Sunflowers In Dalat

Admittedly, this photo doesn't fit my usual style of making photographs that "promote global awareness and cultural understanding". However, being a travel and documentary photographer it does give a nice "sense of place". North Dakota? South of France? No, in this case, that "place" is a kitschy hotel that was formerly a French Colonial Governor's mansion or something like that in Dalat, Vietnam. O.K., I must admit, I don't remember the actual building so much, due to the fact that it was not nearly as impressive as the little pamphlet the ministry of tourism gave me. The garden path that I discovered leaving the mansion however, was worth putting of my afternoon glass of Vietnamese drip coffee for another half hour. Just barely though. I'm telling you, that stuff is sheer ambrosia!
Alright, so "sense of place" did come into play. I mean, who knew they had massive sunflowers in Vietnam? However, I must admit the main reason I took this photograph is because I knew that both the colors and sunny disposition of these giant sunflowers would create a fantastic print that simply lights-up a room.
Over time, the popularity of this print has reaffirmed a couple of things to me. First, to trust my instincts. If a scene jumps out at me for any reason, shoot it! It doesn't always have to fit into a story, theme, etc. Secondly, never underestimate how much women love sunflowers!