more unique and beautiful orchid images?
My vision to create orchid portraits emerged from my appreciation for the “whole orchid.” So many photographs of orchids focus only on the flower. But orchids are not flowers: they are entire plants and living beings. Connect more deeply with the many dimensions of orchids …
