SHELL KEY © 2001

Florida Bay

When I saw this solitary mangrove surrounded by crystal clear water, the simplicity of the image attracted me to the scene. The transparency of the water illustrates the importance of clean water to the Everglades system, and I hope this photograph raises awareness and reminds us to help keep our waters pristine for future generations. Origin of the Florida Keys Off the southeast coast of Peninsular Florida, there are over 800 small charted islands whose origins are in the sea itself and the life it supports! Ancient sand shoals on the bottom of the ocean floor were believed to have created the shallow warm water conditions conducive to the growth of abundant corals and other calcium carbonate-forming sea inhabitants. Coral developed into dense reefs, like thick thriving underwater forests reaching from 10–18 feet in height. Over thousands of years, other marine organisms contributed to the seafloor as their skeletal remains and organic secretions accumulated. As sea level slowly receded during the last ice age, both coral and accumulated marine sediments became exposed and formed the Florida Keys. Shell Key was taken with a Deardorff 5×7 on T-Max 100 film. This photograph is hand-printed in Clyde’s darkroom on fiber-based paper, selenium toned, then mounted and matted to current archival standards. The photograph is a limited edition and signed by Clyde. Camera settings: f/45 | 72mm Schneider Super-Angulon XL lens | orange filter | 1 second. Disclaimer – Cropping, contrast, and image density may vary. To learn more about the darkroom printing process, click here.