Best Tips for Visiting a Sunflower Field
Swimming pools. Backyard barbecues. Days at the beach. Popsicles and ice cream galore. These are all signs of everyone’s favorite season: SUMMER. You know what else is an indicator for the best time of year? Sunflower fields! And I’ve collected all the best tips for your upcoming visit to a field full of sunshine.
Why visit a sunflower field?
Do I really need to answer this for you? The better question is why not visit a sunflower field? They literally spew happiness. I might sell my house and go start living in one; that is how strongly I feel about their awesomeness.
While we spend our lives being told not to look directly at the sun, the sunflowers are bold enough to do this every. single. day. And their beautifulness depends on it!
People have been enchanted with sunflowers forever. The famous painter Vincent Van Gogh permantely memorialized the beauty of these fascinating flowers when he painted five canvases of sunflowers in the late 1880s. He once claimed to a his brother in a letter that “the sunflower is mine” and that “the sun itself cannot make the world bright without soul to feel its light.” Hard to argue with that!
He painted his masterpiece with only three shades of yellow and nothing else just to prove that even a simplistic painting could be beautiful and eloquent. He used his sunflower paintings to communicate gratitude, and when you’re standing in the middle of a gorgeous sunflower farm, you’ll start feeling pretty grateful for that magical feeling in the air.
Fast forward hundreds of years and sunflowers are still captivating the hearts of artists everywhere – be they painters, photographers, or a family looking for a beautiful spot for a summer picnic.
Best time to visit a sunflower field
Sunflowers generally flourish from mid-summer to late fall, so the high season is typically late July to early September. However, the peak bloom time for sunflowers is only about two or three weeks. Wherever you plan on going, call ahead to find out if the flowers are still in bloom and how long they’ll still be blooming.
Find the best location
Sunflowers bloom in fields, farms, and gardens. There are stunning sunflower fields all across the United States and around the world. You just have to know where to look! Do a little research and Google “sunflower fields near me” – I bet you’ll be surprised by how many are nearby or how close you are to one!
If you have the time, dedication, and the brainpower to plan insanely far ahead, you can plant your own sunflower field and enjoy it for years to come. I know someone that did this right in their own backyard, and then one day she got married among all those beautiful blooms.
The Best time of day to photograph Sunflower fields
The “golden hour” is, like the name suggests, pure GOLD for photography, especially when it comes to sunflower fields. Lucky for us, golden hour is longer than just one single hour. It’s actually the few hours after sunrise and before sunset. This time of day is so beloved by photographers everywhere because it gives the softest light and the fewest shadows. Plus, most people usually aren’t out taking photos this early/late, so you’ll probably have the space to yourself.
Use that backlight! Take advantage of that lovely golden hour! You will literally be GLOWING, and it’s stunningly beautiful. But if you have that lovely glow, your photographer will not be able to see AT ALL because they’ll be staring at the sun. If you’re shooting with a partner, I suggest bringing an umbrella (I used a big purse) so they can shade their eyes from the harsh sun or else they’ll be shooting blind!
I personally had better experience visiting a little before sunset. The sun wasn’t in my eyes and the sunflowers and I were facing the same direction. What more could you ask for?
Photography tips for sunflower fields
- Bring the right gear: You can get great photos with your phone, no question, but nothing compares to a good DSLR camera.
- Bring a wide-angle lens if it’s a BIG field. Bring a macro lens if you’re coming specifically to photograph just close-ups of the flowers (and the cute little bees on them).
- Tripods are a girl’s best friend. Whoever answered diamonds doesn’t know what they’re talking about. It’s a tripod.
- A polarizing filter will reduces glare and enhances color saturation.
- Get low! When Flo Rida sang that hit song, I doubt he thought it would be good advice for visiting a sunflower field, but you never know! Getting lower and shooting up at the flowers can elongate the field, making the flowers appear bigger and the field seem endless.
What to wear to a sunflower field
Um, your cutest outfit, duh? Ha, if only it were that simple! As beautiful as they are, sunflower fields are often muddy messes. Seriously, go look at your favorite Instagrammer’s sunflower farm shots. I bet you won’t be able to see her shoes! Thankfully sunflowers are so tall that it’s super easy to get shots without your shoes in them, so leave the designer sandals at home and opt for something you don’t mind getting a little dirty.
Because sunflowers are only around in the summer, there’s a good chance it’ll be sunny and hot. Props are a girl’s best friend, so bring along a cute hat and sunglasses. It’ll up your photo game and save your skin!
Buzz off!
Sunflower fields are like Disneyland for bees; sunflowers are the peanut butter to bees’ jelly. Unless you happen to be a beekeeper, you will never see more bees in your life than at a sunflower field. Thankfully, the bees are SO preoccupied with those sunflowers – can you blame them? – that they won’t bother you unless you bother them. But I always prefer to be better safe than sorry, so bring some bug spray just in case.
Leave the flowers as you found them!
THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. You are a guest and a visitor on someone else’s land. PLEASE don’t harm the sunflowers or pull them out of the ground to take photos with them. So many locations suffer from overcrowding because photographers flock to these Insta-worthy spots. People come to admire the beauty but end up ruining it by squashing the flowers!
So repeat after me: I will not trample the flowers. I will not pick the flowers (unless allowed, because some farms allow you to pick your own, like the one I visited. If you’re not sure, just ask!).
What to bring to a sunflower field
- sunscreen
- insect repellent
- sunglasses
- wide-brimmed hat
- DSLR camera
- tripod & remote for solo travelers
Elina
Amazing photos! Thank you for sharing these tips, I would love to visit a sunflower field!
Sightseeing Señorita
ElinaThank you so much! I hope you get to go soon!
Katie
I’ve always wanted to go to a sunflower field, great tips!
Sightseeing Señorita
KatieThank you! You’ll love it!
Andrea Peacock
I love sunflower fields so much, they make me so happy! Your golden hour shots are perfect too, absolutely beautiful!
Sightseeing Señorita
Andrea PeacockThank you so much! You’re too sweet. The lighting did all the hard work haha!
Baia
I love visiting flower fields, especially the sunflower ones!
Sightseeing Señorita
BaiaMe too! 🙂
Poppy Mae Higgins
Your pictures are so beautiful! I want to visit one soon so these tips were perfect
Sightseeing Señorita
Poppy Mae HigginsThank you so much! I’m really glad you found my tips useful. 🙂
MacKenzie
I love the shirt you chose to go on your shoot!! We usually have a sunflower field near me, but they didn’t plant this year. Your post is making me miss it so much!
Sightseeing Señorita
MacKenzieThanks! I really wanted to match the flowers. But awh that’s a bummer! Hopefully they’re back next year!
Josy A
I love your photos! You are right about the backlight – your golden hair is glowing as much as the flowers!! <3
Sightseeing Señorita
Josy AThank you so much that means so much to me. It really is the best lighting of the day!
Lauren McGill
One of my fave past times is taking pictures in flower fields ..my husband hates it hahah but I can’t help myself! Gorgeous shots of the sunflowers and appreciate the detailed info!
Sightseeing Señorita
Lauren McGillThank you, and nothing wrong with that haha!
Savannah
I seriously love these photos! Such a great list of tips too! Pinning for when I finally get to explore the sunflower field you recommended in Pennsylvania!
Sightseeing Señorita
SavannahThank you so much! There’s lots of farmland in Pennsylvania, so you should be able to find a sunflower field or two no matter what part of the state you’re in. 🙂
Farrah
hehe, I haven’t been to a sunflower field yet but I just found out there’s one that’s not toooo far from where I live. I’m hoping to check it out soon so these tips will definitely be helpful! I hadn’t noticed that about not being able to see the feet, but now that you mention it, I’m pretty sure I haven’t seen a single one showing em’…
Sightseeing Señorita
FarrahI’m so glad you found one near you! Yes, definitely plan to go sooner rather than later because they probably won’t be blooming for much longer! But yea it’s actually pretty tough to get a shot with your feet in it because the flowers are so tall haha
Krista
These are some great tips! All of the sunflower fields I come across in Cadiz are full of burned sunflowers though.
Sightseeing Señorita
KristaThank you, but oh no! I know I’ve seen pictures of sunflower fields from Spain, so hopefully you can find one in a nearby town.
Shafinah Neville
I love these sunflowers and all your photos, it just instantly lifts me to such a AMAZING state of mind!
Sightseeing Señorita
Shafinah NevilleThat’s amazing, Shafinah! Your comment just lifted me up! Thank you, it means so much to me. 🙂
Shelley
GREAT tip about how to avoid the mud on your shoes!! That is so true w/ the fields, they are messy. My mom lives in Asheville, NC, and that’s a great place to see the sunflower fields each spring.
Sightseeing Señorita
ShelleyThank you! Asheville is so pretty! I’m sure that’s a great spot for all kinds of flower fields.
Lala
This is a fun activity! I’ve been locked up for months and this is definitely a checklist when my family can travel again.
Sightseeing Señorita
LalaGreat idea! This is such a fun little trip for the family.
Deborah
I love this whole idea and never thought to do it! Now I have to Google “sunflower fields near me.” Thanks for the great tips, especially for photographers.
Sightseeing Señorita
DeborahOf course, Deborah! I’m so glad you found it helpful. 🙂
Christina
I was searching about the benefits of visiting a sunflower field and I found your blog. I was having fun reading your blog and got helpful tips about taking pictures of these beauties as I am a photography nerd! We have also numerous sunflower fields in Japan and they are great places for summer sightseeing 🙂
Sightseeing Señorita
ChristinaHi Christina. Thanks for the kind comment! Sunflower fields are always such a beautiful place for photography. I bet the ones in Japan are stunning!
Iris Thomas
The best time to plant sunflowers in Georgia is around March to May, after the last spring frost if you garden outdoors. However, if you prefer to seed plants indoors, you can start growing sunflowers in Georgia two to four weeks before freezing weather passes.
Sightseeing Señorita
Iris ThomasThat’s so interesting! Georgia has a much warmer climate. I live in the Northeast USA, and August-Sept is definitely the best time for sunflowers here.
Iris Thomas
I love this whole idea and never thought to do it! Thanks for the great tips, especially for photographers.
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