White Morph California Poppy

Image Critiques Flora Critiques
1

-20240708-_7R43082-poppy dime-Edit.jpg
-20240708-_7R43082-poppy dime-Edit.jpg2048×2048 1.88 MB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

My wife loves California poppies and they seed themselves in several beds in the back yard, but aren’t invasive on our prairie. A couple of days ago, I spotted this white one about half the size of the orange ones and nestled among them. The light was very bright at the time, but I grabbed my camera and took a some shots of it anyway.

Specific Feedback

This is a very large crop because I kept trying to find compositions with the orange ones in it as well. On review, all of those were total flops, but I really liked the look of this blossom all by itself so I went ahead and cropped. Too much? I know the background is pretty busy, but that’s the nature of these flowers, especially at this stage where there are lots in bloom, lots in bud and lots in seed.

Technical Details

Sony A7Riv, 70-200 f/4 macro @ 116 mm, hand held, f/6.3, 1/3200, iso 400. Processed in LR & PS CC. Cropped to 1782x1782. A very small amount of cleanup and very slight enhancement of the stamens.

Critique Template

Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.

  • Vision and Purpose:
  • Conceptual:
  • Emotional Impact and Mood:
  • Composition:
  • Balance and Visual Weight:
  • Depth and Dimension:
  • Color:
  • Lighting:
  • Processing:
  • Technical:
1 Like
2

I didn’t know there was a white version!
This is sweet - great handling of the whites, and the BG doesn’t bother me at all - that’s where these poppies ARE.
That lower petal might be lightened up a bit from gray-ish to better match the other petals…
Great find!

3

I didn’t know either. Creamy and smooth…super tactile in presentation. White is so difficult, but most of this looks reasonable…maybe a little bit of lightening as Sandy indicated, but it’s such a fine line. I like the shade of green - sort of sage-like and subdued so it goes well. A tad noisy on large view, but a good compromise given the situation.

4

I’ve never seen not heard of a white California poppy Dennis. This is really unique. It may be indeed a morph. It is a beautiful flower. Tough situation, but you handled it well. It would be interesting to see if it changes any over time.

5

Aside from finishing blooming it stayed the same, Ed. We’ve had two other white ones this year, all considerably smaller than the orange. If you look closely there is a faint orange blush in the central area of the petals. I need to see if we’re getting both on the same plant!

6

It would be really tough, but if you could save some seeds from those specific plants you might have a new plant breed. . .