PALM PRINTS

I found and photographed the specimens throughout Florida using a Wista 4x5 view camera and transferred on location. Many Palm specimens came from the grounds of Fairchild Tropical Gardens, Coral Gables, Florida, where the scientists and curators kindly helped with access to palms and assisted with identifying species. As a native Floridian, the omnipresent palm has been, to me, a symbol of strength and solidarity, and was the seminal natural form I photographed.

Original 4 x 5" Polaroid Transfers
10 x 8" Archival Pigment Prints
22 x 17" Archival Pigment Prints

Sabal palmettoPonte Vedra Beach, Florida, 1994 — *Sabal palmetto*
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, 1994

Butia capitatataPonte Vedra Beach, Florida, 1995 — *Butia capitatata*
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, 1995

Copernicia baileyanaCoral Gables, Florida, 1996 — *Copernicia baileyana*
Coral Gables, Florida, 1996

Livistona decipiensCoral Gables, Florida, 1996 — *Livistona decipiens*
Coral Gables, Florida, 1996

Roystonia regiaBoca Raton, Florida, 1994 — *Roystonia regia*
Boca Raton, Florida, 1994

Phoenix canariensisAtlantic Beach, Florida, 1995 — *Phoenix canariensis*
Atlantic Beach, Florida, 1995

Ptychosperma elegansCoral Gables, Florida, 1996 — *Ptychosperma elegans*
Coral Gables, Florida, 1996

Copermicia macroglossaCoral Gables, Florida, 1994 — *Copermicia macroglossa*
Coral Gables, Florida, 1994

Cocos nuciferaPompano Beach, Florida, 1995 — *Cocos nucifera*
Pompano Beach, Florida, 1995

Phoenix canariensisPalmetto, Florida, 1994 — *Phoenix canariensis*
Palmetto, Florida, 1994

Washingtonia robustaClewiston, Florida, 1996 — *Washingtonia robusta*
Clewiston, Florida, 1996

Phoenix canariensisJacksonville, Florida, 1997 — *Phoenix canariensis*
Jacksonville, Florida, 1997

Syagrus romanzoffianaLoxahatchee, Florida, 1996 — *Syagrus romanzoffiana*
Loxahatchee, Florida, 1996

Veitchia MerrilliiBig Pine Key, Florida, 1995 — *Veitchia Merrillii*
Big Pine Key, Florida, 1995

Phoenix roebeliniPunta Gorda, Florida, 1994 — *Phoenix roebelini*
Punta Gorda, Florida, 1994

Polaroid Dye Transfer Process

I began making Polaroid transfers twenty-five years ago, using large format 4x5 and 8x10 view cameras. To make these images, I place the specimen before the camera and the film is exposed. After processing, I promptly pull it apart. Then, I quickly place the negative face down onto a sheet of water-soaked watercolor paper so it absorbs and retains the dyes. I allow the negative to sit on the paper for several minutes before slowly and carefully peeling it away.