Nature’s healing power

For Gemma Warr, volunteering is an escape from the stresses of life and helps her get closer to nature

My love for bird photography began in 2019 when I suffered a breakdown in my mental health. I was encouraged to spend time enjoying things that made me happy, and that was spending time in nature.

I started volunteering for the Earth Trust charity in Oxfordshire, which had several reserves replete with a wide variety of wildlife. This led to me purchasing a Canon EOS 7D Mark II.

After a few months, the charity asked me to become their nature photographer and shared my photos in their studies and social media. Photography has really boosted my confidence and allowed me to meet some truly wonderful people. I have a huge passion for all animals, with a particular interest in badgers, owls and birds of prey – red kites, buzzards and kestrels – documenting their daily lives.

I would encourage everyone to get out in nature where possible and take photographs of any subject on a camera phone or a pro-level camera. Remember that no photo is a bad photo; it is a captured moment to look back on and remember the good time that you had.