CLAM SHELL ORCHID | Niki Butcher

Big Cypress National Preserve © 2015

Photographic Story I have always wanted to photograph a Clam Shell orchid, so when our swamp guide Scott told me he had found one in Big Cypress I joined him on a trip into the swamp. It was a great day and I returned with several fun images to hand-paint. The Art of Hand Painting Black and White Photographs Photographed with a Sony digital camera and instead of oil painting with Q-tips and cotton balls, Niki was able to paint using Photoshop. Changing from the old-fashioned way of doing her art, to the new ‘fashion’ of using technology was challenging, but she’s enjoying getting back to her own personal expression. Archival Print Making Niki’s open edition gicleé artwork is printed on Sunset Bright Velvet Rag matte finish paper using eight archival inks. A state-of-the-art Epson Stylus Pro printer creates deep, rich dark values that hold subtle detail in the shadows as well as bright vivid colors that are truly tropical.