Sparkford Wood: My Number One Location for Bluebell Photoshoots in Somerset

Some photographers have to search high and low for a bluebell wood that their clients can travel to. Apparently, these finicky but beautiful little flowers like just the right conditions to grow and it tends to be in ancient woodland far off the beaten track. So, imagine my unbridled joy when I discovered Sparkford Wood and its carpeting of purple flowers right on my doorstep. 

This Spring, all my stars aligned. Not only was it set to be a bumper year for bluebells, but the sun had finally decided to shine after a long wet start to April. I was more than a little excited to share this incredible location with my photo families and capture some timeless images amongst this memory-making scenery.

Meeting the family and sharing stories

When I met up with Lottie and her family on a balmy Thursday afternoon, I began with my usual introductions before we headed to the photoshoot location. After finding out everyone’s names, it’s always a great icebreaker to ask whether they’re travelled far or visited this location before. Standard responses tend to be either “Nope, we’ve never been here before, but it’s beautiful.” Or, “Oh yes, we’ve walked our dogs here a couple times,” from which flows the topic of dogs and all that comes with owning pets. 

So, I was pretty darn shocked when Lottie responded “Actually these woods hold some pretty big memories for us!” It turns out that not only was this the special spot where the couple came just before getting engaged, but it was also the site of some hilarious but unfortunate formative memories for their daughter when she had to help Mummy clear up her little brother’s poonami explosion on one of his very first outings. Needless to say, these woods have witnessed the highs and lows of this sweet family! 

When Lottie saw I was carrying out my Spring Mini Sessions here among the Sparkford Wood bluebells, she felt like it was meant to be – and I have to say I quite agree.

Natural woodland walking photos

As we wove our way through the woodland pathways, we found a great place on route to do some walking shots. I like to start with these natural photos, as this is a really easy way to get families used to being in front of the camera without having to pose. I give the simple instruction to walk hand in hand, and rather than trying to look at the camera, focus on smiling at each other. 

After we’d secured some lovely walking shots, we moved on to one of my favourite games,  the ‘Family Sandwich’. I ask the children to pretend that Mummy and Daddy are two giant slices of bread ready to make a sandwich and imagine they are the filling. 

“So what filling are you going to be?” This always gets their little imaginations whirring and you can have lots of fun suggesting silly things that definitely don’t go in sandwiches to elicit a giggle!

Capturing full bloom bluebell magic

Next, we moved on to the little open glade I had located for the sitting portion of the photoshoot. I always bring my trusty National Trust Waterproof Picnic Blanket with me to any session just in case the ground is moist and I laid it on the path. 

I’m always keen to remind families before a bluebell session that the flowers are protected. We have to look after them to make sure they’re here for many years to come. I explain that I’ll be using the pathways between the bluebells to seat them for some photos and shooting from an angle that hides the bare ground. This a really great way to create the illusion that they’re sitting amongst the bluebells without squashing or damaging them. 

For this part of the session, I used my long 85mm lens to shoot across the bluebells capturing the family enjoying time together, cuddling, playing and tickling. With a longer lens I’m able to stay at greater distance. It allows me to shoot as families chat and interact naturally for a natural lifestyle feel. 

Love, laughter and family connections

It’s always important to me to include different groupings or combinations of family members in my clients galleries. So, for the next part we took shots of just the children with their Mum. They shared some cuddles and we got one of my favourite photos of the session with Mum and daughter spending a special moment together amongst the flowers. 

Although a super smiley chap, their little boy was absolutely mesmerised with the leaves all at his eye height. He naturally wanted to grab at them, as toddlers do, so I made the choice to make a quick pivot and try something new. 

For this, I employed my second blanket of the session (a photographer can never have too many blankets, or so I tell my husband), placing it over my waterproof one to give a lovely neutral backdrop. 

Managing to find a little corner in the path where the bluebells encroach on the edges of the blanket. Both children laid down together and I asked Mum to give them a little tummy tickle. Shooting this from above meant getting a really joyful over the shoulder composition where you can see the children laughing, Mum’s hands tickling and the bluebells just peeking around the edges. It was totally magical and I’m so thrilled with how this turned out. 

Game playing and memories to treasure

After a few shots of the children on their own, we were about ready to move on to our final location. I knew I wanted to try to get some photos that incorporated movement and play. However, along the narrow pathways between the bluebells there wasn’t much room to manoeuvre. So, we instead opted for an old classic ‘What’s the Time Mr Wolf?’ or ‘Grandma’s Footsteps’. The family took it in turns to count and chase. I managed to capture some really fun active shots of them playing, running and enjoying a gorgeous afternoon together.

As we headed along the path back to the cars, we came across an elderly couple out walking. We exchanged pleasantries and remarked on the beautiful weather allowing us to enjoy the amazing spread of flowers. The couple had obviously been visiting Sparkford Wood for many years and were clearly excited to see a new generation of visitors enjoying it too. The gentlemen, taking in the two children, smiled and said to the little girl “Well your brother might be too little to remember this when he’s older but do you think you will?” And she nodded her head with an emphatic ‘yes’. 

This small interaction really made me pause for thought. It pulled into sharp focus (pardon the pun) how this little photoshoot among the bluebells won’t just provide beautiful photos for this family’s walls. It may also contribute to a really wonderful childhood memory of an afternoon spent playing, cuddling, smiling and enjoying family time outdoors. 

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