Finding Inspiration in the Sunflower Fields

“My work is the world. Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird – equal seekers of sweetness.”

-Mary Oliver

Since I encountered my first sunflower field with my mother in 2007, I have made a point to spend time among these beautiful flowers every summer.  Each year, I try to come away from the fields with something different than I created before.  That becomes more and more challenging.

I find that a favorite place, like the sunflower field, can help me get into the quiet place where I find inspiration.  Quieting my mind allows me to see things in new ways.

Sometimes the things I study at home lead me to images I might have otherwise overlooked.

It is also always great to become a beginning at something:  using a new lens, trying a new technique, chasing a new subject.  Thanks to my friends in the Rock Hill, SC, Photographers Facebook group and the Charlotte CNPA Region, I was inspired to attempt photographing birds among the sunflowers this year. Photographing birds in the fields is something I have not tried before, and it provided the challenge that I was seeking.

I found the challenge of the “hunt” exhilarating, although the beautiful blue bunting I sought kept its distance from me and my lens.  Perhaps next year…

Inspiration can also strike once I am back home, spending time with my images on the computer.  Creating at my computer has been an excellent way to spend time during the excessive heat we have been experiencing in South Carolina recently.

Finding inspiration is something that I work on daily.

Jamie Konarski Davidson and I have crafted workshop experiences to help participants find inspiration while they are with us in great locations, but more importantly, after they have gone home.  We would love to have you join us in Georgia this fall for our Meet Your Muse in Georgia Workshop.  Please feel free to reach out to either Jamie or me with any questions you may have.

Wishing you inspiration wherever you find yourself today!