There is probably no more appropriate national flower than Ukraine’s, the sunflower. This hardy plant, which turns its bright yellow head toward the sun, letting it droop only when the sun sets, is a potent symbol of hope and resilience, never more meaningful than today, two months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. These sunflowers in my current drop stand tall in Buonconvento, Tuscany, Italy, just one of many places in the world where they now thrive. But the flower was originally developed by indigenous peoples in North America and brought to Europe in the mid-1500s by Spanish explorers where it became popular throughout the continent for its many beneficial properties. It took hold in Ukraine in the 1700s, when the country was under the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church. 

Michael Yamashita Editions for Ukraine

Photography becomes magic when rain falls in Times Square, one of my favorite places to shoot. A tribute to Dave Krugman’s Drip Drop collection. Taken on 42nd Street outside of Regal Theatre.

The Ride

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