A lengthy trek through the swamp paid off for Brian Zepeda with an award-winning photograph and a mystery. 

Zepeda, Naples Council/Board liaison, took home a silver award for best photography in the single feature image category at the 2024 Charlie Awards on July 26. How he was nominated remains unclear. 

His photo, “Ghost Orchid,” was published in FORUM – The Magazine of Florida Humanities in fall 2023. He said the magazine sent him a couple copies of that issue once it was published, and he “didn’t think anything else about it.” 

Then, he got an email about four months ago from the Florida Magazine Association congratulating him on being a finalist for the Charlie Awards. He did not nominate himself. 

“Then I looked at the process of the Charlie Awards. Somebody has to nominate you, pay $70 to nominate you, and give whatever photograph or article … to that organization, FMA. Then, they have panelists that narrow it down to three or four, and then those three or four are eligible for the Charlie Award,” Zepeda said. 

Zepeda asked who submitted his photograph, but it was anonymous, and the organization could not tell him. He was not aware he would be awarded silver until he attended the awards presentation gala in Orlando with his family and friends. He said it was the first award of this kind he’s won. 

When he took the orchid photo, Zepeda was on a small group trip through Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park in eastern Collier County.

“It was a long trek to get to it, because we had to drive a long way, get out of cars, and then walk a long way to get there. It was all in water [up to our chests]. So, we all had our camera equipment on top of our heads, walking through the water trying to get to it,” Zepeda said. 

When the group finally reached the ghost orchid, which is an endangered species, it was high up in a tree. Zepeda got the award-winning shot while standing on a 10-foot ladder someone brought on the trip.  

“I know there are people who call me crazy because I’ll go into the swamp, but don’t think twice about it. There’s alligators, water moccasins, poisonous spiders and venomous insects – and I just go,” Zepeda said. 

To get to the level of an award-winning photographer, Zepeda said it takes “a lot of snaps, a lot of failures, a lot of learning, a lot of frustration.”

He became serious about learning photography in 1997 when he was working at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum. During his time there, he took photos of various items to send to interested collectors and institutes.

Zepeda credits some friends and mentors who have helped him learn photography.

His talents don’t end with his camera. His skills also include beadwork, woodcarving, silversmithing, leather smithing, building Chickees and more. Institutions and galleries have requested beadwork as well as photography from him. 

Along with being a photographer and artist of various other crafts, Zepeda works his 8-to-5 job as the Council/Board liaison. He said he’s in his office around 5 most mornings – after a workout – to spend a couple of hours on his art. He squeezes in time at lunch, in the evenings and on weekends as well. 

“I love photography, I really do. I mean, I like doing beadwork, and it’s very calming. I’ve got all kinds of accolades for my beadwork, but I’ve always liked the photography. Ever since I’ve started, it’s been fantastic,” Zepeda said.

Some of Zepeda’s work, along with fellow Seminole artist Erica Deitz, will be in an Art Basel gallery from Oct. 20, 2024, to Jan. 12, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale at the New River Inn.