Sunflowers-FOUND!

Yesterday I got the low down on a Sunflower field tucked away in Longmont that is sort of hard to find if you don't know where it is at. Well....myself and a couple of my shooting buddies decided to explore it and let me say now, if you all aren't busy, get here now! There were quite a few other photographers here shooting it and it is basically has unobstructed views of the front range ...it is also massive in size.

For those of you who wish to go here are the directions coming from I-25:

Take Highway 119 west to County Line Road, head south
Take County Line Road a few miles south to Niwot Rd (be on the lookout it comes up VERY much out of the blue) and head west.
Follow Niwot all the way west until it curves north, (turns into 115 at that point) field is on your left 1/4 mile down.

A quick snap---this is one of my shooting buddies Josh being a goofball, showing off his farmer tan, and posing for a couple of us lol This though shows just how big the field is, and this isn't even 1/8th of it. Can't say we don't have a blast when we are all out shooting!

---John
http://jdebordphoto.com

Thanks for the heads up John, I'll be sure to check this one out!.

You are quite welcome, it is one heck of a field that offers some incredible views

I was going to post that this weekend I found two more fields of sunflowers. One is on 287 between Longmont and Berthoud. The other is off I-25 and the Mead exit.

This one looks much better than the ones I have seen.

Jim this field is pretty amazing I have to say...it is ALMOST as good as the DIA fields a few years back, those were the top IMO. These flowers as you can see aren't huge in nature which lends to having a good view unless you have a ladder (which a few photogs had) On 287 between Longmont and Berthoud? May have to look at the field, my shooting buddy said he saw at least 4 if not 5 fields off I-25 between Longmont and Ft Collins, he said there is a field off 66 that is really incredible....we will see, we are planning in hitting it Monday or Tuesday and I will post back letting everyone know how it is. Also, this coming week the field north of 66 off Hoover/87th should be about to pop. I was talking with a photographer on flickr about that field who had just went up there Wednesday and he said they aren't in full bloom yet with just a couple, but whatever the species of Sunflowers that they are growing, they are gigantic in size.

Looks like a GREAT year for Sunflower shots!

Great tips, but very disturbing photo.

Oh Todd come on now, don't deny it, it makes your camera grip sweaty lol
Oh and just for you Todd, here is a larger version of that shot, thought you might like it for wallpaper lol
http://jdebordphoto.zenfolio.com/img/s10/v17/p640712859.jpg

Thanks for the info, John. I really need to add sunflowers to my collection, but frankly I just don't know when I can get out and shoot this summer. Hopefully I can find some time to head up there soon!

BTW, that's some stellar color in your shot!

Thanks for the tip! You really should put some warning up on the post, though, like "may not be appropriate for most audiences." Seeing this w/out advance warning has caused great harm to my mental well-being.

I agree with Grant.. I don't feel so good....

Thanks for the update and no-thanks for putting that image in my head.

Todd said it best! It's burned into my brain now, and it won't go away.

What a wonderful field! Congrats on finding it!

Dumb question: Was this taken before sunrise since the flowers are facing east, or is it at sunset and the flowers have finished turning back to the east in preparation for the next morning's sunrise?

Don these flowers are facing East even at sunset, I was just out there - not a great sunset though.

Thanks for the tip John! I headed up there this morning...

Thanks for the info. That's not too far from me. I'll have to check it out.

- Dan.

Great shot John, it could be worst, it could be Todd out there. Now that's a scary thought!

I came from the west, up 36 and drove Neva Rd to Niwot Rd till I got to 119 and saw some scattered sunflowers at the side of the road but nothing like this. Did I make a wrong turn? On Google Maps, I can't find 115.

- Dan.

Dan,

I think where you went wrong is confusing CO 119(the diagonal hwy) with 119th road which is a Boulder County road number and the numbering system John is refering to. You needed to head further east, past hwy 287. Niwot Rd is not coninuous when coming from the west side of town so you have to jig and jag around to pick Niwot Rd back up east of hwy 287. I dont know what part of town your coming from but the easiset way to find this area would be to head east on either Baseline or Highway 52 and pick up County Line Road (Boulder/Weld county line) and head north to Niwot Road. I was planning on checking this field out this morning as well but got sidetracked with work. Hope this helps.

Tom, thanks for the info. I'm coming from north Boulder. I'll try Baseline to County Line Road. Would 36 to 287 be faster, even though 36 goes south?

- Dan

Dan, from North Boulder I would take the Diagonal Highway towards Longmont, then maybe turn on Highway 52 (east bound, which I think is between Gunbarrel and Niwot), until you reach 287. Turn North on 287, follow it for a couple of miles until you reach "Oxford Road", take Oxford East a mile or so and you will see the Sunflowers on the South side.

I stopped by there yesterday afternoon/evening. Many flowers are past peak and look a bit ratty, although there are still large patches of good looking flowers.

I'm surprised I didn't see you out there last evening Don. I agree, the brutal heat of the last few days seems to have really gotten to these guys. A lot of of them have started to wilt. Any word of the field off 66?

Thanks, Nick. I made it there yesterday afternoon. While I was driving down Iris to take Foothills Expressy south to Arapahoe, I dawned on me that the Diagonal was the way to go so that's how I went.

The flowers are a little past their prime but look okay on the north end of the field.

- Dan

@Koveh I am hitting the field off 66 tomorrow evening I will let you know!