The Bluebells are Back
Each year in late April and early May, the landscape of Cumbria takes on a different hue. This is the time that the fresh greens of spring grass change to the blue of the humble bluebell, also known as Hyacinthoides non-scripta. In woodlands up and down the country, this delicate flower creates spectacular carpets of blue that stretch for acres along the woodland floor. Approximately half of the world’s population of bluebells are found in the UK.
Bluebells thrive in woodland, but they can also be found in more open spaces and in hedgerows. The Lake District, with its rural landscapes, is home to thousands of bluebells and many of the best places to see these beautiful displays are easily accessible for most people.
A wide angle lens (30mm) provides an overview of the bluebells but the flowers appear spaced out and the blue carpet effect is lost.
How to Photograph Bluebells
While a woodland can seem carpeted with blue from a distance, the coverage can look rather patchy when you walk amongst the bluebells and shoot from head height. Adopting a low position, however, narrows the gaps between the blooms, enhancing the coverage.
Zooming in, a short telephoto lens has the effect of shortening perspective and compressing the view, which makes it look like there are more bluebells than there actually are.
A telephoto lens with an effective focal length range of 70-200mm is often a good choice as it allows you to shoot distant flowers where the gaps between them seem compressed. It also enables you to pick out individual blooms and blur the background to a soft wash of blue and green by shooting with a wide aperture.
A macro lens is also useful for getting close-up shots of details.
It’s easy to be distracted by the stunning blue carpet before you and to ignore the clutter often associated with a woodland floor, such as fallen branches and brambles. Look carefully as you compose and seek out the tidier areas of woodland.
As well as wider scenes, force yourself to focus on the smaller details too. Moss-covered tree stumps or fallen branches surrounded by bluebells can also be lovely.