Sunflowers at Sunset at Burnside Farms

Located an hour outside of DC in Nokesville, Virginia, Burnside Farms is a small, family-owned farm that plants 70 acres of sunflowers which bloom from mid July to mid to late August. There are 30 varieties of sunflowers to photograph ? yellow, variegated, red, white (yes, white!), large, small, and fancy, to name a few!

There are also flowerbeds of Zinnias, Cosmos, and Mexican Sunflowers which attract butterflies.

The safari will begin at 4:30pm, to take advantage of the late afternoon light and (hopefully) the cooler temperatures! During the safari, we will concentrate on photographing sunflowers based on:

• location – in close proximity to other sunflowers or on its own; facing toward or away from the sun
• height – some are only 4 or 5 feet tall, others are 6 to 7 feet tall; and
• characteristics, such as a dark or light center, frilly or variegated petals

A mid-range zoom lens affords the greatest flexibility when photographing sunflowers. The minimum focusing distance will allow you to get fairly close to the sunflower, so that you can frame the whole sunflower, ?zoom in? to capture details in the flowers, or ?zoom out? to capture a wider view of the sunflower field. Macro lenses are also good for capturing details. A diffuser and reflector are also recommended. A flash can also be helpful for illuminating the center of a sunflower when shooting into the sun.

Since this is a cutting farm, you are permitted to walk through the rows of sunflowers as long as you are careful not to damage any of the plants.

Sunflowers can be purchased for $1.50 per stem, and Garden snips are available for use when you enter. If you plan on taking some sunflowers home, bring a container and water so that the flowers don?t wilt before you get them home.

Tripods are optional, since it can be challenging to set one up in the sunflower fields. The rows are fairly narrow, and the legs sometimes get tangled in vegetation.

Bring bug spray and water, since it gets hot in the fields! Your admission fee is included in the cost of the safari.

Here is what safarians have  had to say about the WPS safari:

Lots of patience for a beginner. The instructor took time to explain the basics for me and provide more stylistic advice to those more experienced in my group. I would do another tour in a heartbeat. Devin T.

FIVE STARS..My Washington Photo Safari experience was very fulfilling. I have never had a chance to photograph sunflowers so I signed up and am very pleased with the treasure trove of images that I am still processing. My goals were completely met. The session at Burnside Farm was expertly lead by a photographer who was thoroughly familiar with the varieties of sunflowers at that farm and very experienced with photographic equipment and techniques suited to capturing beautiful compositions and exposures of the predominantly backlit flowers…

 I am an experienced photographer with top notch Nikon equipment. Flowers are a subject that I often photograph including some with focus stacking. I approached this session with an open mind and was rewarded by the guidance and conversation with the impressive guide. No matter how much you think you know, there is always more to learn…this happened to me on this Safari and I am grateful.  Don L., Arlington, VA