to email Ralph
about his photosRalph is a keen amateur naturalist and photographer, and covers great
distances every year mostly in Victoria, Australia, collecting digital
photographs. His chief interest is Victorian orchid species but he has been able
to take some stunning photographs of other plant species as well as of insects.
Ralph's background is scientific and he understands the important contribution
the knowledgeable amateur is still able to make to the opus of knowledge of the
natural history of our wonderful country.
to email Ralph
about his photos
The purpose of this website is to display a sample of Ralph's photographs for others interested in Victorian orchids and related fields of study. Ralph can provide a CD of his photograph collection at cost price to those genuinely involved in the study of orchids or Victorian natural history, whether amateur or professional. Trying to find a satisfactory method of dividing up the photograph collection is a difficult business. The actual photographs are displayed in order of acquisition under Ralph's Orchid Diary, so that repeat visitors to the site can see what has been added since their last visit. However, since this website is still in the process of being set up. Alternatively, visitors to this site can go to the Locations Page where each of the main locations Ralph regularly visits is featured. Those interested in a particular place in Victoria, can view a page dedicated to that place, with descriptions of the site, location and access. Since flowering of orchids is restricted to short periods of time each year, each page will have the photographs taken at that location divided up into the 12 months of the year. That way, if you visit the place, you can get an idea of what you are likely to see before you go. Species naming is a difficult business, because the naming conventions for Australian orchids has been changed several times in recent years as more is learned about them. No doubts the scientific reasons for changing the names are sound, but it does make it very difficult when publications published at different dates are being consulted.
I'm Ralph's daughter and I live in Surrey in the UK. I originally studied Botany at Melbourne University but professionally got into computing. I used to be an AS400 programmer, but since moving to the UK to live, my family situation makes it difficult for me to work. I'm using my new free time to learn some new skills with designing and building web pages, including this one and my own web page at www.jennyself.com. I fiddle about a bit with the photos Ralph emails me, then paste them into the web-page. Any information Ralph emails me about each species is cut and pasted from the email into the table beside the photograph.
to email
Jenny, the web page designer, with faults or queries relating to the page itself