The Valensole plateau sits high in the south of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France. With 300 days of sunshine a year, Valensole has easily earned its name that comes from the Latin “vallis” and “solis”, meaning valley of the sun.

Valensole, a haven for tourists and photographers, is renowned for its lavender and truffles. From late June to mid-July, the fields burst into a kaleidoscope of blue, violet, and purple, often juxtaposed with golden wheat fields and timeless villages. The air, pure and fragrant with lavender, adds to the tranquillity of the place.

I came to photograph the lavender fields with a small group led by a professional photographer. I took this photo on one of our last days in the Valensole region. The afternoon and night prior had been very stormy, with heavy rain and a memorable lightning storm. Having already traveled through the area for several days, most of our tired little group decided to sleep in after the stormy night and unimpressive forecast for the morning.

Undeterred by the forecast, we embraced the spirit of adventure and spontaneity, hoping for a post-storm spectacle. We found ourselves on a rugged farmer's road, deep within a lavender farm, when the sky began to transform. Hastily, we pulled over, setting up our tripods and cameras. Little did we know, this would be the most breathtaking sunrise of our entire trip, painting the land and sky with vibrant hues.

We later rejoined our little group at breakfast, and when they asked if we’d gotten anything decent at sunrise, opened a notebook computer with this image.