Saturday 31 October 2015

Mother nature's son - nature walks with a new baby.

Autumnal Oak leaf, Nottinghamshire, UK
Canon 7D mk. II, Canon 24mm f/1.4 lens, 1/160sec @f/1.4, ISO 100,
handheld with a two-day old baby strapped to my chest (essential).

It’s been a very colourful and eventful week here in the Worsley household, as my wife and I welcomed the arrival of our first child, Benny, born on Wednesday.  By Thursday night we were all at home together, and so first thing on Friday morning, when he was less than 48 hours old, I took Benny out on his first nature walk.  My brilliant Babybjörn baby carrier made this easy - I can strap him to my front, and get out walking through the autumnal woods, observing and photographing the wonderful array of colours; all with the added pleasure of the precious boy himself before me at all times. 

Benny, two days old, on his first nature walk with me.


The woodlands and fields that surround my house are an ideal playground for such natural adventures, and I’ve been noticing the difference in myself for taking walks once or twice a day in the wilds, seeing, smelling and feeling the mild chill autumn unfolding all around.  I hope it’s good for him too as he grows and develops a sense of the world around him.


Life itself is perhaps the most remarkable aspect of nature, so it’s a no-brainer to say that exposure to nature is good for our lives.  My little boy has his whole life ahead of him, and I hope that being surrounded by nature will serve him well.

Benny spots a snail and recommends I switch to a macro lens.



Canon 7D mk. II, Canon 100 f/2.8 macro lens, 1/250sec @f/5.0, ISO 2000
handheld with a two-day old baby strapped to my chest.

Canon 7D mk. II, Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro lens, 1/640sec f/4.5 ISO 1250
handheld with a two-day old baby strapped to my chest.