Late April/early May tends to signal one thing for photographers, and that’s bluebell season! Over the last few weeks, my Instagram feed has been full of bluebell woodlands, and I couldn’t resist going for a drive to see some myself.
Just a short drive away from home is Captain’s Wood in Sudbourne, an ancient woodland that is home to many rare plants and a delightful mix of natural habitats for a vast range of wildlife. It’s beautifully tranquil and reasonably tucked away. A brief walk on arrival will take you to this beautiful and concentrated display of bluebells, most of which can be viewed easily via accessible paths. There are lots of tree stumps surrounding the area and obviously endless trees to provide interesting focal points for your photographs, though I must admit, I do find them as a subject quite challenging.
Bluebells are extremely delicate flowers, so it’s key to stick to the paths rather than trample over them. Sadly, this kind of behaviour has been witnessed in the past and has been highlighted recently by Woodland Trust.
As you can imagine, this area gets very popular during peak season with families and photographers alike, so it’s worth getting there early to avoid the crowds. On this particular morning, I bumped into just one couple on a walk. It was so peaceful, and the light was simply beautiful.
Despite saying earlier that I find bluebells quite challenging to photograph, I felt that I got a couple of great shots on this particular morning, especially compared to efforts last year.
All images shot with a Fujifilm X-T3 & Fujinon XF 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR Lens.
