Dozens of users from around the world have contributed their photography and expertise to OrchidWiz. Read what a few of them have to say:

“I feel that the more we are able to see each other’s orchids as well as access the data the more we will enjoy the our hobbies and advance general orchid knowledge. A picture is worth a thousand words (or more).”
-- Ed Wise, AOS Accredited Judge, Yorba Linda, California

“The orchid world has needed an electronic encyclopedia such as Orchidwiz, to facilitate the education of the orchid family, the judging process and the hybridization effort. As a student of Dr. W. Edwards Deming’s Total Quality Management, the process of continual improvement, I was immediately attracted to the opportunity to provide some meager input to the massive photographic image needs of this product. Photos, of both typical and award quality flowers, are worth a thousand words. I am only too excited to contribute whatever images I can to help make this product the most useful and educational tool it can be. It is my opportunity and honor to help make a great product even better.”
-- Tom Larkin, AOS Accredited Judge, Hybridizer and Orchid Student of 56 Years, Rogers, Arkansas

“I like knowing that my photos contribute to others' learning more about their orchids and orchids in general. Also, having my photos displayed in OrchidWiz means that I get to be a part of the OrchidWiz community. And it's nice using OrchidWiz and have my own photo appear from time to time as I use the program to do research.”
-- Eric Hunt, Volunteer at OrchidMania, San Francisco, California

“I contribute [my photos] because this is such an exciting new program, which does so much to consolidate a large segment of the available information on orchids. Like any encyclopedia, pictures enhance the text incredibly, and in the case of an electronic encyclopedia like this, with all the database interaction, it utilizes those photos optimally -- making it really simple to look at any given plant's pedigree.

“One of the really nice features is that the pictures are there whether the plant has been awarded or not - as in a true encyclopedia - and when researching for awards, those photos of obscure species can be really helpful in assessing not only whether that species should be awarded, but it's effect on it's progeny. To me, this is an orchid project which is a major contribution to the international orchid community, and anything I can offer to help that project is something I will gladly do. I love taking orchid photos and am always delighted to share them, but in this case, it is also a bit more information to contribute to a more comprehensive collection of information for all of us.

“It is also truly a delight to get credit for the photos and also great fun to see who else out there is taking photos and what types of plants they are photographing, as it suggests someone I might contact if I want information about a particular genus – or perhaps they might be a source for a plant I am looking for. It is exciting to me to be a part of an ongoing, growing, database that will make it so much easier for all of us to do more comprehensive orchid research. Of course going ‘online’ and not having to worry about finding ‘hot spots’ will also be a great joy, and perhaps you will find a way to utilize that market a bit further also.”
-- Judy Cook, MD, AOS Accredited Judge, Dallas, Texas

“After using OrchidWiz and seeing how helpful the orchid photos are for identification we wanted to be a part of the process. We really are thrilled to take part and contribute to something so important and educational in the orchid community.”

-- Ken and Judy Russ, Hobby Growers, Martin County, Florida

I contribute because there are so many things to learn about orchids, from genes to photography, that showing some of them, those I can at least depict with some fidelity is my way of taking part of this vibrant world. Orchidwiz, specifically, because it has a precious feature: it not only shows orchids and orchid information, it provides relations between them. You can dig it. And if you do so knowing what you want, you'll find it is pure gold.

-- Mauro Rosim, Hobby Grower from Sao Paulo, Brazil

"I’m thrilled that the results of my hybridization efforts will be revealed to a great many people.”

-- James E. Rumrill, Orchid Hybridizer, Towaco, New Jersey