BLUEBELL PHOTOSHOOT INSPIRATION: TIPS FOR YOUR FAMILY SHOOT

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I absolutely love a bluebell photoshoot in the woods for family photos. Please fill in a contact form or email here if you're interested in booking your own. This style of relaxed photo shoot is a really good way to capture all members of the family being themselves. My Hampshire bluebell sessions follow pastel neutral tones and a gorgeous purple colour pallet - bring your denim jeans and wellies... let's dive in!

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WHAT MAKES A BLUEBELL PHOTOSHOOT A POPULAR CHOICE FOR PHOTOSHOOTS IN HAMPSHIRE AND SURREY?

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Bluebells are popular for photoshoots due to their vibrant colours, creating a picturesque setting. The bluebell woods offer a magical and whimsical backdrop for photography, making them a sought-after choice for capturing enchanting and ethereal images.

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 A few weeks ago, despite having snow in APRIL, I managed to find (with the help of my future father-in-law - thanks Graham!) some beautiful bluebell woods in Bookham, Surrey.  

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Whether you stumbled upon this page with the intention of booking a family photoshoot with me, or maybe you're thinking about taking some photos yourself, either way... I wanted to create this blog post with a few of my "top tips on how to get the best out of bluebell season!"

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Each Spring, we are blessed with a sea of amethyst carpeted forest floors, which makes for some truly stunning photoshoot settings!

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   My Top Tips

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• When - Bluebells have a rather short life span, which usually lasts for a few weeks, although this time varies slightly from year to year. I tend to hold my shoots between the last two weekends in April & the first two weekends in May. I always make sure the blooms are looking beautiful before choosing multiple shoot dates, so that everyone who wants to book a slot, can!

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• Know your type - Our native bluebell, "Hyacinthoides non-scripta", otherwise known as "common bluebells", is a flowering plant that naturally occurs in the U.K. The Spanish bluebell, "Hyacinthoides hispanica", was introduced into the U.K. by the Victorians as a garden plant, but escaped into the wild in 1909.  But how can I tell the difference... I hear you say?! Both flowers are extremely beautiful of course, but the main differences are that The English bluebell has narrow leaves, droops and smells sweet, whilst The Spanish bluebell has broad leaves, is upright and doesn't smell. Hybrids have also been identified! 

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• Take care - The English bluebell is actually protected by British law, and it's a criminal offence to remove/pick them. When organising these shoots, I always scout the area out for tree stumps/logs and paths that have bluebells surrounding them beforehand, in order to avoid interfering with the bluebells as much as possible! Woodlands where these flowers grow have sometimes had bluebell seasons for hundreds of years, so it is extremely important that we continue to protect them, allowing for them to grow for many years to come! It should also be noted that bluebells are poisonous, so please keep an eye on little hands going for them/them going in little mouths!

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• Outfits - If you've read any of my previous blog posts, see here, you'll know that I always encourage my clients to wear clothes that they feel comfortable and relaxed in. This being said, it is definitely worth giving a little thought to your families' outfits to really make the best of the beautiful setting you will find yourselves in. Blues, pinks and of course whites... all really compliment the colour of the bluebells but if you do want to add a bit of drama, yellow can really "nicely clash" with the violent blue!

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• The photos themselves - I definitely found the bluebells to look most blue and beautiful on an overcast day/late afternoon when the sun is low in the sky, so keep your eye on the weather! I like to get down low, encourage the children to gently play (on nearby stumps/trees and paths!) and to generally be playful and enjoy it! 

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The bluebell mini sessions were such a success this year, I definitely want to do them again, come Spring 2023!

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I honestly love taking family photographs at a family photography shoot, documentary family photography and capturing natural photographs of your family portraits to tell your family story authentically is so lovely to be able to do. If you're interested in a family photoshoot/family shoot or family photography in the great outdoors, please get in touch today for your photography session quote.

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