This is an Earl of Chester Orchid I took at Selby Gardens.  I love the iridescence of the petals and all the water droplets.  The out of focus leaves create a nice pattern in the background.  

The orchid below is a Pearl Harbor Orchid that I also took at Selby Gardens.  The golds are beautiful against the rich mauves and I love the pattern created by the other slipper orchids in the background.

This photograph of two purple tiger orchids is one of my favorites.  The petals sparkle and glisten so much they seem almost sugar coated.  I liked the juxtaposition of the foreground and background flowers and the way the branches arch and cross one another.  I bought this plant as a gift for someone but had to photograph it first because it was so spectacular.

I took this photograph when I was in Sannibel Island in February on Artie Morris' Southwest Florida IPT in the late afternoon one day.  I loved the formation of the Skimmers and the way the Plover broke ranks and walked in front.

The red-winged blackbird above is from a recent trip to the Venice Rookery.  There are always so many beautiful birds there, and it is right in my backyard.  This bird had attitude.  I liked the contrast between the forcefulness of the bird, the soft textures of the branch he is standing on and the painterliness of the water behind him with all the reflections.

Award

I was honored to receive 2nd place at the Venice Art Center's Photography and Digital Arts Exhibition for my photograph "Cypress Tree, River Styx." it is on display through the month of April. You can see the photograph on my website: lynnebuchanan.com. Next weekend, I will be photographing on the Alafia River.

I recently returned from a great trip to Big Cypress and the Everglades with my friend Debbie  We canoed down the Turner River twice and it was so beautiful.  Went into some difficult to navigate areas that were magical.  The lilies were in bloom and we saw baby alligators and lots of birds.  The mangrove tunnels were spectacular.  Another kayaker on the river told us he spotted a panther and that it was much larger than he would have expected.  Saw a beautiful sunset from the Marsh Trail in Ten Thousand Islands, communed with the alligators in the pond behind the Fakahatchee Hilton, went on a swamp walk in Big Cypress behind Clyde Butcher's Gallery, and went to Shark Valley for the first time.    Spring is a great time to visit the swamp.  Hardly any mosquitoes compared to the summer and fall.

I will be posting photos from the trip on the blog soon.  Visit my website at lynnebuchanan.com to see more images from the Everglades and other natural areas.