Orchids (Shi, this one's for you!)

Exquisit!....

I love orchids. They're very beautiful. Thanks for sharing them.

Found and added a few more photos to the Album.

Yes, there are roughly 10,000 types of Orchids in the world. Not all are available here in the US and, for that matter, not all are approved by CITES for private growing - ergo: They are still only found in the wild on the side of a mountain in some rain forest.

I get my orchids from local growers (although I did bring some back from Hawaii and Florida) - not interested in getting involved in the import game. Besides - I am an absolute orchid novice!!! Heck - what I know about orchids as compared to what I know about pigeons makes me feel like an old pro at pigeon growing!!

Thanks, Shi. Glad you enjoyed them.

btw - I've read on here that "pigeons teach you patience" ... that may be but, all I can say is, the patience learned from pigeons seems to me to be like training wheels on a bike. Most orchids bloom only 1x per year ... and EVERYTHING done with and to that orchid during the rest of the year will determine the health of that single bloom. If you don't get it right .... you get to wait another year (provided the plant doesn't die along the way). Of course, you can't know if "you got it right" unless and until the plant actually does bloom. And if it doesn't - you get to GUESS why. If you guess right - well - good for you - you'll get a bloom. If you guess wrong - well - guess again and wait another year to see if you were right this time

I guess I like challenges......

I have a place close to home where I can get orchid over load. Go check out Woodsprite Orchids in puter. The owner, Richard knows his stuff, is the nicest person to talk with. He loves to talk "orchid" and show off every thing, then sell it to you at very reasonable price.
Daryl
Up here, we have native orchids. I have Lady Slippers (pinks) all through the woods, and there are yellow variety not too far away.

beautiful! how do you make the background dark?

That depends on the photo ...

The 2 close-ups (burgundy and green/burgundy flowers) were taken with a Macro lens, lighting, and a reflector (black cloth oval held behind the plant). In this case, the dark background is due to the closer light and focal point....see the wrinkles in the backdrop on the green/burgundy flower???? You can do the same without "fancy" lighting by darkening the "room lighting", focusing close, and using a flash, the background will be dark simply because the focus & light are on the closer subject (that's how the Masdevallia background was made black). A third way is to simply hold up a cloth behind your subject as a backdrop ...

wolfwood said:

That depends on the photo ...

The 2 close-ups (burgundy and green/burgundy flowers) were taken with a Macro lens, lighting, and a reflector (black cloth oval held behind the plant). In this case, the dark background is due to the closer light and focal point....see the wrinkles in the backdrop on the green/burgundy flower???? You can do the same without "fancy" lighting by darkening the "room lighting", focusing close, and using a flash, the background will be dark simply because the focus & light are on the closer subject (that's how the Masdevallia background was made black). A third way is to simply hold up a cloth behind your subject as a backdrop ...

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Thanks, I would love to take a photography class...

mr squeaks said:

Type A personalities might have a very hard time growing them, having to have patience and all! Then, again, that is just what a Type A needs!

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Uh ... er .... yes it is.

mr squeaks said:

Sending loving healthy robust growing thoughts to your lovelies!

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Many thanks ... and much needed!

I do admire your patience, Wolfwood, both with photography and orchids. I am a keen gardener too, but like things that encourage me more often than once a year - still, those orchids are exceedingly lovely.....