The Botanical Collection

Marc van Eyken - Photography

Poppy

Poppy
100mm f/11 1/160s ISO 500 3:4

Poppy

Bathed in dramatic contrast, this arresting portrait of a scarlet poppy commands attention with its bold simplicity and vivid color. The delicate, paper-thin petals unfold like silken flames, revealing a dark, intricate center crowned by a dusky purple stigma and a corona of inky-black stamens. Set against a deep black background, the flower appears to float — luminous, fragile, and powerful. Every wrinkle and edge of the petal is highlighted, emphasizing the fleeting, ephemeral beauty of the bloom. This image is a tribute to both the poppy's symbolic weight — remembrance, resilience, and renewal — and its striking natural elegance, captured here in a moment of perfect stillness.