Angela & Dillon's Sunflower Engagement Session

Did you know that there’s a sunflower farm in York County, SC, where all you can see for miles are fields of beautiful yellow flowers? Draper Wildlife Management Area is a protected wildlife preserve, part of the SC Department of Natural Resources public lands. Located near Brattonsville, the preserve is an area dedicated to small game hunting, with over 370 acres of woods, ponds, and open fields. It is also popular for hiking, biking, and bird-watching throughout the year But for a month or so in July-August, the area turns into a golden wonderland, filled with acres and acres of sunflowers. It’s perfect for portrait sessions, and absolutely free to visit!

So last summer, when Angela and Dillon booked me as their photographer for their October 2025 wedding, we started talking about where to do their engagement session. It was the perfect time of year for sunflowers, so we met at Draper one evening in mid-July, hoping to catch a beautiful sunset in the sunflower fields. While the sunset wasn’t as magical as we’d hoped (it was fairly overcast that day), we did find the gorgeous fields of sunflowers! There were quite a few photographers and families milling around, so we did have to dodge them. And it was so muggy and hot! (That’s a SC summer for you, haha! At least there wasn’t a pop-up thunderstorm!) But despite the heat, we had such fun wandering through the rows of sunflowers and creating some sweet images that capture their love for each other! You can see some of their gallery below.

If anyone is interested in a sunflower session this summer, please let me know by clicking here! I’d love to preserve some memories for you!