Anyone who has followed this site for a while might have heard me state that I am not a flower photographer.  The exceptions to that rule are cherry blossoms which will always signal the start of Spring to me and the sunflower which is tied to the warmth of Summer.

Last year, I found a particular patch of sunflowers with great petals and details.  I inquired about obtaining some seeds from their owner and received a gift of seedlings and seeds earlier in the Summer.  My daughter and I went to work one afternoon carefully planting the seedlings and scattering the numerous seeds and then waited.  A bit of water and some sun and these amazing flowers began to bloom.

The benefit of having my very own patch of sunflowers right outside my office window is that I can photograph them when they have reached a perfect stage of opening (or, in this case, half-opening).  There was something about this particular half-opened sunflower caught at this moment that led me to capture it.  I chose a very shallow depth of field and focused on the sunflower carpels (had to look that up).  Hope you enjoy it.