Bluebell Photography Welcome Guide

Timing your photoshoot

The bluebells are weather dependent and can flower anytime from mid-April to the end of May. For this reason, we need to be a little bit more flexible on dates if it’s the backdrop of bluebells you are after for your family photo shoot.  It’s best to pencil a date in the diary (I can do weekend days too) and I’ll keep a watch on the bluebells during my family dog walks in case I need to adjust our shoot dates. 

Once we have a day confirmed I recommend we start the shoot fairly early (8am or 8.30am).  The light is a lot more flattering on everone’s faces as the sun comes up at the beginning of the day and we’ll avoid the nasty shadows as the sun gets higher closer to midday.  We’ll also (hopefully) avoid random people in the background of your shots!

Location

If you have somewhere in mind for your shoot please let me know.  Otherwise I can suggest some locations that work for photography.

WHAT TO WEAR FOR YOUR BLUEBELL PHOTOSHOOT

For your bluebell photoshoot, I recommend choosing pastel and natural colours. Blues and purples work beautifully with the bluebells, while yellow, white or cream can provide a lovely contrasting pop of colour. Take a look at the images on this page for inspiration.

Plain colours and soft textures generally photograph best. Try to avoid clothing with large logos, branding, or bold patterns, as these can distract from the image and may date your photographs over time. All-black or all-white outfits also tend not to photograph as well as softer, mixed tones. Coordinating colours across the family works well, and having one person wear a slightly contrasting colour can add interest without overpowering the scene.

When choosing locations, I look for flattering light and usually avoid harsh sunshine, which often means photographing in shaded areas that can feel cooler. Please bring warm layers for little ones, even if we remove them for some photos. Gilets and layers work particularly well for children and can easily be taken on and off for variety.

Most importantly, dress for the weather and choose clothes that you and your children feel comfortable and relaxed in — happy, comfortable families always make the best photographs.

During your shoot

During your session, I’ll gently guide you into a few natural family groupings, choosing the best and most flattering light as we go. Once we’ve captured those, we’ll move on to more relaxed, informal photographs, allowing plenty of space for natural interactions and moments to unfold.

My aim is to keep things easy and enjoyable so everyone feels comfortable and the photos reflect your family naturally.

After your shoot

After your session, I carefully select and edit the best images from your shoot. Once they’re ready, your photographs will be uploaded to a private, password-protected online gallery where you can view the images at home and choose your favourites.

There’s no obligation to decide in advance what you’d like to purchase, but if you already know you’re looking for digital files, prints, or framed artwork, do let me know before the session so I can photograph with that in mind and help you get the most from your images.

A note on protecting the bluebells . . .

Bluebells are a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.  It’s so important that we don’t trample the beautiful flowers when we are taking photos. Crushed bluebells can take years to recover. As your family photographer, I’ll guide you through the bluebell woods making use of the paths and bare patches. I’ll ask children and families to sit on fallen tree trunks and logs. By choosing my angles carefully and crouching down I can make it look like the children are sitting amongst the bluebells but I’ve carefully positioned them on a path or a bare patch. I won’t ask children to pick bluebells during our photo shoot.