Tag:fields
Sunflowers are known as ‘happy’ flowers due to their association with the sun. While not as plentiful in Victoria as the spring canola fields (the primary location of sunflower fields in Australia is NSW and Qld), there are still a few sunflower fields in Victoria to satisfy photographers. Western Australia also has an emerging sunflower industry.
Sunflowers are giant, bright, beautiful flowers popular with photographers worldwide. In Australia, they bloom from January to March. The meanings of sunflowers include happiness, optimism, honesty, longevity, peace, admiration, and devotion. No other flower exceeds it for its ability to make people smile. Popular with nature photographers and photographic enthusiasts, sunflowers look great, either as a single flower or in their thousands in fields.
Ethical Sunflower Photography
Photographing sunflower fields full of blossoms has become popular in recent years due to social media posts. However, that popularity has also brought out thoughtless photographers who ruin it for the rest of us. Like Canola fields, the critical rule when photographing sunflower fields is remembering the Do Nots.
Sunflower fields are farms on private land. However, some sunflower farmers will allow visitors into portions of their fields while protecting other fields. Visitors can take photos and pick the flowers for a per stem cost.
Grow Your Own
Many Sunflowers can be successfully grown in suburban backyards, from giant to dwarf types, such as Dwarf Sensation. For those who suffer hayfever or bee problems, you can even get pollen-free varieties such as ‘Teddy Bear’, though they look more like chrysanthemums than sunflowers.
Plant the seeds in late spring or early summer when the ground is starting to warm up—plant in well-drained soil enriched with some compost. Place them where they get six to eight hours of sun daily. They can even be grown indoors if you place them near a north-facing window!
Plant each seed 60cm apart and 2cm deep and give them deep regular watering in the mornings. They will flower in 8-10 weeks. Companion planting works well for sunflowers next to cucumbers, melons, sweetcorn or squash. However, keep them well away from potatoes and beans because sunflowers release toxins that will inhibit the potatoes and beans.
Fun Facts
- The tallest sunflower recorded was 9.17m tall (30 whopping feet!)
- sunflowers are the national flower of Russia and Ukraine
- the seeds are full of calcium
- each sunflower can produce 1000-2000 seeds
Where to find them
I know of three Sunflower Fields in Victoria that allow the public and photographers to visit. In no particular order, they are:
*Pick Your Own Sunflowers*
One of the largest fields in Victoria is Pick Your Own Sunflowers at Dunnstown. Entry is $5 per person, and kids under five are free. Pack your camera, bring your scissors or secateurs, have cash on you to pay for your sunflowers, and you are set for a great day. Leave your drone home as they are not allowed. Booking online is highly recommended, though you can sometimes pay at the gate.
*Sunflowers of Timmering*
Another great field was Sunflowers of Timmering, corner of Thornton Road and Webb Road, Timmering. However, they recently announced there would be no sunflowers this year. Due to the impact of floods across the region, they lost most of their crops, and to feed the livestock, they have had to replant on all available land. Unfortunately, this left no room for sunflowers. However, mother nature notwithstanding, they plan to be back in 2024
*Greendale Sunflowers*
Set in the rolling hills of Greendale near Ballarat, you will find Greendale Sunflowers at the corner of Lidgett’s Lane and Ballan-Greendale Road in Greendale Vic. The latest news is they expect to open in mid-February 2023. Usual hours are open Thursday and Friday from 11 am to 5 pm, Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm, and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is $5 per person, with children under five free. Sunflowers are available for sale at $2 each. Bring your own secateurs or hire for $2 a pair. Cash only.
Update: Greendale Sunflowers closed permanently in March 2023
Note: all pricing is at 2022 prices and is subject to change. It’s also a good idea to take gardening gloves or a bucket or roll of newspaper for your sunflowers. The sunflowers are pretty hairy and can be prickly and uncomfortable on your hands.
Photography tips and ideas
Sunflowers always turn their faces to the sun throughout the day, so it helps to consider the sun’s position when deciding on the background of your image.
- Close’ fill the frame’ images will bring out the detail of the flowers
- Use a macro to photograph just the very centre of the flower
- Don’t forget the back of the sunflower – they are just as interesting as the front
- Look for sunflowers that haven’t bloomed yet – they also make a great image
- Take a portrait or selfie against or in field of sunflowers (if permitted)
Safety First
When heading out to shoot in Victoria sunflower fields, be mindful that you are entering a working farm. Wear closed-toe sturdy shoes, a hat and sunscreen. Being summer, snakes are possible. Keep a watch out for wriggly sticks! Bees love sunflowers, as the sunflower provides nectar and pollen. Be careful not to disturb the bees. But then, it’s also a great way to get Bee images.
Spring means Canola! As far as the eye can see, Victoria’s amazing fields of gold are blooming. Also in flower are fields from Western Australia’s Wheat Belt, South Australia’s Clare Valley, NSW’s Riverina and Central West, and Victoria’s South West are ablaze with blooming yellow Canola fields. Blooms are at their best from mid-September through to mid-October. The yellow blooms attract many Instagrammers and photographers each year, and it’s not hard to see why, with brilliant, bright yellow flowers set against colourful Australian landscapes.
This year in Victoria, growing conditions have been perfect, and farmers are gearing up for a bumper harvest. But, with this year’s lockdowns, I would hazard a guess that farmers are also very relieved that those same Instagrammers and photographers can’t trample their fields looking for the perfect shot.
Canola (Brassica napus L.) is an oilseed crop created through plant crossbreeding. Scientists in Canada developed an edible version of the rapeseed plant, which — on its own — harbors toxic compounds called erucic acid and glucosinolates. The name “canola” comes from “Canada” and “ola,” denoting oil
Healthline
While no cooking oil is “healthy”, Canola is the world’s healthiest cooking oil, second only to Olive Oil. Our bodies require fat – but some fats are healthier than others, and Canola provides more ‘good’ fats than bad. It’s a rich source of Vitamin E, is cholesterol-free and contains the least saturated fat than many other common cooking oils. Canola also has many non-food uses, such as biodiesel and bioplastics. In the US, it is also used in baby formula. In addition, the Canola meal – the part left over after the seeds are crushed and oil extracted, is used for animal feed, pet food and fertiliser.
the canola plant
Canola is a herbaceous plant growing between 1 to 2 metres in height. The leaves are oval-shaped and hairy at the edges, with small yellow flowers that are a rich source of nectar that attracts bees. The flowers are capable of self-pollination – when cross-pollination is not available. The seed-containing pod is similar to a pea pod but five times smaller. Each pod contains 20 black or brown round seeds and contains 40% oil. It takes 22.5kg to make 10 litres of oil
Two types of protein are extracted from the Canola meal – these are used industrially in sports drinks and protein-enriched foods. Compounds isolated from canola are used in the cosmetic industry for soaps, lipsticks, anti-aging creams and moisturizing lotions. Two types of resins isolated from canola are used in the manufacture of ink
Locations
Where are these amazing fields of gold? In Victoria, you will find canola around Little River and Bellarine Peninsula, in Sunbury, along the Western Highway, heading towards the Grampians, Ballarat, Rokewood and one of the largest fields in the area, near Lexton. They also line the Goulburn Valley Highway to Shepparton and are plentiful around Nagambie and Dookie.
Safely Photographing Canola
- Look, but don’t touch! – Walking on or among the fields causes crop damage
- Don’t enter private property without permission – the perfect selfie does not justify trespassing
- Only pull over where it is safe to do so
Tips for Photographing Canola
- If you want wide-sweeping vistas, a wide-angle lens will be needed. However, if you don’t own a wide-angle, either stand further back to include more of the scene – or shoot a pano.
- Another good lens to have on you is a zoom – the fields rarely have public access, so standing behind the fence, you will need a zoom lens to get closeups of the flowers. (All of my shots were taken with a zoom lens)
- Most fields have roads or paths quite close, so you can easily shoot over the fence. If you can’t get close enough, pull out the zoom
- Use a slower shutter speed for creative blur if it’s breezy
- Use a polarizing filter to enhance contrast
Best Weather And Time of Day
- Look for side lighting – and avoid backlit scenes
- It’s spring, which means it’s windier than at other times of the year. Try to pick a still day or enjoy the view while you wait for the wind gusts to stop.
- Partly cloudy days will give you lovely sunshine, so the canola flowers pop, but also ensure the sky is interesting with some puffy clouds. Dark skies of approaching rain – but the sun still shining are fantastic. But rare 🙁
- Sunrise and sunset also work great. Either use an ND Grad to bring the sky down or bracket your shots
- Look for tractor tracks for leading lines and trees to pull the eye into the photograph.
- Foreground interest – gates and fences
- Shoot at F8 and above to get front-to-back sharpness
- However, if you are super close to the canola, focus stack to avoid foreground blur
NOTE: An update to this post can be found on Goulburns Golden Blanket
Good luck with your hunting the Canola, Victoria’s Fields of Gold.