Ringing in spring

Spring has already sprung with the daffodils and magnolia in bloom and the leaf buds opening around the blackthorn and plum blossom but my favourite part is yet to come that is more towards the end of spring and that is the wonderous sight of a carpet of bluebells through the woodland areas. There are a few local places to enjoy them and I always make an effort to capture their beauty at least once a year. Last year I spend a good few hours exploring a small woodland that is close to my heart from memories of walking it when I was younger with my grandad after visiting his allotment and the spring walks through the bluebells were always the most memorable (other than the discovery of yet another burnt out vehicle still steaming in the cold morning air seemingly every week back in the ‘90s), the place I am referring to is Tarman’s Copse and thankfully most of it was preserved when Jennett’s Park was built for everyone to continue to enjoy, although at the start of this year some clearance work has taken place on the southern tip of the wood, while that corner is still a mess hopefully by next year it will have recovered and the bluebells will benefit and thrive from more space and light now available, the adjacent woodland will already be benefitting from it and I hope I will too with new compositions now available in that corner of the woods. Here are some of my shots from last year:

The hardest part about woodland photography is simplifying the composition as there is so many possible distractions around and behind the subjects, but you have to work with what is there and make the best of the shapes and angles available, often the bluebells aren’t the main subject but are used the enhance what would otherwise be a blander scene, as is shown in the first photo the trio of large trees and the light falling on them is with the trail in the foreground leading you into the image. Interesting trees, both alive and dead make the best subjects, through their shape, textures and how they interact with other trees and plants, logs being particularly good as they also contrast the living with the dead with all the new growth around it.

Another restriction photographing the woodland during the bluebells specifically is keeping to the paths and fox trails so not to trample them and ruin it for others but finding the shot is even more rewarding. Even though most of the shots were taken in the afternoon when the light is a bit harsh the dappled light through the trees is still very pleasant and you can tell when there was a few clouds around in a few shots with slightly softer shadows and also in the final shot of the gallery which is from Wykery Copse slightly later that day the sun is lower and warmer toned. I hope to get out multiple times again this year for them and in a couple of other locations too. Prints of any of the featured shot can be made available, contact me if interested.