Clyde Butcher Photography

There are all sorts of odd-looking plants in Saguaro National Park. All the variations of texture seemed to jump out at us as we meandered through the park. By the end of the day, we had prickly things all over our shoes and clothes.

Unfortunately, we were only there for one day, and that was just not long enough. There were so many photographic opportunities in that wonderfully strange environment.

📷 Saguaro 4 © 2012 | Saguaro National Park, Arizona

Sloshing around in the lush green summer swamps of the Everglades fills me with a deep joy of being alive. There is something primeval about it that connects to my very soul.

When I came across these Guzmania bromeliads, I was overwhelmed by the abundance of the plants around me. Today I'm glad to have this photograph, as this fragile ecosystem is under attack by the invasive Mexican bromeliad weevil.

The Guzmania population today is drastically reduced, and overall only one percent of the plants left are adults.

📷 FAKAHATCHEE STRAND 5 © 1999 | Western Everglades | Deardorff 5×7 camera | T-Max 100 film.

Camera settings f/45 | 120mm Nikkor SW lens | orange filter | 1 second.

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