When styling and sunshine are on point, magic happens.  Let me throw this out there, bluebells are not as soft and whimsical to shoot in as they look – at least the ones within unmanaged forests are not, basically where photographers are able to shoot without it being on private land.

Before booking bluebell sessions, I talk very carefully to my clients about Bluebells to ascertain whether they are suitable for the specific ages and personality of their family. You see the ground they grow in is very brambly and uneven underfoot. Its looks all fluffy and soft but it certainly isn’t.

Growing in a sheltered woodland habitat Bluebells are often damp, full of spikey twigs, wildlife and bugs. To get to the clearings involves carefully walking around trees and over low branches all whilst keeping your step as soft as possible so not to tred on the flower heads. I even do a silly example at the start of my sessions on how to walk ‘under; them without treading on them and get the children to copy me.

Once we are in the light wells of the trees, (another key factor as the thick tree canopy often blocks most of the light) the children have to be able to take a little direction so not to damage the flowers.

Whereas with summer meadow or forest heather sessions children have free rein of their surroundings and can play, run and wander more, bluebell sessions are somewhat more static and we have to be careful and often move about to random patches of available light. The bloom window is a very small two weeks, I manage my diary as best I can in case we need to reschedule for the common April showers, but this also means I take on an incredibly limited amount of sessions.

The photographs from this bluebell motherhood session in Bracknell are created to story tell my usual carefree style, however, if you look closely you’ll see how much the children are ‘on the spot’. Bluebell sessions start around 630pm in the spring as personally I think that is when the light is best. More family Bluebell photoshoot are available to view here and here