21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Lavender Sunrise

Very few Spaniards are awake before sunrise, unless they are working. Spanish bees, however, are awake and working well before sunrise. They are purposefully buzzing about at this time of day, especially in the Lavender fields of Brihuega, España where they have an almost unlimited buffet of pollen and nectar on which to feast. In my experience, photography is a funny thing because when I left this location after the shoot, I was convinced that my images were destined for immediate deletion. I just didn't feel the vibe. Then after a few days I opened them up in Lightroom, started editing, and - BAM! - an amazing image like this appears. Looking back on it, I really enjoyed my Lavender Sunrise and my time with the bees.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 07.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Brihuega, Spain
Copyright: © Max Dobens