sunflower | Beautiful Flower Pictures Blog

Sunflowers!

by hankinslawrenceimages | Jul 17, 2008 | Asteraceae Family, Flowers, Photo Locations

Bill and I were able to make a couple of trips out to McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area outside of Poolesville, Maryland last weekend. The sunflowers are full bloom – and are incredible.

This is my third year photographing the sunflowers at McKee-Beshers. The first year I was there towards the end of the peak bloom and photographed isolated flowers. Last year, I photographed a panoramic photo of part of the field. This year, I was hoping to photograph isolated blossoms to add to my series of gallery wrapped flower canvases I’ve been showing, and to try a few different views of the sunflowers.

Here are some of my favorite sunflower photos from this year.

First are a couple of isolated flowers.

Next, another isolated blossom from a slightly different angle. I liked the way this blossom seemed to be reaching for the sun.

Since I’ve taken probably hundreds of photos of the whole sunflower blossoms, I decided to try for something a little more abstract. Here’s a sunflower from the back – I thought the pattern of the leaves on the back of the petals was neat. With my macro lens I was able to capture the detail of the fuzz along the edge of the leaves.

I photographed this sunflower from the side – shooting across the flower. I tried several different apertures for this look – decided that I really the one at f22 the most. Just about everything in the photo is in sharp focus.

I couldn’t resist taking a few photographs of the field. I like presenting these as panoramics. Looking at a field of sunflowers just makes me smile.

My last photo is something completely different for me. I got my first digital camera in 1999 and have shot less than 30 photos on film since then. Sunday morning, I decided to try taking a photo on one of Bill’s Graflex SLR’s. I used the Graflex RB SLR Super D with Polaroid Type 56 Sepia Toned 4″x 5″ Film. I’m beginning to understand the appeal of the large format SLRs – it’s got a big focusing screen. I did miss the instant feedback of the histogram from my DSLR!

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing some of my sunflower photos from last weekend. I’m hoping to get back out to McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area later this week. The sunflowers there are one of my favorite photo spots every year.

Sunflowers at McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area in Maryland

by hankinslawrenceimages | Jul 6, 2008 | Asteraceae Family, Flowers, Photo Locations

One of my favorite places to photograph in the Washington DC area in July is at the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area located in Western Montgomery County. Each summer, the state of Maryland plants fields of sunflowers at McKee-Beshers.

McKee-Beshers WMA is a 2000 acre area located on River Road just outside of Seneca, Maryland – not far from the intersection of River Rd and Rt 112. McKee-Beshers is on the left hand side of the road.

We visited McKee-Beshers on Saturday July 5th to see how this year’s crop of sunflowers is doing. The plants are growing – but not yet blooming. Best guess is that by later in the week, it should be gorgeous.

We found two fields of sunflowers this year. The first is located just off River Road at the first parking lot for Mc-Kee Beshers. The second field is on Sycamore Landing Road, just south of River Road. You’ll need to park along the side of the road for the second field since there isn’t a convenient parking lot. Each field covers a few acres.

If you’re wondering why the state grows so many sunflowers – let’s just say – it’s a wildlife management area and McKee-Beshers does have areas set up for hunting and birding.

So if you like sunflowers (and who doesn’t) and you’re in the DC area in the next few weeks – head out to McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management area to see a spectacular display of sunflowers. You’ll see lots of other photographers, artists, and sunflower lovers there. And then you can join all of us who go into complete denial every year about why they really plant them all.

July 17 Update: I’ve just posted some of my 2008 Sunflower photos from McKee Beshers in a new post.