There’s something about early May that feels like a celebration. The light softens, the air warms, and the world seems to stretch and wake up again after a long winter. As a photographer, it’s one of the months I look forward to most. Everything feels a little more alive, a little more hopeful, and if I’m honest, a lot more photogenic.
Photographing dogs in bluebells
Most of my work centres around dogs and horses, which means I spend a great deal of time outdoors, watching the seasons shift in subtle ways. But May brings something extra special: bluebells. My absolute favourite flower.
There’s a very particular kind of magic that happens in bluebell season. For a few fleeting weeks each spring, woodland floors are transformed into a soft, hazy carpet of violet-blue. It’s the sort of scene that feels almost too pretty to be real. Add a dog into the mix, and suddenly you have something even more special: a moment that’s equal parts chaos, charm, and beauty.
“Or… we could run?“
Photographing dogs in bluebells sounds idyllic, and it absolutely can be, but it’s rarely as effortless as those dreamy images suggest. Dogs, after all, are not known for their patience! Ask one to sit sweetly while you adjust your settings, and you may be met with a look that says, quite clearly, “Or… we could run?” There’s a lot of crouching, a fair amount of calling their name in increasingly enthusiastic tones, and occasionally the rustle of a dog treat bag being deployed as bribery.
The Best Photo Moments
But that’s part of the joy of it. The best images often come in the in-between moments; the head tilt, the curious glance, the split second before they decide to bound off through the flowers like a small, furry torpedo. Bluebells themselves add a softness to everything. Their gentle colour and delicate shape create a natural backdrop that flatters without overpowering, letting each dog’s personality shine through.
Photographing the Bluebell Wood
There is, of course, an etiquette to bluebell photography. These wildflowers are protected and surprisingly fragile, so keeping dogs (and humans) to established paths is essential. The beauty of a bluebell wood is something to preserve, not trample. With a bit of thoughtful positioning and a clever angle, you’d never know the difference in a photograph.
What makes these photo sessions so special isn’t just the magical setting, though; it’s the feeling. There’s something about spring light filtering through new leaves, about the quiet hum of a woodland waking up again, that encourages you to slow down.
Even the most energetic dogs seem, at times, to pause and take it in (albeit briefly).
For me, photographing dogs in bluebells is about capturing that fleeting sense of spring and the animal spirit. The flowers won’t last long, the light will shift, and the dog will almost certainly not sit exactly where you’d hoped. But when it all comes together, even for a moment, it’s pure, uncomplicated joy.
*All photographs taken at Calke Abbey, Derbyshire or Bagshot Woods, Staffordshire
