Summer is here and that means the sunflowers will be blooming soon.

They typically bloom for about 7-10 days around July 4th.

Every year I make the drive 50 minutes south of Charlotte to a huge sunflower field so I can photograph dogs in them. They’re located in upstate South Carolina so it’s an easy drive if you’re in Charlotte or the surrounding areas.

The temperature can be pretty hot and the humidity is usually around 100% but they’re so pretty, it’s totally worth it.

My first year there, the flowers were so tall the great dane I was photographing seemed short.

Since that first year though, there always seem to be some flowers that are shorter. I’m hoping this year will be the same because not all of my clients are great danes!

If you have a small dog, ideally holding him would be best unless you want to bring something sturdy for the dog to stand or sit on.

However if you bring something to prop him up on, please know that you’ll need to carry it from your car to the field and it’s a 10-15 minute walk. The walk is through red dirt or if it’s been raining, red mud. You should wear comfortable shoes and ones you don’t care if they turn red/orange.

When we moved last year, I think I threw away the shoes I’ve worn the past several years otherwise I’d post a photo of them here. They were a disaster. Time to break in another old pair of my tennis shoes for this job.

Photos in the sunflower fields are always a blast and we make it fun for the dogs too. I mean just look at Duncan’s drool in the photo above. He was paid handsomely in treats for his modeling.

If you’re interested in booking a sunflower session, reach out via email kim@barkography.com or fill out the contact page on my website to get the details.

To keep reading about other summer topics, make your way around this blog circle. Next up is Endless Mountains PA pet photographer, Elaine Tweedy, looks forward to summer skies. Be sure to click the link at the bottom of each blog post and make your way around the circle. You’ll end up back here when you’ve finished.