Monet's Poppies, Merced River Canyon, California

After years of venturing into Yosemite Valley, I finally took the time to explore the Merced River Canyon just south of the park. Well, it was not the grand landscape i traditionally look for in this area, but the pockets of hillside blanketed in wildflowers were a treat. For this image, taken across the hill, I chose to use selective depth of field, focussing sharply on the poppies in the center of my composition and using soft focus on the flowers very near and far in the frame. This approach adds a very painterly feel to the image.