Poolesville, Maryland
Taking a short drive to the nearby Maryland countryside to stand in a field full of sunflowers will probably become a yearly tradition for us! Like the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin in downtown DC, the fields of the McKee Beshers Wildlife Management area are planted with beautiful sunflowers. When they bloom is regularly monitored and posted on their website. Not as many people make it here compared to the Tideal Basin. So you can really get up close and personal with the bees and the blooms.
Since they bloom in summer, it is recommended to go either in early morning or late evening. Concurrently, it is better when the sun is not directly overhead. This, of course, makes for better photos too! The spacing in between lines of plantings makes it easier to walk in between the rows of blooming flowers.
Roadside Sunflowers
We decided to go out later in the evening. Being July, it was still hot and a little humid, but we enjoyed the colorful view. There are many fields in which sunflowers are planted. However the first one off of River Rd. is probably the most photogenic. As you walk from the parking lot, you can see the yellow glow of the flowers between a column of trees. It is like stepping into an Impressionist painting.
It is such a great place to make photos. You can take out your wide-angle lenses, your macro lenses, practice with your tripod, or take your flash off the camera for more fun. Luckily you have lots of space to work and not be in anyone else’s way. There is still some time to get out there and see the sunflowers. According to the website, there are other fields that may bloom from now until August. Grab your camera and a friend or two and make some nice pictures!
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