Tulip season 2020

NOTE: This is not one of my usual blog posts where I share images and tell you how that particular shoot went, but I am more sharing over Tulip season this year, and how it feels to be missing out. Of course, I won't leave you hanging, I put together a slide show with some of my favorite images from the past few years, you can find that at the bottom of the post.

I just wanted to give you a heads up if you're mostly here to see some gorgeous photos. ;)

This year's springtime is very different than in the past few years. I have moved to the Flower region otherwise knows as 'de Bollenstreek' 4 years ago. 

I wasn't particularly excited or thrilled to move to Voorhout after living in Amsterdam for 4 years, but as soon as I discovered the fields my heart was full and filled with gratitude to be able to live in the middle of such gorgeous place.

After visiting the fields with my daughter for the first time,  (and took the most adorable photos of her) I realized other parents would be equally thrilled seeing photos of their kids in the fields, so the following year I have made some connections with local farmers and arranged to shoot on their fields.

When I was planning this year's shoots, I was already puzzling a bit about how to make it work as my due date fell right in the middle of the season. The mild winter also meant that the fields were going to bloom early, which meant tulips would bloom even closer around my due date.

A few farmers told me to just skip this season, but these shoots are something I look forward to all year round so I wasn't ready to give up so easily. At the end I finalised the first weekend of May with one farm, as they had some late blooming fields.

But I would've never imagined though that tulip season would be canceled for good this year.

I wasn't expecting the Keukenhof to be closed. I even heard that they planted multiple rows of flowers since the season was going to be so long.

When you see things on the news they feel distant, but when I see it from farmers you support and admire sharing their losses it just broke my heart.

I know you might think flowers are the least of our worries at this moment when many people are suffering, but this is one aspect of the pandemic. People losing things that have been part of their whole life and maybe generations before them.

I have been getting inquiries for the tulip shoots since January, and I know many people have bought flights and booked hotels to come for this particular and special season to Holland.

Even though it feels like I had nothing to lose as I didn't make any bookings or big commitments to do these shoots, springtime around the fields has just become part of our life. Either if it's just for taking my daughter to Keukenhof or making clients happy with these unique photographs. 

This morning my daughter asked me if we could go to visit the fields, and of course I had to say no. Then she followed that by saying: "Take a picture of me being sad about the virus mama..." My heart...💔

Last year I did around 30 flower shoots, which also included some at Keukenhof and a very special shoot which I am sure I will remember for the rest of my life. ( story follows below).

Rodrigo contacted me a few months prior to the flower season, saying he would like to plan a surprise proposal for his girlfriend in the fields. I don't normally shoot engagements or weddings but this was one of those things I couldn't say no to.

Honestly, this was one of the most exciting and nerve-wracking moments in my carrier. I had one chance to do this. I needed a good angle, I needed to give them privacy, but capture the moment. If I mess it up he pretty much hired me for nothing, and I was running all these scenarios in my head about telling him I missed the moment.

 Gosh, I think I was more nervous than he was.

I spent many hours trying to figure out the perfect location and place for him to pop the question, but in the end it was worked out perfectly, there were tears, laughter, and some pretty great photos. :)

Of course it's not the end of the world that we missed tulip season this year, and I am thankful and happy I get to spend it at least with the people I love the most: my family.

I do miss all my clients and being around babies and fellow mamas with the beautiful views and smells.

I hope next year we can catch up again, and take some wonderful tulip photos.

As I said earlier in the post, I have put together a short film from my favourite photos. 

Enjoy, and feel free to share! 

x Simona