Do you ever get one of those "great" ideas and about halfway through you think, "Hmmm, this might be more than I bargained for?" Growing a sunflower patch is one of those for me. I thought it would be so nice to watch them grow, take some macro images of them, and offer mini photo sessions for children. However, I didn't quite know to account for storms, insects, birds, too much rain, not enough rain, and HEAT! The poor little stalks and leaves took a beating, so much so, that at one point I wasn't sure there were going to be any leaves left by the time the flowers actually bloomed. Speaking of blooming, of course the front row was the last to bloom, so that made it interesting trying to plan the sessions. On one of my outings to cut a few flowers to photograph and put in vases, I was met with an angry bumblebee who apparently thought I was trying to steal his food, so he stung me. I had forgotten how much bee stings hurt. And swell. And itch. Not fun. Anyway, I digress. Even though it was nearly 100 degrees during a couple sessions, the kids were so much fun to interact with. I love catching them with their real personalities showing, instead of only getting formal poses. If you are a photographer, you know how managing sunlight can be challenging. I learned that some of my lights were not nearly strong enough to overpower the sunbeams. I also learned that some parents really don't like stuffed teddies in their photos. And for some kids, holding the props are way more fun than just sitting next to them. All in all, my idea didn't turn out too badly and the families liked their photos. I learned a few new things along the way and I'm anxious to move to the next challenge. Learning is part of the fun of being a photographer. P.S. Sunflowers in vases sit still much better than children.
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