Alaska Photos ~ Alaska Stock Photography ~ Alaska Pictures

Whirling poppies Fairbnaks, Alaska

On a sunny June day in downtown Fairbanks, this cluster of colorful poppies swayed under a brilliant blue sky. Deciding on how to approach this scene required a little time and experimentation. My first attempt included setting the camera on the ground and shooting upward. But the results were less than satisfactory. The flowers seemed to small and distant because of the wide-angle lens and length of the plant stem.

Shooting directly down from the top proved more interesting, and the blur adds some sense of motion. This was achieved by spinning the camera in my hands, and lowering the shutter speed enough to generate the blur. Thanks to the digital revolution and instant previews, I was able to perfect the shot with some degree of satisfaction. The complimentary colors of red and green, which tend to vibrate in the fashion of all complimentary colors, contribute an additional “feel” to the picture.

Subject:

Whirling poppies

Location:

Fairbanks, Alaska

Camera - film - gear:

• Canon EOS 1Ds
• 16mm f2.8L
• digital
• Hand held

Field Notes