The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium proudly introduces a new photography exhibition titled “The Search for Something Different: Photographs of Beach and Marine Life by Amy Tripp.” Opened in early July, this captivating exhibit will be on display for several months, offering visitors a unique glimpse into the hidden world of Southwest Florida’s mollusks.
Amy Tripp out and about, capturing photos of mollusks.
Amy Tripp, renowned photographer and conchologist, possesses a remarkable ability to uncover and document moments of rarity and wonder within the often-hidden lives of mollusks. Her photographs vividly capture these fascinating creatures’ biology, behavior, and habitats, showcasing the beauty and intricacy of the animals responsible for some of the most beloved seashells in the Gulf of Mexico.
“The first time I saw the eyes of what could be called a face on a mollusk, I was hooked,” said Amy Tripp. “One of the great things is the search for something different. Looking at all the images I took every day was the emphasis that compelled me to continue photographing mollusks.”
This neosimnia uniplicata is a small marine gastropod known for its distinctive single tooth-like projection on its shell.
Spanning over two decades of exploration, Tripp’s exhibition features some of her most surprising and intriguing finds from the beaches of Southwest Florida. Her lens captures the science, beauty, and interaction of mollusks at various stages of life, highlighting their surrounding ecosystems in an educational and visually stunning manner.
Co-curated by Tripp and Dr. José H. Leal, Science Director and Curator at the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium, the exhibition is designed to both educate and inspire. “The Museum has been a long-time admirer of Amy’s photographs, which are superb teaching instruments as well as great pictures,” said Museum Executive Director Sam Ankerson. “Her work is well known to shell enthusiasts in Southwest Florida, and we’re excited now to share it with a wider audience.”
The underside of a crepidula maculosa.
“The Search for Something Different” is open to visitors during regular Museum hours with paid admission. For more information, visit ShellMuseum.org or call 239-395-2233
Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840) Horse Conch picctured with a Busycon perversum (Linnaeus, 1758) [Lightning Whelk]
