Blue Himalayan poppy (Meconopsis betonicifolia)

Blue is a color that is rare in nature. Often it’s a trick of refraction as with blue jays that are actually brown. For an explanation - https://www.reconnectwithnature.org/news-events/the-buzz/nature-curiosity-why-are-blue-jays-blue

This poppy has blue pigment and it’s even more stunning with backlighting than reflected light. The plant is often used as a highlight species at Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens exhibitions. They grow the plants from seed.

Description:

Specific Feedback Requested:

Any comments are welcome & appreciated.

Pertinent technical details or techniques:

Nikon D850, Lightbox with flash background, fill flash from the front, 100mm, f22.

Is this a composite? (focus stacks or exposure blends are not considered composites)

No

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A wonderful portrait Paul. I love the luminosity and glow of the flower. It looks like the flower was backlit in the original image, which adds to that translucent glow effect. Very nice processing on this one. I like it as presented.

I thought I wrote about this one, but alas…early senility.

Blue is indeed rare in nature. True blue that is and you’ve found it here, but I also like the contrast with the purple some people call blue. The tissue-like quality of the petals is really emphasized with your technique and I like that you’ve retained some shadows there. It improves the texture. Great details as usual and the centered placement works well because of the boldness of the forms.

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@Ed_McGuirk It was back-lit. Large white light with a flash. That’s what provides all of the white in the photograph.

@Kris_Smith The poppies aren’t as pronounced with frontal light, but they are still blue. The horticultural staff at Phipps has had great success at growing these and they are often used.