Poppies hold a special place in my heart, so I was super excited when I discovered a poppy field right on my doorstep here in Gloucester. Of course I had to head out and take some photographs! Here are my top tips to help you taking some fab photos amongst the poppies this year.
Where to find poppies?
I recently discovered Plock Court Playing Fields in Longford, which are perfect for families looking for a gentle walk or to get the kids running about, as well as being a great location to head out for a run or have a kick about. But in addition to that in May/June time, you’ll also be treated to a spectacular view of poppies and other beautiful wildflowers along the full length of the fields.
There is a small car park adjacent to the playing fields, with Oxtalls Tennis Centre a little further down with additional parking.
Have there always been poppies at Plock Court?
No! They’re a recent addition, with major work done at the end of 2019 to increase biodiversity in the area.
What to wear to a poppy photoshoot
If you’re hoping to head out and take some photographs of your family amongst the poppies, I highly recommend having a think about the clothes that they’ll be wearing. As with any family photo session, you want the focus to be on YOU and not on what you’re wearing, however the right clothes will add a beautiful finishing touch to your photographs.
Avoid the temptation to wear matching outfits as it can sometimes look tacky. Instead, choose clothes that complement each other colour-wise. If you’re not great in that department, Coolors is a great tool that will help you find colour palettes that work well together.
When it comes to photoshoots amongst the poppies, you’ve got a bit of choice: whites and creams will work nicely, but equally reds and blacks will look great too! Avoid big patterns and emblems on your clothes, as they’re going to draw the eyes away from what’s important – you and your family.
When to head out for a poppy photoshoot
Golden Hour refers to the time just before the sun sets (and just after the sun rises) and photographers love it because it produces the most beautiful, soft golden light. So it’s best to go out as late as you can get away with without the kids going doolally.
Top tip! A quick Google will tell you the sunrise and sunset times for your area so you can plan accordingly.
If you’re heading out during the day, beware of bright overhead sunlight as it can create really harsh shadows. Try and find a little bit of shade or even head out on an overcast day as it will create a much nicer, soft light.
How to take your own poppy photographs
As always with wildflowers, please avoid picking or trampling the poppies. Stick to paths or patches where there aren’t any flowers. Ideally you’ll want to position your subjects in an area where they have lots of poppies behind them and some in front of them too.
If you can get a nice low position for your phone or camera, you will hopefully be able to get a nice colourful blur at the bottom of your photograph, but this might not work, depending on the quality of your camera. That said, a higher perspective can also help to show the beautiful blanket of red behind so feel free to experiment!
Try and get a mixture of wide angle (zoomed out) and close ups of your family, as well as posed and natural photographs amongst the flowers. Avoid using the zoom feature on your phone where possible as generally this will degrade the quality of your photographs; you’ll get much better results moving in closer to take the photos.
Top tip! If you haven’t already seen my guide to taking better photographs of your kids on your phone, click here to get your copy!
Top tip! Use a tripod to set up your photograph with the rest of your family and then use a timer or remote so that you, too, can feature in your photographs! You can get really affordable phone tripods from Amazon that come with handy little bluetooth remotes too. (I have registered as an Amazon Associate so will earn money from qualifying purchases)
If in doubt, get in touch!
If you’d prefer a stress-free approach to your poppy photoshoot, where nice photos – that have YOU in them! – are guaranteed, then please do take a look at my outdoor photoshoots page to find out more about how I can help.
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