CLAMSHELL ORCHID 1 © 2003

Fakahatchee Strand, FL

I photographed this clamshell orchid (prosthechea cochleata) while working with a crew from CBS’s 60 Minutes. We retraced the path of the infamous “Orchid Thief” through the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. This clamshell orchid was seized from the poacher and repatriated to the Fakahatchee. Sadly, many of the orchids that were returned to the ecosystem were unable to acclimate to their previous environment as this one did. In this photograph, the clamshell appears to be a large flower, but in reality, the bloom is relatively small (about one inch), as are most of the flowers of native Florida orchids. Elusive and Endangered Orchid This endangered orchid proliferates in deep swamps where moisture is more prevalent and temperatures more stable. Rarely seen by the casual observer, this flower is a rewarding sight to those who venture into the deeper waters of these wetlands. Clamshell Orchid 1 was taken with a Deardorff 5×7 camera 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 | 2 minutes Disclaimer – Cropping, contrast, and image density may vary. To learn more about the darkroom printing process, click here.