My neighbour has a Poppy patch in her garden, and I always find this part of their rebirth interesting. Still haven't succeeded in learning how to pack as efficiently, though.
To me, Doug, this is just about the perfect flower shot.
#1) The colors are vibrant. #2) The detail and focus are exquisite. #3) The dark background really shoves the plants into your face #4) It only barely looks like a flower.
A master work. It's a treat to see all those tiny filaments in focus against the blurred background. Although I don't think I'd be able to produce a photo of this caliber for a long time, if ever, I will venture a comment on that bit of green in the lower right corner. The two buds look so much like twins with a small leaf on the left and a larger sprout on the right. Might it not be a plus to reinforce that effect by removing that orphaned green patch? Still, this is certainly a ten.