Stories, Thoughts, & Reflections

The Euphoric Rollercoaster of Photographing Bluebells in Spring

April 1, 2021

favorite reads:
I'm Chrissy!

 I’m glad you stopped by. I cover a range of topics that I'm confident will benefit your photography. Explore the site and discover valuable insights to enhance your photographic journey.  Until the day when our tripod legs cross out in the landscape, cheers to happy photographing!

hello,

Get on the List!

subscribe

Monthly tips and inspirational content delivered straight to you!

Photographing Bluebell Forest

There are moments in life that simply knock the rust off your soul. You feel connected to the world and realize you are witnessing something truly magnificent. One such experience is photographing bluebells in the spring. In the faint dusk light, I walked into the bluebell forest and the overwhelming scent of hyacinth suddenly embraced me.  As I quietly wandered, I ran across deer looking for their breakfast without any fear of my presence. I listened to the birds singing overhead. For a moment, I felt like Snow White minus the evil queen and poisonous apple.  That morning was so surreal.  If someone told me a unicorn was prancing about, I would have believed them. However, there is always another side to consider.

After the sun’s rays appeared above the horizon, the crowds began to descend upon my meditative trance. After a few more hours of people-watching, I sat near a picnic spot and was overcome with sadness. The internet made this once quiet spot enjoyed by locals into an attraction for droves of tourists. Those who manage the forest must be overwhelmed. Despite the town posting signs pleading for people to remain on the trails, I watched countless individuals sneak into the middle of the bluebell fields to take their “epic selfie” shot.  My sadness stems from the knowledge that ONCE TRAMPLED, THE BLUEBELL TAKES 5-7 YEARS TO REGROW.

After a few consecutive years of visiting the forest, it is clear that these small paths of destruction where people walked off the main trails are expanding with each passing year.  People see these tiny paths and think it is okay for them to walk there since there are no flowers (even with signs right in front of them). Whether they know it or not, each footstep prolongs the bluebell’s return as well as creates a further expansion of the damage.

This year I didn’t make it to the forest. Actually, I reside on a different continent now. Therefore, I know it will be a few years before I return to bluebell bliss, if ever. Even so, the hope remains that our human admiration for nature’s beauty and an effort to educate visitors will help preserve this piece of heaven.  There are some instances where it isn’t worth getting the shot. I can only hope a silver lining of the pandemic was that this place got a kick-start to its recovery.

+ show Comments

- Hide Comments

add a comment

  1. Reeva Mills

    November 14th, 2023 at 3:28 am

    Thhank you for writing this

  2. Chrissy Donadi

    November 18th, 2023 at 5:54 pm

    You are more than welcome and thank you for leaving a message!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Fine art nature and landscape photographer, speaker, and Lightroom educator.

All Content Copyright © 2017-2023 Chrissy Donadi Photography LLC | All Rights Reserved  |  Privacy Policy | Terms and conditions

Get Around

Get on the List!