Bluebells

click photo to enlarge
This year seems to have been a good one for Hyacinthoides non-scripta - otherwise known as the common bluebell. I say that solely on the number and rude health of those that grow in my garden under the trees and in the borders. Since my re-location to Lincolnshire I find it a little harder to pop out to a bluebell wood in May and imbibe the shimmering blue under the thin tree canopy of fresh green leaves. In Lancashire this was an easy task, as it was when I lived in the Yorkshire Dales.

In 2006 I posted a couple of images of the Lancashire bluebell woods at Barnacre and Calder Vale. And, every year since that time, this particular image has been hit upon by people searchingthe web in early May for such a place to visit. For the past few days it has been the most popular page on this blog, and it is likely to remain so until the bluebells have faded or people have had their fill of this lovely spring spectacle.

Today's photograph shows the blooms of a clump of bluebells under an apple tree. I used a long focal length to throw the background of glossy leaves and sun-dappled bushes out of focus.

photograph & text (c) T. Boughen

Camera: Olympus E510
Mode: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 119mm (238mm/35mm equiv.)
F No: f6.3
Shutter Speed: 1/160
ISO: 100
Exposure Compensation: -0.3 EV
Image Stabilisation: On