Amherst Orchid Show, 2013. February 27, 2013
Posted by littlebangtheory in Art and Nature, Uncategorized.Tags: 2013, Amherst Orchid Show, orchids
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My yearly intro to Spring is this presentation of the Amherst Orchid Society, incongruously held in neighboring Northampton.
This year I was less zealous than in the past; in lieu of my usual 400 photos, I took less than fifty, most of which were entirely serviceable despite being hand-held at 1/30th of a second or longer, and shot at ISOs of 4000 or higher.
I hope that means I’m becoming a bit more discriminating, though I suspect it speaks more to my becoming lazy as I get old and fat.Ā š
Anyway, here are some orchids:
A close-up:
…and some paphiopedilums,Ā all relatives in the “Lady Slipper” family:
…as well as some more ornate sprays, which I haven’t a clue about:
This was a fun outing – it’s late enough in our New England winter so that flowers make me smile!
Enjoy these in the knowledge that Spring is on its way.Ā š
Little Bang Theory 
Beautiful!
If you should ever have the wherewithal, you should come down for a visit and see the orchids in the wild. We’ve got a futon couch just begging for someone to sack out.
Cuz, I’d love it! ‘Cept I’m so badly allergic to cats, I might not survive the hospitality! š
Wow! If that’s what you can do with “serviceable,” then you are amazing. The first reminds me of horticultaral note cards, the colors and the fine edges of the flowers. The orchids are very pretty, but I really like the lady slippers. I remember seeing them in the woods near us in Massachusetts. The last flowers look strange. At first, I thought they were dead, dried up, but they are not. Neat. The backdrops for each is different and very nice, velvety, yet coolish.I think these photos are stunning.
Eileen, thanks. All of the folks who had cameras at this show agreed that it’s absurdly difficult to get well lit, clean shots. I was happy with my “take” once I got it home, but was less than ecstatic while there.
I’m glad you like the final cut. š
Wow. You may not have managed to take as many pictures as usual but the ones I see here are beautiful as ever.
I wish we had a flower show around here but there are none. Last year they opened the greenhouses where the Public Gardens plants are grown and over-wintered but they didn’t do so until late May when the Gardens were open and most all the flowers out there.
Everytime I see your orchid pix, I feel so dirty afterwards (in the best way).
Regards,
Tengrain
Ten, So good to see you here! š
Yes, orchids are sexually charged, but in the most androgenous of ways – I mean, is that a scrotum? A vagina? No, it’s JUST A FLOWER, but it’s beautiful, both for what it is and for what it suggests.
Thanks for commenting! š