Poppies

[Round Tuit]

We have a poppy plant that produces beautiful flowers that appear overnight but are very fragile. Most blooms only last a day or two before the wind or the rain knocks the large petals off.
I photographed this one in its natural environment before bringing one inside for a black background pose which I posted in the current mini competition.
#1


This is what is left after the petals fall off.

#2


I would appreciate C & C on these two shots.

André

[Wavelength]

Petals fall...beauty remains!!!

[ST1]

Petals fall...beauty remains!!!

Exactly what I thought, well captured André.

I prefer your second image with the square crop, colour and the detail it contains. I did wonder if you had used a square crop on the first image if that would produce a stronger composition. But then I thought if the first image had more above and below the poppy petals to give equal space top bottom and sides IYSWIM.

[bnnrcn]

Lovely colors and shapes in #2 Andre IMO needle-like thing at the lower left side needs cloning .

[Mike Buckley]

What did you use for that gorgeous background in the second photo?

Lovely colors and shapes in #2 Andre IMO needle-like thing at the lower left side needs cloning .

Completely agreed!

[Shadowman]

That first shot does look very translucent, nice captures.

[Round Tuit]

Nandakuma,
Thank you.
Some might say "Petals fall... beauty increases"

Peter,
Thank you.
Most of my single bloom photos end up being a square crops. I gave the first one some breathing room on the right because it is pointing in that direction and it looks to me more balanced that way.

Binnur,
Thank you.
I'm afraid that I agree with you on the needle like thing needing cloning. That should test my PP skills.

Mike,
Thank you.
Here is a clue on the background of #2. You once said that you used to sell this stuff.

John,
Thank you.

[Wavelength]

True; i am corrected

[JohnRostron]

I do like #2. I would call it fading beauty.

Lovely colors and shapes in #2 Andre IMO needle-like thing at the lower left side needs cloning .

Binnur, why do you object to the shed anther to the left, but not to the shed petal to the right? I would consider both as essential components of a fading flower.

John

[xpatUSA]

Great depth of field in the second image!

According to EXIF, 55mm, f/16 at a "Focusing Distance" of 0.66m is how ya did it!

(I just had to peek . . .)

[lovelife65]

#2 is beautiful and my favorite. Wonderful details and color, and interesting without the petals..
Very nice

[bnnrcn]

Hi John Because the petal on the RHS doesn't look as distracting .

I do like #2. I would call it fading beauty.



Binnur, why do you object to the shed anther to the left, but not to the shed petal to the right? I would consider both as essential components of a fading flower.

John

[Round Tuit]

I do like #2. I would call it fading beauty.



Binnur, why do you object to the shed anther to the left, but not to the shed petal to the right? I would consider both as essential components of a fading flower.

John

Thank you John,
Just to be pedantic, the "petal" on the right is not a petal but part of the shell that enclose the bud before it opens. The petals are huge and red.
Now to answer your question. I find the anther distracting because it span the gap between the two green things(I think that this is the technical term!) at an angle that clashes with the mostly circular symmetry of the picture and because part of it is very bright.

André

[Round Tuit]

Thank Ted

...
(I just had to peek . . .)

That is why I leave the exif on the photo that I post.

[Round Tuit]

#2 is beautiful and my favorite. Wonderful details and color, and interesting without the petals..
Very nice

Thank you Sharon.

[Rainforest]

Andre I shoot these poppies every single year in my neighbor's yard. Sadly, I have never gotten close to what you have here. I love your second shot especially. The detail and light is exquisite and it's interesting as well. It's not easy to get those iridescent and velvety details and you have it all. :-)

[Round Tuit]

Andre I shoot these poppies every single year in my neighbor's yard. Sadly, I have never gotten close to what you have here. I love your second shot especially. The detail and light is exquisite and it's interesting as well. It's not easy to get those iridescent and velvety details and you have it all. :-)

Thank you Susan.
I was lucky that the colours and textures were there in the first place. As for capturing them; soft light, a small aperture and a tripod seemed to work. A touch of clarity and a healthy dose of sharpening at a small radius put the finishing touch on the image. I am glad that you enjoyed the result.

[Rainforest]

Thank you Susan.
I was lucky that the colours and textures were there in the first place. As for capturing them; soft light, a small aperture and a tripod seemed to work. A touch of clarity and a healthy dose of sharpening at a small radius put the finishing touch on the image. I am glad that you enjoyed the result.

Thanks so much for the rundown on this ;-)). I'm curious what the background is- such a pretty creamy color?

[Round Tuit]

Thanks so much for the rundown on this ;-)). I'm curious what the background is- such a pretty creamy color?

The background is out of focus beige carpeting on my living room floor.

[IzzieK]

I am very late here...the conversation had already expanded so much that what I have to say may not matter. I tried to comment on this post when I first saw it but because I go CiC in the middle of the night, by the time I reach the second page, I am tired. I tried to save the link but I lost it twice...

I belong to the fan of #2 -- all else have been said that I need to say. Keep it up. You are doing a good job. I got one question though -- what part of this plant is harvested to make opium? Just curious...And no, I do not have poppies in my garden or anywhere and I do not take drugs nor smoke nor drink alcohol. True story.